Originally Posted by Kathi49

Charliebubs,

I can imagine and even relate to feeling dumbfounded. When this all started 8years ago for me I didn't even know WHAT it was or WHY it was happening. Honestly, I thought I was having a stroke when it first happened. And...once I started in trying to find the cause I did NOT know the questions to ask until I started talking to other people going through the same thing. So, don't feel bad. It has taken many years and trials and tribulations and even fusions to get it all taken care of even though I have some residual pain. But I also know ON can be caused by other things...not necessarily the spine. I think that is why sometimes it is difficult for people to get diagnosed. As I said before, they started with trigger points around the greater and lesser occipital nerves. And during that whole time I had some really freaky pains, dizzy spells, nausea...you name it. I just didn't know where it was coming from. Anyway, if you can get the name of the procedure or what it is your doc is planning to do, please post back. The ONLY procedure I NEVER had done was a total destruction of the nerves in the back of the head. My original PM mentioned that procedure in the very beginning. I thought it was a cool idea UNTIL he said that I would never feel the back of my head again. And again, I said, well, so what...it is better than being in pain 24/7! But he said not really...alot of his patients hated the numbness and wished they could feel again. But this procedure he was speaking of was NOT the ablation I was speaking of. I wish I could remember the name of it but I opted out at that time since he had already said I would need a fusion someday. As it turned out, he was right.