Hi Kathi,
Yes, I have a copy of my CT report, and I showed it to my Neurologist last time I saw him. All he said was... "It's not bad really, I've seen worse spines than yours, and as recently as this morning"!
The summary of the report said..."Minor disc bulges are as described, without significant canal stenosis or foraminal narrowing".
I don't think it's too bad, either, there are a lot worse than me out there! The only injections I've had are for the occipital nerves, never had any facet joint injections. I just have pain down one side, and my neck muscles are always tight. I usually get massage therapy every 2 weeks, which usually relieves the tension and pain, but my massage therapist is away at the moment, and I can't get to see him until late next week. I've often had muscle tightness and spasms in the neck, but they usually only last a day or 2. Bu this has lasted nearly 2 weeks!
As for the laptop, I never have it on my lap (no room on my lap anyway! lol) I use it on a small ajustable table, but can't quite get it as high as I'd like, so it's sitting on a book as well now! lol I still use my old desktop PC, (I'm using it now!). But I wanted something portable so I don't have to be stuck in this small stuffy room all the time! I used the laptop over christmas, as I had my brother sleeping in the room where my PC is! Anyway, I'll work it all out eventually! lol I'm limiting my time on any computer right now...gotta get a life! lol
~Jaime~
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kathi49
Jaime,
I am sorry to hear you are still having pain.
I want to ask you. What levels did the CT scan show the OA at it worst? I know you said OA is at every level. That tells me that it is probably facets and/or foraminal narrowing maybe Stenosis? And was the injection a trigger point injection so to speak? And do you have a copy of your CT report? I would try, if warranted, the facet injections based on what you have said. And I know those muscle spasms can be bad!  Case in point...last spring it was everything I could do to get the spasms to stop and the sternocleidomastoid muscles were involved. I insisted my PM try trigger point injections at first. But at the time he said it was more than likely the facets. He went ahead and did the trigger points but the relief didn't last long at all. Dummy me!  I was back in his office in no time flat and he went ahead and did the C2/C3 level. Well, he was right...I have had relief now for many months.
Over the years he has said many things but one thing he always told me and based on the way my neck is, that the pain would always come back and it did. The other thing was (and he has two fusions; myself as well) that he could never believe how those spasms just come on out of the blue. He now understands because it happens to him. And he kind of laughed at the time...said he has preached for years to stretch. Well, now he knows that sometimes stretching just doesn't get it. In any case, the way it was explained to me is that when the nerves are acting up, the muscles will spasm.
I hope you can get back in to the doc and get some relief. And watch the laptop. I know they are great for sitting and making life a bit easier. But if your head is in a forward posture or you are looking down, it can reallly aggravate things. And no offense intended at all. I talk to many spinal disorders folks who use nothing but laptops. I think I am the only one that uses a desktop instead. But unless my screen is right in front of me (ergonomically correct in other words) and my arms are resting, then I can't use a PC at all. A soft collar might help too. I put mine on when I feel spasms come on and it does help a bit; not a cure all...but reminds me in a way to keep my posture where it should be. |