Quote:
Originally Posted by mfitz
I was diagnosed with Cervical DDD almost a year ago now but have been seeking treatment for the past 5 years. I am in constant pain from muscle inflammation and am currently having a terrible flare up. It gets so bad, I have a vegal reaction causing sweating, diarrhea, and vomiting all at the same time *fun*. I'm only 29 years old. I'm wondering if anyone else is dealing with something similar? I have done physical therapy, massage therapy, chiropractic treatment, and use medications to "control" the pain. And here I sit in agony. Does anyone with similar experience have any ideas?
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Hi mfitz,
I have cervical DDD (c5-c7) with muscle spasm flares. I've experienced vaso vagal response, but not in relation to my DDD. Like others here, I was advised (by my orthopedist) to avoid chiropractic for neck disorders. I concur with the suggestion to seek a pain specialist/clinic. There are still therapies that you haven't listed.
Couple of questions:
What
kind of PT?
I went through different courses that tried different regimens for the same underlying condition.
What
kind of massage therapy?
Shiatsu did nothing for me. Myofascial Triggerpoint "massage" did a
lotfor me; the knowledge/skill of the therapist is crucial. Our therapist taught us how to do it at home, and we use it regularly for a variety of muscle problems.
Have you tried:
TENS
Magnesium, other supplements
Hot/cold
Yoga, Meditation, or Tai Chi
Steroidal/nerve block injections
There are more, but those are off the top of my head. Check out (search engine) some more informational websites for your particular dx and for chronic pain.
If you are still sitting there in agony, it would seem the meds aren't working and your pain is not being adequately addressed. A change may be in order, but that's between you & your doctor. You have to be your own advocate and communicate with him/her. If pain patients don't communicate that their pain is not being adequately treated, doctors
assume that nothing is wrong and that no change is warranted.
Doc Smith (IANAMD)
Oh, the pain... THE PAIN...