Quote:
Originally Posted by justsad
Arthritis in the cervical vertebrae has caused the canal to swell shut, so that an MRI in that area shows no opening at all. Does anyone here have this problem? I have no feeling in the tips of my fingers or thumbs. My hands, shoulders, arms, and upper back are in pain, and sometimes shooting pains from when I do something ( like lift something) is awful.
Surgical solutions are iffy/scary. No meds help. Phys therapy only worsens--why was this prescribed???????? 
No PT options remain & I'm not open to surgery. Is there anything else? |
Hi, I'm sorry to hear of your problem and pain. There are lots of people on this forum who have had spinal issues in the cervical area, including myself. May I ask why you are so opposed to surgery? I would think if your MRI is showing the spinal cord being completely crushed you may need surgery, although only a doctor can advise you of that of course. It's not that you absolutely need surgery, but you should at least explore the option of it to release the pressure off your spinal cord?
Have you met with a neurosurgeon? (I would try to see a neurosurgeon, not an orthopedic surgeon, they have more experience with the delicate cervical area). What discs are being affected?
If you don't get any relief from physiotherapy then you may need to find a new physiotherapist, some are better then others, and I went through a few before finding one that was good at dealing with my cervical issues. The first one I saw did make things worse. They are not all equal!!
Try icing your neck, biofreeze (which can be purchase from a chiropractor's office and physiotherapist) will sometimes offer a bit of pain relief, do not lift anything over 10lbs (yeah, I know, not much, but that's my restriction) and try to get in to see a specialist as soon as you can. A tens unit helps some people also, everything is a trial and error though.
I hope you find some answers to your problem.
Cathie