Hello all NT people -

I've been lurking her for awhile and already have learned quite a bit from the posts here. I'm grateful to all those who are so forthcoming about their own circumstances and generous with helpful information.

By way of introduction, I am on older woman, retired, living in Colorado. I have a diffusely degenerated spine -- cervical area is the worst. This has caused recurrent pain for at least a decade, however for about the past five months the pain has been continuous -- varying in intensity, but never going away completely.

Radicular pain (burning, pinching) from Left C6 impingement currently is my most prominent symptom, plus intermittent numbness, or 'buzzing' and/or electric shock sensations. Ongoing physical therapy, including cervical traction, has helped greatly in defeating pain in my neck and arm, but not in my hand. I currently take daily nortriptyline, plus tramadol for "those days."

I also seem to have developed a kind of cold allodynia in my left hand. Even the slightest cold sets off a cascade of awful pain. So, I'm the one wearing a mitten on her left hand most of the time, even in summer.

I'm otherwise in great health: I'm not overweight, and my BP, cholesterol, blood sugar, etc are all normal (for which I am thankful).

Compared to many who post here, I guess I am not so bad off, but I do feel a kind of kinship with anyone who suffers from neuropathic pain of any kind or degree. So here I am...