X-ray...have a look
 

Hello all. Been having terrible pain in neck, R-shoulder and arm. Wondered if anyone here has expertise at reading x-rays? I have placed a "red arrow" pointing to what appears to me to be a bone fragment--between C4 and C5.
Also, I have placed 3 tiny "green dots" around C5 and C6--areas that appear to me to be problematic--fractures?...or some misalignment causing pinched nerves?
I'm currently waiting for a 2d opinion from a 2d doctor. Thank you.
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/u..._2780_1617.jpg

I think you found the possible trouble spots, and possibly the lowest one on the c spine - has normal spacing but the right side seems to close up or have something there too.

Have you seem a chart like this ?
There are others on the net also with various amounts of info.

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/pi...pictureid=5102

That last one is where it should be - it's sitting on the "ball" of the 1st thoracic joint. I thought it was collapsed too at first, but then I looked at the chart. LOL

There does look like some "thing" between the discs - whether it's a bone fragment or not, i don't know but it sure looks like one. I don't see anything wrong with C5-6. I think you're seeing shadows there from behind.

Glad you're getting a 2nd opinion tho. Let us know what he says. Best of luck. God bless! Hugs, Lee

Many thanks, Jo*mar and Leesa. I'm now waiting for my private neurologist's opinion. I know for certain that he is NOT afraid to read an x-ray. I eventually had 11 x-rays (shoulder/chest/neck/head) taken at a VA hospital. For some reason, both my primary care doc (VA) and my VA neurologist (for parkinson's) won't even look at them. They tell me they are not "qualified" to read x-rays. Maybe you guys can help me to understand--WHY???
I mean, a "neurologist" is NOT qualified to read an x-ray? Why NOT?--was he sick that 2d year of grad-school?

i havent read many....but areas of concern to me are posterior 6/7 appears loss of disc height...? non displaced fx of 4 and 5 again posterior...plus the your red arrow, and the same spot next one down, C1 appears to be angled oddly and the vertebral body is highlighted sharply compared to others....? activity?
have you had trauma to your neck, even as simple as whiplash....since you are VA could this have happened in country?

I was wondering about injuries or accidents that might be tied it with the pain too.

And we have some older threads in some of the other forums with mention of shoulder pain or frozen shoulder tied to PD.
You can do a whole forum search to find those. Just interesting to see you mention both ...

Thank you pabb and Jo*mar. Have had several/various traumas over the
years. About 2 yrs ago, I had a fractured R-scapula. It seemed to heal well
enough, although I have chronic pain in both shoulders. Currently, the pain
is much worse in the right. Here is another xray (arms extended horizontally toward the front), showing what I would call significant differences when comparing the R to L. Any comments? Again,
thanks to ALL.
My primary-care doc at the VA is pretty much dragging his feet over my
recent xrays. He stated--they show "some arthritis" in my neck...nothing to
worry about." The pain tells me otherwise.
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/u...776_1823-1.jpg

Hmmm
even looking at the rib cage - looks to be uneven unless you might have been standing off balance or turned a bit???
top ribs look uneven too

Is one shoulder higher than the other??
looks like it to me.

one side seems to have more muscle or bulk in the shoulder area or scar tissue? :confused:


It's hard to tell if all these are the normal for you or if it was due to the postures at the time of the x rays.

Maybe do an internet search for other xrays that are similar postures to compare?
here's some -
http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&b...=&oq=&gs_rfai=

http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&b...=&oq=&gs_rfai=
http://handbook.muh.ie/X-Rays/Spine_xrays.htm

Pretty much a Yes to all of your questions--except that I was standing straight--or at least, I was trying to. However, I don't exactly know what to think about the R-shoulder having more "muscle or bulk" than the L. That is--Yes, the muscles on my R-side are ONLY slightly more developed than the left, but I don't think this is what we are "seeing". I'm guessing we are seeing "swelling" from some chronic condition. There is obviously a big difference in size and appearance, but apparently my health care providers didn't notice. Thank you very much. This is why I am here. Actually, I didn't notice this size-difference until you expertly pointed it out. This will definitely be one more point of interest that I'll bring to the attention of my health care providers.
What I did readily notice about this xray is the difference in appearance of the bone(s) "structure".

LOL , not an expert at all - but I'm often a detail oriented person as well as a sometime budding artist, so visual details catch my eye.

well....i suspect you have an extremely mild scoliosis....and/or problem from when you fx your R scapula.....? this is a posterior/anterior view, yes? which means the L/R orientation is the same as the viewer.....
there is a widening of the space at the distal end of the R clavicle...and i am wondering about T 1 rib.....am having trouble appreciating all twelve sets of ribs, counting up from the bottom, .....I really am confused if this is AP or PA.....

Looks like you have a slight degree of scoliosis to me. But I wouldn't think it would cause THIS kind of pain. :eek:

Thank you for your reply, pabb. Yes, it does appear that I have a bit of scoliosis. No big deal. I think it's a fairly common condition. The view is from the front--the shoulder on the left side of the screen is my R-shoulder. It's a posteroanterior (PA) view--x-rays enter through the posterior (back), and exit out of the anterior (front).

Thank you for your reply, Leesa. Yeah, scoliosis isn't the problem. I should add that while I was in the military I had several cortisone injections into my ankles. I don't remember exactly how many, but I do remember a doc finally telling me that he wouldn't advise any future injections. One of the adverse reactions to methylprednisolone, for example, is "vertebral compression fractures". They took 11 x-rays, and my VA primary care doc said that I have a "small amount" of arthritis. Who doesn't? He was basically reading from the radiologist's report. He's apparently not "qualified" to read x-rays, but he has no problem prescribing methylprednisolone for my arthritis. Strange thing is, methylprednisolone can actually lead to "vertebral compression fractures". I assume this holds true for "cortisone" injections, as well.

I'm sitting here with 11 x-rays, and I'm thinking they must show something that accounts for the pain (neck, R-shoulder/arm). My VA primary care doc's diagnosis is a small amount of arthritis, but he's not even qualified to read an x-ray. I tried to get my VA neurologist (I have Parkinson's) to take a look at the x-rays, but he refused. He plainly stated that he's not qualified. I don't understand. How is it that a "neurologist" isn't qualified to read an x-ray? Am I supposed to assume that at some point during his college years he made a conscious decision to NOT school himself in this particular area of expertise? Am I supposed to assume that at some point he decided that this particular skill wouldn't come in handy at some point? Exactly how does one decide to precisely delegate this responsibility to someone else? More importantly, "why" would any doctor decide to let someone else handle this responsibility? It makes no sense to me. Wouldn't it be a "liability" for a doctor to rely on a radiologist in this manner? Hmmm...Maybe that's IT. Maybe the doc just wants a chance to let someone else take responsibility and blame. If we can spread this disease thin enough, maybe we will ALL come out ahead in the end. When the wrong diagnosis finally shows itself, the "lessers of expertise" can be blamed first, and the Ph.D's involved will have had their fair warning? The patient can at least rest easy in between his accusations.
There's a lot more going on in my life right now, if you haven't already guessed. It has to do with my exposure to trichloroethylene (and other VOCs) at Camp Lejeune NC, and at the Naval Air Warfare Center, Hughes Aircraft, Raytheon Technical Services, all at Indpls. It also has to do with the VA's way of spreading "thin blame" for what they call a "neuropsychiatric exam" as a requirement for DBS surgery...which reminds me--exactly "why" is that power-supply so huge? I mean, I know for a fact that power-supplies do NOT need to be that big...OK, I guess you think I'm rambling on by now...I guess I am...too tired to elaborate...I need some lawyers.