Great!
 

I'm already dealing with PN in my feet, and now I've got stenosis in C4/C5 of my neck. It's bad enough to have an arthritic back, but this shoulder and when I reach for something, bicep pain....I have begun using the Saunders Cervical Traction gizmo. I've only used it twice, but I feel like neck is worse. Using the exact weight the chiropractor wants me to use. I am soooooo scared of neck surgery. I have heard many horror stories....Any suggestions?

Jack

is your chiro NUCCA certified? (www.nucca.org)

when it comes to neck stuff, NUCCA chiros really are then best IMO as they are very specifically trained

Hi
I had C3/4/5/6 fused about 5 years ago. Wasn't a fun surgery, but had no real problems either. My worst problems were swallowing, and wearing that blasted J collar. Today, the surgical area (fusions) are fine. Everything else around it has gone down the sewer. Because that area is stable now, I developed khyphosis, scoliosis, osteophytes, and radicuopathy. I do botox injections for pain, and am about to start pressing my PM for some other type of treatment, I hate the botox.

I think you will hear horror stories about everything, surgeries, diseases, whatever. If you trust your doc, do your research, in the end, you have to do what is best for YOU

Keep up with the cervical traction!
How much weight are you using? And for how long?
We use that treatment in our office and i've seen patients get worse before they get getter.
Also, 1 or 2 treatments is not enough to treat anything, sometimes you need 20+ treatments to get better.

I don't know if this will be helpful, but I found for myself, that attending a chiropractor who practices The Pettibon System and decompression therapy helped me with sum of my issues. It takes time and work, its not a fast fix, but it IS an alternative to surgery. I don't blame you one bit for being scared of surgery and I believe surgery should be the last resort after everything else under the sun has been tried. I wish u the best in your journey!!

I don't know
 

I began using the Saunder's traction again. Because my bulging disc is at C5/C6, it was suggested that I set the device at the highest angle (to reach further down my neck). That aggravated my neck. I upped the pressure to 40 today, left it on for almost 10 minutes...and had the height set to the middle. The pain down the arm into the thumb...that is pretty scary.

Jakatak - Have you seen a neurologist, physiatrist or a neurosurgeon? It doesn't mean you have to have surgery right now but if the device is causing more problems, it's a sign that it shouldn't be used or you're using it incorrectly. My chiropractor suggested I try two different devices neither of which helped, just aggravated the symptoms.

What I was told 4 years ago was that conservative treatment won't cure stenosis. It might help bulging discs but stenosis is bone growth crowding the spaces/discs. I have moderate bilateral stenosis at C5/C6 so I can completely relate to the shoulder/bicep/arm pain.

So?
 

I know this is a common disorder, but what are you doing about the problem? Has surgery been suggested to you? And....have you even considered surgery.?

Fusion
 

There are many days now that I forget I even had a fusion done. Personally, I don't hear good things about cervical traction and wouldn't see a chiropractor. I had physical therapy, water therapy and ESIs for my neck, all futile.

Best wishes,

Marianne

Yes, surgery was suggested 4 years ago when my MRI showed moderate bilateral stenosis. The NS told me that I'd need the fusion in 2-4 years (4 years is coming up in October). If an observate physiatrist hadn't observed that I didn't like moving my shoulder and didn't like people touching the shoulder leading him to suspect an undiagnosed shoulder injury, I likely would have undergone the surgery a two years ago as I'd flared the neck so bad (lost 10 lbs in 2 weeks due to the pain and pain meds). The pain was horrible. I saw a physiatrist who suggested trying cortisone shots into the neck. Once the neck settled down, it was quite obvious that the shoulder was driving my neck flares. I couldn't hold even paper in my hand without causing the shoulder to flare which caused the neck to flare.

The neck is still a problem and the symptoms are worsening but I can manage right now with acupuncture and massage. I know the surgery is lurking out there. I'm hoping to get another year or two (preferably two+) before I have to consider it. If I go through another flare like I did two years ago and conservative treatment (cortisone shots, acupuncture, etc) doesn't work, then I'll consider the surgery.

A friend of mine had a two level fusion last fall. She's back to being able to drive and considering returning to work. She had to give up working and driving 5+ years ago. For some reason, a neck MRI wasn't done on her until last year showing how bad off her neck was. So, surgery does help relieve the symptoms.