Hello from Colorado
 

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...

Hello snowy: Welcome to NeuroTalk! :welcome_sign: I hope you find the time you spend here to be of benefit. :Grin-Nod:

I'm an old geezer living in Minnesota. :rolleyes: I have a ruptured disc in my lumbosacral spine with sciatica down both legs... left more-so than right. The toes on my right foot are mostly numb. I've done yoga in the past & had physical therapy. But the best thing for me has been simply walking. I'm quite certain I also have some problems related to problems in my cervical spine. But it's not as serious as what you describe. My BP always seems to be pretty good whenever I've had occasion to have it checked. I'm doctor aversive, so I only go if I think it's necessary. And, all thing considered, I seem to be in pretty good health for older guy... :)

Hi Skeezyks -

Thank you fo the welcome.

I'm a walker, too -- every day that I can do it, I do. I find it helps everything, including my state of mind.

I've considered yoga and may yet try it. I used to do tai chi, but one day during warm-up exercises I over-rotated my neck (of all things -- just what I needed!) so that was they end of that. Heh.

Again, thanks for the welcome. Stay as well as you can be.