[Ozzieace]

I need some advice!

In November of 2012 i was in a minor car accident, i went to physical therapy for a shoulder joint injury for three months, i was also told that i had whiplash, however my neck never hurt me. I healed from the shoulder injury, and regained all mobility back, i can lift heavy things, full range of motion with a little clicking in the joint, but it does not hurt any longer from that injury...however the burning, stabbing, shocking pain never went away...its a pain that hurts all the time with at times being almost unbearable!

The chiropractor at the pt office told me that it would probably go away with time and to just keep using ice several times a day....it didnt, in fact it got worse, so i called an ortho specialist and after cortizone injections, A cervical epidural that didnt work, he told me that i had three bulging disks in my neck, but it wasnt anything that would need surgery nor what would be causing my pain, so he referred me to a pain management specialist. I had an emg, and it was for the most part normal the doctor said, so he referred me to a neurology specialist.

The neurologist told me that i have rsd. He tried me on several different medications, over the course of mant months, and at my last visit he had me see the nurse practioner....she gave me some lidoderm patches to try and also said continue with ice. I mentioned to her that i had read that ice was the worse thing for rsd, and she said that was not true and everyone reacts differently. She told me that the neuro doctor wanted me to go back to the pain specialist for pain managment.

So today i saw the pain management doctor once again and i tell him whats been going on, how the pain in my shoulder has also spread to my ear and sometimes in the last month also my other shoulder. He tells me i do not have rsd because i do not have sensitive skin, i can wear a t shirt with no problem and it doesnt hurt to touch. He also tells me that since my skin is not shiny or red that there is no way this is rsd. He also says that rsd does not spread, and what i have is actually cervical spondylosis, he wants me to back off all medication over the next three weeks and start taking cymbalta and a compound ointment. He also wants me to come next week for several facet injections.

I do not know what to do....its been a year and three months since the accident, that i have had this burning pain, and the cervical spondylosis that he says i have is a degenrative thing, i dont believe that this pain i have had ever since the injury would be just from old age, nor convienently at the same time as the accident...im only 39! I dont know what to do, i have been told so many things by so many doctors, and we are trying to get litigation going, so i can get some money recouped from the accident, but if all these docotrs are all saying something different i dont know how we will ever settle this!

I am confused and tired of it all, i just want to know what this is for sure so i can continue with my life......any advice?