So I got a call yesterday morning from the pain clinic saying that they had a cancellation so I went down there. I didn't know what to expect when I got there. The Dr. asked me about my pain and where it was coming, I showed him, he did an ultrasound and looked at my vertebrae and whatever else you look at with those things. After looking at my neck and going over all my symptoms he decided to do some injections. It was kinda' frustrating cause he didn't really explain what he was doing other than "I'm gonna' freeze your nerves" So he did an injection at every vertebrae, from my C3 down to my C7, along the left side of my neck, then he did four injections down the middle of my neck, then 5 other injections, from the left side of my neck, along the top of my shoulder blade. After he finished using me as a pin cushion he said now get up slowly because you may feel dizzy. I felt like I was drunk! BUT I could turn my head to the left for the first time in almost a year and I felt GREAT, very little pain, almost NONE!!

This was all done at 9:30 in the morning...at about 1:30 I started to become VERY stiff and achy. I'm guessing just from all the pokes through the muscles. He said that the freezing of the nerves should last a few weeks. I did not want any steroids injected as I am worried of the side affects. The Dr said that this was my only other option and he usually gets good results from it. I was very stiff and sore all night long, my regular pain meds didn't touch the pain I was feeling. At some point I fell asleep. When I woke up this morning I felt little pain, less than I've felt over the last year, I actually felt pretty good! Now though, as the day has gone on...I'm starting to get all my old symptoms back. I'm feeling pretty discouraged. I mean the pain is about 20% better. But still having the burning sensations in my back....oh well I guess I'll just have to see how things go on. Not sure when I should feel the full affects of this treatment...by now maybe? and it just didn't work very well...hmmm

I am assuming that what he means by "freezing" he is doing nerve blocks??

Does it seem weird how many injections he did (14)??

Has anyone else had this "freezing" done? How did it work for you??

Is it normal to be this sore after??

Thanks for reading, any stories or thoughts are great! Cheers Cali

UPDATE: so it's the end of the second day... I'm feeling much less pain in my upper neck but still very painful around my C7 and radiating through my scapula and down my arm. I'm thinking that maybe the Dr either missed his target down there or just didn't do any injections down that far.

I can't really comment about your injections as we arn't knowing what kind of medication was used. It has been my experience that you should know exactly what medications he is using, or going to use, so that you have an opportunity to investigate it and be an informed patient. Then there are no surprises. I hope the treatment works for you. ginnie

Like Ginnie, he should have given you more notice so you could have made an informed decision about this. He didn't even tell you what he was going to use! How are you supposed to make a decision on this?

And in my "uneducated" opinion, that's too much steroids to be used at one time. These are not good for the body, for one thing and to do so many at one time is not a good idea!

At any rate, give it some time. If you find that you don't get any relief from these, DO NOT LET HIM DO ANY MORE. If this first "round" of injections don't work, then the rest won't work either.

I had a bunch of injections, but this was before the internet, and before I could do any research to speak of. If I'd known what I know now, I never would have had them. I never got any relief either.

Best of luck -- I hope you DO get some relief. Take care and let us know what happens. Hugs, Lee

Yea' I thought it was kinda' weird that it was my first apt and he was ready to give me injections, I kinda' thought it would be a consultation first or something. I do know that he did NOT use any steroids. I told him that I did not want any, so the "freezing" was my other option. I will ask at my next apt in 2 weeks what the medication was that he used. Thanks for your help and kindness!

Hope things continue to go well for you. Have you tried to apply ice to the area. That helped me. Please keep us updated. I had the steroid injections and they helped greatly. Please take care hun.

Cali, how is your neck feeling several days after the injections? I had our best ortho PA take a look at my MRI last night while at work and he thinks I'm doing the right thing by seeing a pain management doc next (knows him and says he's great). He thinks a cortisone shot will greatly help. Keeping fingers crossed. It's kind of scary that my PCP right off the bat wanted to send me to an orthopedic surgeon implying my osteophyte had to be dealt with surgically. I think of all the lay people who blindly listen to their PCP and are sent to cut happy surgeons which may make things worse by performing needless procedures. I feel fortunate I'm in the medical field to get insiders opinions, but then again I may not have developed this pain in the first place if in a less stressful profession.

Hi cal,

what type of of injections did he do ?? I would inquire having so many at one time wouldnt be ESI--espidural setroid injections which are x-ray guided---It sounds like maybe trigger point injections. I wonder why he didint go with standard ESI. Im just very curious.

Hey, thanks for asking...My neck pain is probably about 75% better!!! Some harsh movements hurt and I have to watch that I don't over do it, which is hard cause I feel so much better. I am actually in process of coming off my morphine...horrible

If these injections can work this well for me there will be no need for surgery. I can def. live like this! I am also starting acupuncture this Friday so will post on how that works as well! Take care

I wasn't with it enough at the time to even think of asking what the medication was called that he injected. I know for a fact that it wasn't any type of steroid because I specifically said I didn't want any type of steroid injected into me. I see him in a week and a half and I will be asking what he used as it seems to have worked well for me. I have been told though that It won't last as long as a steroid type, It may last up to 4 weeks for me. I guess we will see and I will keep posting

Hi Cal,Im glad to here they worked I have a feeling you may had trigger point injections. Please see i just relpied to you on the morphine withdraw---that part im worried about you.