i have had neck problems for about 18 years im now 38 i had a rear end car accident when i was 19 not sure if this is what caused my neck problems or not because i didnt have neckproblems til i was around 25 and they did xrays bck then and said my neck is STRAight instead of curved. it continued to get worse but only neck pain would cause me to not be able to move for days at a time. i then got tendonitis in both arms, guess its not related to my neck,. and my feet have plantar fasciitis, i also have hand weakness and wrist pain but they dont know why or whats wrong w me so i was diagnosed with buldging discs in my neck and fibromyalgia..a mri in 2011showed c-5-c6 and c6 c7 disc buldging..and my dr said arthritis and referred me to pain management and neurologist, that was in 2011 but i didnt have health insurance so ihave only been going to pain management since then. I recently applied for vocational rehab and they sent me to all these drs and paid for everything and mris bone scans, etc..it now shows my disc buldging is pressing on my spinal cord, in 2011 it was NOT that bad..but the neurologist i saw said it was not that bad and referred me to a neurosurgeon..
the neurosurgeon spent 2 minutes with me and said my discs r herniated and need acdf surgery. or it will continue to get worse. but i havebeen researching that surgery and everyhing i can find people only complain of SHOULDER and arm pain and numbess nothing about their NECK and my shoulers or arms arent the problem its only my neck. so can anyone help me i am so confused if vocational rehab will pay for surgery i think i should do it as i am sick of having no life due to my neck..but can it be helped without surgery snce i am not having pain in my arms besides the tendonitis pain or numbness? the surgeon told me the pain in my arms iss not related to the neck problems. but he said the hand falling asleep and weakness is probably related. i cant write for long or my hand hurts and feels like its falling asleep. but no arm pain or tingling in my shoulders. I am confused and do not know what to do and disability has denied me and also the reconsideration, and i dont know where to go i have a few weeks until im homeless. ic an barely move because of my neck pain when i was working it would be every month then every two weeks where id have a flare up and not be able to move for days. so i had to stop working last july and stupid disability denied me i cant believe it. along with this i have depression and have not had a normal life in 7 years it was work and bed and now worry bed and worry is my day and trying to figure out where im gonna go or what im gonna do it kills me if i sit at my pc for long so i cant even do anything but lay down most of tyhe time.

First you need to get an attorney to reapply for social security disability. Do this "on contingency" meaning you don't pay him anything. He gets his fee when you win. He takes it from your award, and can't get any more than 25%. If you don't win, he doesn't get anything.

Now, you have to realize that surgery is ONLY for mechanical problems. It's NOT for pain. Chances are you will still have the same pain or worse after surgery. So don't expect to be pain-free after surgery.

And even tho you had an MRI in 2011, you definitely need a NEW one. You need one with and without contrast material. X-rays are no good as they don't show soft tissue like the discs. If they told you that the discs were pushing on the cord, that's not good, but alot depends on how MUCH they're pushing on the cord.

It's awfully funny to have the neurosurgeon tell you that the arm pain is NOT related to the neck, but the HAND falling asleep and weakness IS! How can that be true?? It would seem the ARM AND THE HAND would ALL be related!

I'd advise you to see a lawyer as soon as you can to get this disability claim going as soon as you can. And like I said, make sure it's on "contingency." Then the lawyer will get all your medical records and take it from there.

I wish you the very best. Take care and God bless. Hugs, Lee

well i do have a lawyer and i did get approved in 2008for a back period when i didnt couldnt work and i won it so how i am being denied now when evrything is WORSE then before is beyond me, i have the same lawyers now as i used before too. and i have had TWO mris one in 2011 and one a month ago. in 2011 it was NOT pressing on my spinal cord only buldging.
The surgeon said if the pain is like mine when u PRESS it and it hurts then its not from my disc problems..if it was another kind of pain then YES it would be from that. acdf surgery is for mechanics only? not pain? WHAT??? i am confused..i get flareups where i cant move for days at a time usually triggered by sitting at pc too long or cleaning my floor havent been able to do these for years now because when i do the pain is excruciating. and when i have flare ups i am UNABLE to move my neck/head at all hurts to hold my head up most of the time thats why i have to constantly go lay down. also burns when my pain meds wear off.

well i do have a lawyer and i did get approved in 2008for a back period when i didnt couldnt work and i won it so how i am being denied now when evrything is WORSE then before is beyond me, i have the same lawyers now as i used before too. and i have had TWO mris one in 2011 and one a month ago. in 2011 it was NOT pressing on my spinal cord only buldging.
The surgeon said if the pain is like mine when u PRESS it and it hurts then its not from my disc problems..if it was another kind of pain then YES it would be from that. acdf surgery is for mechanics only? not pain? WHAT??? i am confused..i get flareups where i cant move for days at a time usually triggered by sitting at pc too long or cleaning my floor havent been able to do these for years now because when i do the pain is excruciating. and when i have flare ups i am UNABLE to move my neck/head at all hurts to hold my head up most of the time thats why i have to constantly go lay down. also burns when my pain meds wear off.
i am confused as to why people have this surgery if not for neck pain? i would never have it done just cuz i have weakness in my hands never no way.

hello and sorry you have had trouble so long.
have you ever heard of a dermatome map...

take a look at this map of the body...

http://www.backpain-guide.com/Chapte...culopathy.html

it gives you an idea of where pain is felt in the various parts of the body based on where in the spine there is pressure.

it could very well be that the so called tendonitis is really symptoms from nerve compression.

i am unlucky enough to have compression all through my spine. symptoms from the compression vary. some feel like muscle strains and i get some weakness. others are sharp and shooting. some are aching and tingley as in pins and needles. and some are just weak with no pain. if you have any of these symptoms in the areas of the map that relate to the area of compression then in my opinion its related to your bad neck.

i had major surgery in my lower neck and upper thorasic area and i did get pain relief. i am now able to really stress my hands, arms, shoulders and neck with some pretty heavy work like cutting wood by hand or polishing cars. i no longer get tingling or weakness in my hands.

i dont know if you will be able to get another opinion but if the surgeon only checked you for 2 minutes i would recommend it. also there is another test that could prove or disprove nerve compression. that would be a EMG test...ask about that. a good exam of your situation should have been the dr testing your skin sensations by pressing a pin at your skin in shoulders, arms and hands, did surgeon do that? did he check your reflexes? some of my body parts are so numb i cant even feel the pin.

it sure sounds like surgery will help but its a big move and you want to be sure.....pal pete

Many of the symptoms you mention sound like they could be something like thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) or a combo of the c spine & TOS.
You may want to explore our TOS forum for more info on it.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum24.html

a previous whiplash type injury + a repetitive job can set you up for TOS.
Flare ups after usage is a symptom for TOS