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hi all lam seeking answers !!!!!! and found this site and how funny it is to read all your comments, and its like reading my life . Well l had my first c5c6 op in 2001 then my c3c4 went and had an op in sep 27 2006 and now my life is a living hell . lm a 42 yr old male l worked in my own restaurant and interacted with people every day and had 80 staff under me and was always doing something with my girls .But know like all of you there is nothing in my life but PAIN PAIN PAIN . And yes you tell your doctor and they can't even look at you in the eyes and they tell you your xrays look good as you sit there Dun founded in Bloody Pain . The pain in my left arm is so bad it leaves me in tears then the right arm follows . The pain starts down the back of my arms to my albow and then down to my fingers . l receive sharp pain in my index fingers and thumbs and the rest go numb . When that starts then l get very sharp pain in to my legs . lf l sweep or mop or tidy up it flairs up bad and need to sit down for an hour and half and if l get anger with my self and do more it knocks me out for 3 to 4 day strait and when l rest l get very bad spasmus as well .l dont sleep well and wake up all through out the night , but hell starts in the morning as my arms stiffens up and my fingers lock up and it takes me hours to get them moving or just rase my arms over my head and the tell us it all looks good on the xrays . Well to hell with the xray we need answers not just been pinny pigs . This is not the way to live like this so lam seeking answers and to research and l need your help . On the out side we lock good on the inside it hell there has to be a way or some one willing to try something because it better then sitting at home doing nothing and to live it there way can you guys help me !!!!!!!!!!!

Have you taken a look at TOS - thoracic outlet syndrome. Sometimes it can mimic cervical spine problems.

Do some reading over in the TOS forum and see if any of the symptoms are similar.

and I hope it gets better for you

Hi... I'm not a doctor but what you're describing sounds as my arms and hands felt after I felt down a flight of stairs and, soon, found out how totally messed up my C-spine is.

Have you seen a PM (Pain Management) specialist, or do you see a neurosurgeon?

It sounds to me as if you might have nerve root impingement or compression, but only a doctor would be able to assess for sure. The problem with your arms and hands could be from your C-spine.

My C-4 to C-7 is all messed up.

My hands used to claw or lock, as you're describing, and it also took hours to work things loose.

A series of epidurals (steroid injections) and radiofrequencing (nerve nuking to temporarily deaden the nerves) helped me a great deal.

Believe me, doctors aren't singling you out to make a fortune from you or assist imaging centers in making bank; they are doing a differential diagnosis by ordering the x-rays (likely yours were also extension/flexion). Sometimes, it take more than one type of films ordered (and possible and EMG/NCV - found by searching Google) to diagnose.

Myself? I prefer a CT scan; it takes a whole lot less time and gives more in-depth dimension when the films are reviewed.

thanks for your reply .. l have been in rehab for 6 months and still seeing a pain management doctor at the victoria rehab center ,and just recently he told me that were l am is the best they can do and now my time is over there they have appointed other places to go out side the rehab center and l feel thats all they can do . but there must be something and they keep on tell me there is nothing more they can do, you have to manage it and pace your self and not to do much rest as much as you can , and on the other hand you have work cover bushing you to see when you can start work and as you might now they don't bay the bills for you so your its like a catch 22 domed if you do and domed if you don't l've done so many xrays my family doctor told me to take some risks and look for other treatments to help me with the pain , but it so good to know l can read and chat with other people with the same issues and understand were lm coming from it so hard for other to undersant the pain as they have never been through it thank once again