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Originally Posted by Rachael What would the hyper signal be telling me? It feels as though I have having one of those EMG's.Is this something I should worry about? ihtos...I feel them from the neck down my arm, but very prominent just above my elbow. Hurts like a son-of-a- gun...lol Rach

Rachael,
Dr T would press on the upper area, trap, collar bone, shoulder and if it traveled down to hand it was brachial nerve irratation, if he pressed at the elbow and it traveled to the hand, the upper part had no symptoms when he had done that , it was ulnar...
I will look for the post about c-neoceptors and sending hyper signals....the type of nerves and the type of signals they carry.

Is is a sick injured flared nerve. can you feel the trigger, is it in the top shoulder area, under the armpit, is it from the wing area or like a butcher knife in the back... or nothing that high, it is only elbows down zinging?

My supervisor at work does not have Tos but she had a flare up of nerve recently from buying a home and washing down ALL the walls.Her ring and ponkie were killing her, her shoulder ....after she stopped that job, it was OK for her.

I would take anti inflamatories, see if you can keep a pillow on your lap to keep the arms from hanging down, if you are walking support the arms, TRy some biofreeze or rub you like and a tennis ball between you and a wall and rub over the sore spots...

Do you happen to take a topomax for nerve pain or anything?
Try 4 Advil 4 times a day for 4 days to see if that calms it, that is like a 800 ibroprophin.
What about lidoderm patches...

I would think an activity flared it, try to locate taht maybe driving, use a pillow on your lap, or if in a flare try to put it back in a remission, or calm down.
Di

Hi Rachael,
Towelhorse here, before my condition improved, I used to get the zingers all the time. They would happen most often in the evening and I could easily make them happen by wiping down the dining table. I believe they were occurring due to pec minor syndrome, as the day wore on and I lost scapular stability, the pec minor would become dominant and crush the brachial plexus. Any use of my arm away from my body would cause the electric shocks. I used to be a telecommunications technician, I worked with telex machines which operated on 50 volts and 100 volts DC. These Pec minor zingers felt to be well over 50 volts. The source of the zinger would vary sometimes, if I straightened my arm my elbow would pop. I reckon this was because I was putting tension on the nerves down my arm (as well as crushing) and trapping the nerve in my elbow. If I was you I would try and avoid making the zingers happen, the frequent crushing of the nerves will make your hand less useful and you will be further from the path to recovery. Regards Towelhorse

Hi Di....I would say it is a flared nerve. I can feel stress and triggers along the base of my neck. I am taking a list of nerve meds with me on Thursday to see if my doc will try something new. I am hoping he will. I have found over the last few months that I am progressively getting worse and need some sort of relief. I get new pains all the time and usually find my answers, or better yet, that I am not a looney tune when I read the posts here.

PS...Been doing the extra advil the last few days and it seems as though it is settling down a bit...thanks for that!

Talk soon,
RAch

Rachel,

A muscle relaxer to help release some of the tension in the neck area wd be one thing to ask your Dr about - most of us are on some kind such as Zanaflex or even Valium (I take generic for Zanaflex twice daily, have Valium to use as needed at night - save it for flares when NOTHING else will help a cervical headache brought on by neck muscle spasms). Ask also about the off-label use of epilepsy meds for neuropathy (best to just say someone mentioned this unless you know your Dr is receptive to Internet research).
These may take trial and error to find what works best for YOU with the least side effects, but they do make your regular pain meds more effective.

And, my friend, please consider asking about an antidepressant. Now that the pain is becomiing progressively severe, and "good days" are rare or vanished, the "feel-good" (seretonin) chemicals in the brain are decreased. Sleep usually restores them, but disturbed and scant amounts of sleep prevents this from happening. The antidepressant will restore the balance, and you will see a very REAL difference mentally and emotionally. Your moods won't swing so drastically and you will cope better - we've all been there, see, you're not alone! Also, Cymbalta, a relatively new antidepressant, has a neuropathic pain-relieving effect as well. It has worked wonders for ME. You might ask your Dr about it.

None of us made the decision to take meds easily or lightly, I believe. I know initially after my injury I was given rx's for increasingly heavier meds, but after 6 weeks or so I quit them all ( cold turkey - ) because I was still working, and a parent and wife, and couldn't function in a perpetual fog.

But 9 months later after beaucoup tests, therapies, treatments and tortures, it was obvious the pain was here to stay, and I wasn't functioning well without meds either. And in fact the first anti-depressant I was on really wasn't effective, although no one caught it til I was pretty desparate and reached out for help. A pain counselor is a REALLY good tool to have in your bag - someone to let it all out to - the rage, the despair, the sorrow, how family and friends just don't "get it".

Lately I find myself going through guilt over not being able to help my mother with health issues she and my stepfather are facing - they live 2 hours away, and I can't BE there like I want, can barely manage my own family. But I'm the only daughter, and my brothers (3) are out-of-state except the youngest, and wouldn't be of much help even if they were close. I hate to feel so useless when she's done so much for me - it's my turn to give back, only I'm not capable of doing it. Fodder for my next session, obviously.

Anyway, I hope your visit is productive, generally a Dr will only start one rx at a time, then wait a few weeks to see how you respond before adding another. Oh, be sure to let him know the PT exercises that have made you flare badly, and ask about possibly trying ultrasound and massage along with nerve glides/stretching to open up/ loosen the upper chest/pec minor area.
Or, if he's really that unknowledgeable, why not ask for a referral to a neurologist who will be able to answer your questions more effectively and arrange tests that may give you added information?

Best wishes,
beth

Hi Beth...I have written down some of the options for meds that you all have given me here and will see what he says. He is suppose to set me up to get started with pain management. I may wait until then to see that they say. I would think they would be more knowledgable in terms of managing pain levels. I will let you know what he says. Di mentioned to take some extra advil, so I have for the past few days and that has seemed to help with the "electric shock" in my arm.
Arms are tired now....talk with you soon and thanks a million!!
Rach

Hi Rachael,
I have alot of problems with neck pain and muscle spasms (cervical dystonia) and I take generic Zanaflex and it helps me alot. My neuro told me to take it on a regular basis, whether I felt like I needed it or not. I also take Elavil at bedtime to help me sleep. I think Beth is right- make sure your dr. (and I'm sure he/she will) only starts you on one new med at a time just in case you have a reaction to them. My PM dr. tried me on Trileptal after I gained so much weight on Neurontin and a couple of weeks after starting it I had a severe allergic reaction to it. Hope you feel better soon!

I know the guilt trip. Worry about yourself and then do what you can for your mom. My mom has helped me forever. My one problem is telling her what is going on. I have to hear about, how many pills are you taking, what are you doing, why aren't you eating, etc. I know she is doing it for a reason but I won't tell her what's going on anymore if I have to then have a follow up session. She means well. I had a very hard time getting off meds 6 years ago. She is not without reason to be asking. But, it gets tiring.

Linda