Confused on cause of pain after 3 level cervical ADR ?

Jarrod · #1 (**permalink**) 06-16-2011, 06:52 AM

Hello,
Well had my ulnar nerve transposition and after two weeks same upper back pain still exists. So very disheartened that it is looking like maybe my ADR surgery might have been failure.... Not ready to give up yet, so the next step is the myleo ct for assurance that the Spinal nerve roots at the ADR levels are free and decompressed, I pray they are! I am going tomorrow and getting my 6 month X-rays to make sure all 3 ADR levels look good in placement at 3 months all looked good.

My instinct is that there may some entrapment of of the c8 nerve besides at the spinal nerve root level. The c7/t1 nerve root was the one causing me the pain and symptoms, c5/6,c6/7 were causing stenosis at a high level. So maybe when I injured the disc some things (muscles/ligaments etc...) shifted and compressed the nerve somewhere between the spine and the shoulder. I have no upper arm pain and no shoulder pain and sometimes just a Reich of discomfort in my left forarm. So I'm thinking that maybe it could be a brachial plexus problem or a toss problem....

The strangest thing is I can be sitting absolutely still and then the stubborn ache/pain comes on like a rush and can last the rest of the night or can go away in an hour to just return later on off most days and nights. Also when I get up to walk it sometimes feels lime the nerve or whatever it is starts pulling forward and down for the first 20 feet I walk and then it's lime it settles down and goes away only to return when I stand back up!
I know it's very strange that I can also jog and it not bother me, and that with flexion of the neck I can feel it pull down the upper back and get the same pain.... Sorry guys for my blabbering, but I am so frustrated and lost a d scared to make a wrong move so I don't damage myself anymore Im trying to wait it out and hopping it slowly goes away , but would at least lime to know what I'm dealing with.... So it wasn't the ulnar nerve a d I hope it's just an entrapped nerve somewhere other than my spine so I can get to the bottom of it as I pray I'm not stuck with this the rest of my days...thank u all for listening!

Sincerely, Jarrod

jsewell · #2 (**permalink**) 06-16-2011, 07:01 AM

Jarrod i am up late for me after a stress dose of steriods (100mg) and steroid injections.
I feel bad that you had your hopes up for the pain to end and you are left with it. Maybe the mylo will show something.
I've been in your position more than a few times in my spine problems as well as other medical issues. It sucks.
I'm afraid i don't have any suggestions, just empathy.
judy

dshobbies · #3 (**permalink**) 06-16-2011, 05:55 PM

Jarrod,

There is no need to apologize for a rant or complaining or putting your frustration into as many words as you like. There is no one on this forum who doesn't understand what you're going through.

I know you put so much hope into your surgery but you're still in pain. My surgery, more than 5 years ago left me with nerve damage. It took 6 months before I was off crutches and dilaudid. It took 2 years before I gave up Neurontin. Sometimes, it just takes time and I sincerely hope this is your situation. With any luck, this test will provide a good road map. My fingers are crossed.

Good luck, Dale

Maria · #4 (**permalink**) 06-16-2011, 07:24 PM

It may just take time to settle down whatever is going on. It's good that there are some activities in which it is less even if not for long or it returns or comes and goes. At least it's not a constant level that would gnaw on your last nerve driving you crazy though I'm quite sure it's having the same effect while you're trying to figure out what's causing it, what would bring it on and if you're furthering damaging yourself.

I went thru something like this after my 2nd spine surgery altho the pain was constant and mostly went away in 5 years post surgery and then more completely over the years.

Actually at some point I stopped being so careful and carried on with activities I hadn't done in a long time and to my amazement found that I could w/o repercussions of the past. That was over quite a bit of a period of time.. which sometimes things just do take.

I hope the myelo if you have it shows what might be causing the pain and I also hope it just goes away! Don't worry about venting here.. we have most all been thru prolonged periods of pain/stuff!

Jarrod · #5 (**permalink**) 06-18-2011, 06:14 AM

Thank you all,

I guess im just depressed about my situation and what i thought would be a fix to my cervical situation, but unfortunately I am now the product of pain and aches in my very lower neck and uppper back. I am always complaining about my ache/pain and now it is starting to affect my relationships with others. I seem to never want to do much these days and cannot muster up the energy to travel far away from home. I am not as bad off as before the herniation but still in alot of discomfort now and I am 6 months post op from my 3 level cervical adr surgery in Barcelona Spain.

As I sit here late night with an ice pack on my upper back typing I have made up my mind to go ahead with the myleo ct to see if the nerves are being compromised at the operated levels. I can still remember the email Dr. Clavel sent me back after I told him my troubles and pain. "Jarrod we made sure we throughly cleaned out the c7/t1 disc space and made sure we took extra time to decompress that level because we knew this is where the herneation was, we did this before we placed the m6 disc so there is no reason for your pain execpt that the nerve is upset about being herniated in the first place and then touching the nerve again during the decompression".

Im very worried that this is a failed adr surgery as I was hoping to get rid of my symptoms, and I just cant understand why when I walk I can feel this stupid nerve moving or when i flex my head forward It feels like the nerve is stretching along with the upper back muscle (the one close to youir spine). The pain is much better in the mornings but gets more intense as the day goes on so at least laying down relieves it. Also Sometimes when Im relaxing I am ok, but sometimes like a wave the pain comes along and can be gone in a matter of min or hours. I am just hoping that the myleo ct shows the nerves to be ok in disc area where the adrs were placed, but then again if that is the case then where is the pain and dull ache comming from??? Guys Im gonna worry myself to death if this continues and Id like to find the problem sooner than later so more damage cannot be done. If I have to get a fusion or revision surgery I think ill die knowing that It might not help. So this is the hand Ive been delt and I just dont think I can handle it, with no end in sight it makes my days and nights numb and is turning me into a hermet. My friends and family are out on the boat, vacationing and enjoying the summer and hear I am sulking and in despair. I went from a 35 year old healthly athletic man to nothing in less than a year, and with a revision (if need be) another year down the tubes with no promise of a pain free life!!! So very mad, yet hoping that the throbbing wavelike pain in my upper back just calms down before the year is over.. I feel like all I have is hope anymore. I am so grateful for the forum and all who respond and tell there stories, thankl you all.

Sincerly, Jarrod

Maria · #6 (**permalink**) 06-18-2011, 06:46 AM

Jarrod,
I'm sure I told you how I felt after my 2nd spine surgery with an outcome that was so unexpected (terrible) and pain I could never have even imagined could happen and for every single stupid day ... it just made me think really bad things like how to end the pain.

Truly the thought that kept me going was knowing that every new day was a day that could possibly bring relief. No one expected that pain, no one could really predict how long it would last if they couldn't even accurately explain what it was or where it was coming from exactly.

So try to keep in mind that just because you feel the way you do now with the pain you have now that does not mean you'll always feel this way.

Hang in there Jarrod.. it's a tough tough place to be and I know that well from my own experience post surgery that did fail (not saying yours has as it's still early for you) however with time there was a big improvement and I hope that you will experience the same thing.

Keep focused on your goal to be better. Every new day is a chance for that...

dshobbies · #7 (**permalink**) 06-18-2011, 04:15 PM

Jarrod,

How easy it is for us to tell you to hang in there when we have some semblence of a life. Having walked in your shoes, I know this really doesn't help because there's always a but at the end of all our stories. Either we've improved or we haven't. Waiting to improve is too long and not improving is unthinkable.

But one thing you do have in common with just about every fellow spiney is your depression which is quite evident in your postings. Aside from any other meds you might be taking for pain, you need to immediately get on an anti-depressant. I know how everyone tends to fight this, perhaps due to a feeling of entitlement that you've earned your depression or you aren't really depressed, just in a lot of pain. Trust me, you're depressed and whether or not you improve with time, whether or not you need revision surgery, your life will be greatly improved with anti-depressants. This is not a one size fits all and it may take trying various combinations but your outlook on life will improve and you'll find yourself able to tackle what comes next with a better sense of moving forward.

This is not something you should do, it's something you need to do. If you take away one thing from everyone advising you different things to do or not to do, please heed this advise.

Dale

jsewell · #8 (**permalink**) 06-18-2011, 06:25 PM

Jarrod after reading your last post , i was going to say just what Dale said. it is so true. I have been dealing with undiagnosed medical stuff for like 8 years and back about 7 ago i got on antidepressants. It was the best thing i ever did for myself. I am still on them and don't really care anymore that i am. I did just about shut everyone out. I came home from work, went to my bedroom and closed the door and i have 4 kids!

Now i have been battling spine pain in all 3 areas and by the way i don't know the date of your surgery, but my neck fusion and osteotomy was on Jan. 7th, I am still in a neck brace and now just get twinges of pain although this was not my most painful event by any means.

I had horrible , horrible thoracic pain for a few years, had surgery finally to remove a disc, the surgery somehow damaged my phrenic nerve which controls your diaphragm muscle. So i was left and it is permanent with only 50% lung capacity. I too was extremely athletic and live just to exercise some times. That is all ruined, but i am kind of ok do to antidepressants.
In that surgery, it took a long time for the pain to go away, i think nerves remember how to aggrivate us long after they are decompressed. I think i took about 5 or 6 months for that pain to totally go away and that was from a disc.

That neck surgery was surgery #10 for me in 3 years and Monday will be #11 as my toe became totally arthritic and now that i hike instead of run the mountain trails, it became too painful to even do that. I am stubborn and going to go for one last hike today , i hope i am not limping down like last Saturday, before another period of rehab.

Almost my whole spine is fused, from C4 thru L2. is. It is all pretty recent and i know i am still not totally heeled but every new pain or twinge gets me scared a little. I can not lay on my stomach or back really , but wonder with more time if i will be able to. My bones are way too weak for me to even have been considered for an ADR and i am getting along now better than without all the fusion . so it is not so bad.

All this is so you will get some hope and some help. I just recently saw my husband became very depressed and i sent him to a psychiatrist. it took him 6 months to believe me and go , but he is back to his old self now after lying in bed for most of the previous 6 months.
by the way i am on a few antidepressants.
Please, please get help
judy

cherylstewart67 · #9 (**permalink**) 06-21-2011, 12:02 AM

initially you may feel symptoms subside right after surgery because they have released that nerve...then there is some swelling and inflamtion that takes place afterwards because your body is trying to produce cox 2 to assist with the bone growth around the adr implant. also it takes nerves very slowly to heal 1.0 mm per day. hope this give you some encouragement. adr has a high sucess rate give it longer than two weeks

Jarrod · #10 (**permalink**) 06-21-2011, 01:03 AM

Hi Guys,

Well went to the chriopractor today and what a waste! So now its off Pain Management and I guess this is where I will end my days. I am very sour about the way my life has turned out and I have become what I thought I never would. I cannot find a doctor who will take me seriously and I am going to just sit around and sleep my days away, waking up for work and wondering through the day until I can get to my bed and lay down and close my eyes and do it all over again. No excuses here and I know it could be worse, but I am worn out and its just easier to lay down and relieve the pain and ache then deal with the exhaustin that daily life brings these days and I feel like all i end up bringing people down with me.

So maybe pain management will be able to pinpoint some trigger points and give some relief with injections and or manual release, maybe some (pir) massage or something, Trying to never give up, but life is hard these days, I was hoping at 7 months to at least have some relief, but at this point I am not very optimistic about the outcome. So I will keep u all informed about what is happening and still try to have so hope and see what comes.

Jarrod

Maria · #11 (**permalink**) 06-21-2011, 02:41 PM

Jarrod,
That's what my life was like after my failed spine surgery in '92 however it didn't remain that way fortunately. I thought I'd never be out of pain and was pleasantly surprised when life changed for the better. I know that you can't even imagine that now however it can happen. I'm sorry you're in so much pain after going thru all that you have and I hope very much that things get better for you soon altho these things can take their own not so sweet time. I'm not saying this to discourage you as you're already discouraged however just to be realistic. Then again.. who knows things might all of a sudden get to that point they turn around for you. Hang in the Jarrod and don't worry about venting your feelings as many have come and gone before you doing so. This spine stuff sucks.

dshobbies · #12 (**permalink**) 06-21-2011, 04:40 PM

Time heals all wounds - yeah right! Who wrote that anyway? Us spineys know differently.

I think you'll be surprised at what a great pain management doctor can accomplish. There are some who will only address your pain with meds while others are more eager to find the cause and get rid of it. Had both kinds myself - big difference.

Give yourself a break and more time to heal but by all means, get the relief you need now. Keep us posted

Dale

jsewell · #13 (**permalink**) 06-22-2011, 01:30 AM

Jarrod,
I really think you need more time to heal from your surgery. Please don't give up on it yet. Pain management will be helpful as will getting on antidepressants. Get everything you can to feel better. Life is good.
judy

Maria · #14 (**permalink**) 06-22-2011, 02:04 AM

I read something Dale wrote like how easy it is to tell someone to hang in there ... so on so forth. The reason I'm telling you that is because I spent many crappy years before feeling better. Years that I had wished I wasn't alive because of horrendous chronic pain. No I haven't forgotten it but it has definately gotten better.

I do wish some of the things that were offered to me post failed surgery had been offered prior to jumping to a surgical solution. I see now more often the conservative route is to try some of the measures that back when I was seeing spine docs wasn't offered at all. I guess I'm better off as I did have one ESI back when they weren't performed under fluoroscopy and it was done in the office and it was brutally painful~ tho pain meds weren't even thought to be offered at any time at least not to me back in 80's and 90's.

Like Dale mentioned depression is a very common thing to nearly all of us who happen to be saddled with rotten spinal pain probs. Right after my failed 2nd spine surgery I spent 6 months on antidepressants to get me thru an acute episode of very serious depression. So this is a very good suggestion if you've not already considered it or at least talking to someone professionally about your feelings.

Pain Management was the next move that made all the difference to me and my rotten spinal situation and helped me to "hang in there" as well as giving me an option to more surgery as I remember quite well the first 2nd surgical opinion surgeon I saw confirming that I needed a 3 level global fusion OR I could spend the rest of my life "popping pills." After seeing him I decided to try PM~ (this was 8 years after my failed surgerical results). I spent from about 2001 to 2005 trying to get a multi level ADR authorized thru WC. After that finally happened then my facets were degenerating so it was hybrid surgery recommended.. (2006) tho between 2005-2006-2007 my low back started to feel way less problematic.

Long story short after considering more surgeries and being a candidate for at least 3 types of surgical solutions recommended, my L5S1 autofused and helped me out. Yeah.. time helped that I think honestly tho so did all the things I did in between while trying to seek other avenues of care/treatment.

So when I say hang in there I mean in a supportive way however do seek the treatment needed to get you through your rough patch while you continue to find out what's going on and what can be done. Hopefully you can at least get some pain relief.

Jarrod · #15 (**permalink**) 06-22-2011, 07:14 AM

Giving up,

So depressed that I can't pull my emotions together and my body does not belong to anymore. Thoughts of getting married having children living life all gone! I am certainly not going to bring anyone else down into my dreaded world. I have tried to see some light out there and I just end up getting so upset and anxious that I bring myself more agony by upsetting what ever it is hurting my back. Can't laugh or get nervous or have any type of normal outof control emotions with out a flare up even talking loud and getting excited sets my pain off. So here I am with a flumbly left hand due to the nerve root compression of th c8 nerve root which I feel wi never return and scared to look down too far because of pain and the thought of making things worse! Just give it time, time, time..... If I hear that one more time I'm going to explode. I emailed my dr in Spain and asked if I fly back over there will he do the myleo ct as my neurologist just tells me to wait. Wait for more damage, my symptoms are not normal I have no life and hurt all day. Broken, broken is what I am.. I feel this is my life now and I just can't imagine living like this for another 25 plus years, bymyself, alone and in pain, I'd rather go out so much sooner as this is not a life for anyone. When u can't even have emotions because of aggravation of back pain then why have a life at all. No excitement, no nervousness, no sadness just sit in bed and rot because life as I knew it ( fun, energetic, beautiful etc...) is finished for me. So I'm gonna try and sleep and stay numb which is the safest for me these days!

Jarrod

dshobbies · #16 (**permalink**) 06-22-2011, 06:26 PM

Jarrod,

Have you not read one word we all wrote. There may be relief out there for you but laying in bed and rotting will not get you there. I so understand how you feel, I really do. I'm not just saying that. We all understand and we'll all telling you - get on anti-depressants- NOW, not tomorrow, not next week, NOW.

Go see a pain managment specialist and get your pain under control.

Once you're mentally able to make a plan and when your pain in under control, then we can address what you might want to do on a permanant basis but addressing any of this now when you're not able or willing to grasp the entire picture is non productive.

ANTI-DEPRESSANTS - NOW

A friend felt much as you do. I hounded her until she payed attention. Today, she is 75-100% pain free, depending on the day. She's climbing mountains for peats sake (pun intended). Anti-depressants saved her life which is now so worth living. She is quite happy with her life.

Don't think about this, just do it.

Dale

jsewell · #17 (**permalink**) 06-22-2011, 07:28 PM

Jarrod WHAT DALE SAID

I see you wrote your last entry late at night. Things for me do seem worse at that time also.
On the day before you still had some hope. You can't do this alone right now. you need help and can get it. When i first realized i was far far depressed, i called and made an appointment with my primary care doctor, i told the scheduler what the reason for the visit was and i remember how nice she got and helpful. I had an HMO and they even offered me an appointment in an hour or less. My doctor was wonderful too and i started on meds. that day. They are not instant by any means, but you will know you are getting help. Don't give up you have to do the opposite and fight. you are young and can do this. As one of my doctors has told me go out and be your own general. Research and get the help you need.

First though, what Dale said, get on antidepressants today and let us know that you have. I was in tears reading your last entry. Please, we really do care about you
judy

Jarrod · #18 (**permalink**) 06-23-2011, 01:27 AM

Hi everyone,

Im ok, yeah down but not to the point of not trying. I received an email from my Dr. in Spain and he said if I were to fly out to see him he would do a complete workup for me including a myleo ct and facet joint checkup to see if he couldnt diagnose where the problem is comming from. So I am on that plane ASAP and well see what happens. I have come to dislike the American Medical system as you have to wait, wait, wait, and you wonder why people are fed up and hurting all the time. I might have to spend all my money over in Spain but at least I can get prompt service, which is some sort of piece of mind. I have come to the conclusion that I can live inside and be ok for the most part as my life has changed for good and I will never be normal, those days of being carefree are over. Insecurity has taken over confidence and I sure am glad I am a movie lover as it looks like I will be watching many off those instead of taking a chance on irritating this weak spine of mine. I am a different person now and I am ok with that, you never know what is around that next corner, but for me It seems I do and at least I have had most of my youth in health which is a good thing. So do not worrying about my ranting and know that I am at home safe and in pain but ok as long as I have my trusty Ice Pack and a good movie. I can drag myself to work and make it through the day as long as I think about the relief I can have when I get home. I am going to put this Harley Davidson that Ive been rebuilding up for sale since I will never be able to enjoy it maybe someone else will. It is a beauty too, completely restored fatboy that I was so proud of, but it is doing me no good sitting in the garage wasting away. I appreciate all of your caring responses and tried to get into see the pain management Dr. only to hear that they will review my records and then call me back to let me know if the Dr. thinks he can help me and or if he will pass. Unbelievable but what else can I do at this point. Ill probably be back from spain by the time they even decide if Im a canidate for the DR. Enough ranting and again thank you all for the posts and caring thoughts.

Jarrod

jsewell · #19 (**permalink**) 06-23-2011, 05:13 AM

Jarrod,
Thanks for posting again . I am glad you are able to go to Spain and see your surgeon. Please let us know the details . I feel better that you are OK
judy

Maria · #20 (**permalink**) 06-23-2011, 02:23 PM

Jarrod,
Like others here I'm glad to read your last post. Much of my prob post 2nd spine surgery was with sitting so I couldn't fly here or there or contemplate sitting in a movie. Became a home movie viewer only which was OK too considering the price of movies out and how accessible everything is re home entertainment.

Glad you got a quick response from the surgeon in Spain and will be checked out promptly. That is good. Another part of the waiting game for me was my injury and surgeries were all tied up in our WC system here so talk about waiting~ it was one of WC's best strategies for getting people to settle for cash bennies only if anything (not me as I wanted future medical benefits).

Re work.. yeah I worked 8 years longer after my 2nd surgery tho had planned on working my entire career like everyone else wants to. Everything that was my normal got changed and I kept adjusting to "the new normal" for me.

Love Harleys!!! Hope you'll get to ride in the future.. ya never know! Didn't think I'd ever do some of the things I used to and over time have found that I could. Not as carefree, not as long, tho incredibly without the horrendous repercussions of years past~

One thing I must have~ absolutely must is a firm tho supportive and comfortable mattress or sleeping surface. Trying to sleep on less than supportive whatever can really kick my spine into high spasms mode. Saw my PM yesterday and was hurting ~ got an injection of 60mg of Toradol IM which broke that cycle and what a relief!

Good luck re your trip to Spain and please keep us posted. We all hope for the best for you~and us and everyone else!

dshobbies · #21 (**permalink**) 06-23-2011, 05:53 PM

Jarrod,

I'm glad you're moving forward but that still doesn't negate the need for you to get on anti-depressants. You will feel so much better. But I understand if you can't even get in to see a doctor, how can he start you on anything?

Please let us know what happens in Spain.

Dale

Maria · #22 (**permalink**) 06-23-2011, 06:24 PM

Jarrod,
It's been a while since I've been in Spain and when I was I got a bad case of Montezuma's Revenge so was able to see a doctor when I could safely get out of the house and down the street, got prompt dx and treatment ! Of course that's far easier than treating what we're talking about!

What I'm wondering is if you can get in to see someone maybe to help out with depression as well re medicines that might be helpful so that if you're emotionally crashing for any reason or just way stressed as sometimes travel and extreme pain levels can lead to that you'd be stocked or could get stocked with some meds that would help you along this journey.

If you have trouble getting seen here for whatever here other than going to UC or ER than I hope it's far easier to be seen there even for general medical purposes.

Jarrod · #23 (**permalink**) 06-23-2011, 08:13 PM

Dale,Judy,Maria,

Thanks for the support and I'll keep u posted on the outcome. Do any of u know if an MRI can be specific for torn or damaged muscles. I mean you know how they can dial in on the cervical spine with an MRI, can they dial in on torn or damaged muscles like traps, rhomboids, levator scapula etc..?

Jarrod

jsewell · #24 (**permalink**) 06-23-2011, 09:33 PM

Jarrod i really don;t know enough on MRI's only that they did not show any degeneration on my right hip which needed replacement bad. So for my body, i don't consider them a solid diagnostic tool.

Seems like you are thinking of possible muscle damage.I can say i have suffered through an inflammatory muscle disease called polymylagia rheumatica . It was very painful when i had some spine surgery and my muscles that were inflammed were cut. More than very painful, hard to describe, then i went into having seizures. Sorry i digressed here. Just wanted to say that muscles really , really cause a lot of pain when damaged .

Not sure what imaging method is best for soft tissue.
judy
When are you going to Spain? Your primary care can prescribe antidepressants for you.

Maria · #25 (**permalink**) 06-23-2011, 09:43 PM

http://www.acc.co.nz/PRD_EXT_CSMP/gr.../wcm001684.pdf

check this out.. might help w/what you asked

ADR seeker · #26 (**permalink**) 06-30-2011, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jarrod

Thank you all,

I guess im just depressed about my situation and what i thought would be a fix to my cervical situation, but unfortunately I am now the product of pain and aches in my very lower neck and uppper back. I am always complaining about my ache/pain and now it is starting to affect my relationships with others. I seem to never want to do much these days and cannot muster up the energy to travel far away from home. I am not as bad off as before the herniation but still in alot of discomfort now and I am 6 months post op from my 3 level cervical adr surgery in Barcelona Spain.

As I sit here late night with an ice pack on my upper back typing I have made up my mind to go ahead with the myleo ct to see if the nerves are being compromised at the operated levels. I can still remember the email Dr. Clavel sent me back after I told him my troubles and pain. "Jarrod we made sure we throughly cleaned out the c7/t1 disc space and made sure we took extra time to decompress that level because we knew this is where the herneation was, we did this before we placed the m6 disc so there is no reason for your pain execpt that the nerve is upset about being herniated in the first place and then touching the nerve again during the decompression".

Im very worried that this is a failed adr surgery as I was hoping to get rid of my symptoms, and I just cant understand why when I walk I can feel this stupid nerve moving or when i flex my head forward It feels like the nerve is stretching along with the upper back muscle (the one close to youir spine). The pain is much better in the mornings but gets more intense as the day goes on so at least laying down relieves it. Also Sometimes when Im relaxing I am ok, but sometimes like a wave the pain comes along and can be gone in a matter of min or hours. I am just hoping that the myleo ct shows the nerves to be ok in disc area where the adrs were placed, but then again if that is the case then where is the pain and dull ache comming from??? Guys Im gonna worry myself to death if this continues and Id like to find the problem sooner than later so more damage cannot be done. If I have to get a fusion or revision surgery I think ill die knowing that It might not help. So this is the hand Ive been delt and I just dont think I can handle it, with no end in sight it makes my days and nights numb and is turning me into a hermet. My friends and family are out on the boat, vacationing and enjoying the summer and hear I am sulking and in despair. I went from a 35 year old healthly athletic man to nothing in less than a year, and with a revision (if need be) another year down the tubes with no promise of a pain free life!!! So very mad, yet hoping that the throbbing wavelike pain in my upper back just calms down before the year is over.. I feel like all I have is hope anymore. I am so grateful for the forum and all who respond and tell there stories, thankl you all.

Sincerly, Jarrod

This may sound simplistic. My neck is a mess. When I was living in a different part of the country I say an atlas orthogonal chiropractor. I had seen chiros for may years with mixed results. I had been in constant pain for 5 years straight with no relief.

I saw this guy and he did x-rays and when I came back the next day he said he could help me. He did the adjustment and their was no typical manipulation. I just heard a soft click from the machine. I didn't feel anything. Within an instant the pain was gone. It stayed gone for 8 months.

The relief was instantaneous

All he did was pop my atlas back in place. If the atlas is subluxated you can have all sorts of problems.

Watch this video YouTube - ‪Upper Cervical - Montel Williams‬&rlm;

This in NOT hocus pocus.

It cost me $25 for the x rays and the treatment was $37.

YouTube - ‪Upper Cervical - Montel Williams‬&rlm;

This treatment is not like the neck cracking other DCs do. It is safe and I don't think having had surgery will be a problem.

Your neck/atlas is probably out of alignment. MDs are really arrogant when it comes to DCs. MDs get really retarded when it comes to spinal neurology just like they are retarded when it comes to nutrition. This treatment can't hurt you.