I have had OA in my fingers for years which has rendered my hands almost useless.
I began to have pain in the back of my neck which radiated pain up the back of my neck and gave me headaches and made me throw up.
I fell down a flight a stairs about a month ago which has triggered the arthritis in my back (which apparently has been there for a long time) but never bothered me too much. Now however after falling I am getting terrible pain radiating from my shoulder blade up into my shoulder. It is waking me up at nite sometimes. The only relief I get is when I am in bed and not moving. First thing in the morning with any type of movement the pain is unbearable. My doctor tells me that a bone spur is hitting against a nerve which is causing the pain.
I cant get into see the OA specialist until november. Right now Im taking tylenol arthtiris pills which do give me some relief. I have read that cortisone shots are very helpful in helping with getting pain relief.
I have also read that physical therapy would be very beneficial.
Can anyone give me their experiences in dealing with this and how they cope.
Thank you.
Oh boy, you cannot wait until November. Get your GP or Rheumy to order xrays right away. They may even need to do a MRI. But they were able to find my cervical OA on the xrays.
You're right it hurts really bad. But if RA is involved, you at serious risk. If you can't get into a doc, then go to the ER the very next time the pain flares and insist on xrays.
Did they do xrays, because how do they know that it is a bone spur? And, if they know what it is, why aren't they already doing PT? Also, the amount of pain you're in requires something stronger than tylenol. I have to take up to 3 Vicodin a day to even deal with this, although this is not my only pain problem.
They did tell me that they could do cortisone shots in the neck. I've not ready to try that.
It really worries me that you have pain that extends to your shoulder and your fingers.
Get into a doctor that is willing to do something NOW. This cannot wait. You could have serious neurological damage occurring. They are not treating you right at all.
Please let me know what happens.
Ice packs to the back of the neck have been a huge help for me. I was always a fan of heat but the ice pack was something that my PT got me onto.
You need a muscle relaxer like Flexeril or Skelaxin too because the neck problem causes those muscles in the neck, upper back and shoulders to go into spasm. You have nerves that weave in and out of the musculature in your shoulders and the muscle tension there just aggrivates it all even more.
I have been through alot with my neck in the past 3-4 years. I've done PT and seen a chiropractor. The two most effective treatments I have found have been the cold packs and the muscle relaxers. True, pain meds, muscle rubs, and rest all help too. But they are second to the other two.
The biggest key is staying on top of your pain once you get it under control. As soon as you feel a hint of pain or tension you have to start treating it. It gets real bad real fast....and then it is that much harder to get rid of.
Hope this helps.
Dont wait until nov. before you see someone though... Hi Deanna and Kay You guys (and the other regulars) are so great. Do you know how comforting it is to know that if I had an urgent/weird/embarrassing question someone would answer it within a few hours? I have not seen a question from someone new go unanswered yet! Have a great day, Crunchy, I can't take Flexiril. And, I am at the point where I would love to take a muscle relaxant. They said it would interfere with what they give me for Restless Legs. So, at the top of me, all the muscles are tensing into one tight ball. And at the bottom, legs are doing their own little dance. I don't notice it most times, but sometimes they really get going. Then my knees really get mad because they don't appreciate all the activity. I've found that just sitting in the pool, especially the therapeutic pool does wonders for making those muscles relax. And, not working, that helps too. HI! WOW! THe cervical OA is very painful! I am sorry anyone has to contend with that!
I had started with 2 ruptured discs. One has turned into an "osteophyte" (bone spur) growing inward toward my spinal cord. This is very painful. I,too, will get a serious headache and will become very nauseus. It is quite dreadful. As I sit here typing, I have an ice pack on my neck. I have been told there is very little that can be done about this. Is that consistent with what everyone else has heard? Mine was confirmed by an MRI. In addition to my rheumatologist and my primary care docs, I also had seen 2 different neurologists. One was very upset about it and had told me I have to wear a neck brace or a "jolt" might injure the cord. The other was not as upset and said to try to mange the pain. I am near a teaching hospital, so there are many fairly good docs around. Yet, it is not one of the top 10 teaching hospitals. Just curious as to what others have been told or know about this? This is a great "board!" Everyone is very,very helpful! Good luck "willmore," I hope you get some relief! I hope everyone's pain disappears, if not forever, at least for a few days!
You all might want to check out this site: www.spineuniverse.com. It explains a lot about cervical RA and OA. Hopeful, I'm concerned that you got two different decisions about something so incredibly important. The neck brace is to keep you from accidently becoming paralysed and to relief the pain. It isn't supposed to be worn all the time. But if needed, it should at least be worn in the car. It is strange that one doctor told you that your needed and the other brushed it off. I'd be looking for a third opinion on this. It is just to critical a matter. I think you should look at the information on this site and get back with whatever doctor you trust the most and make sure you are being treated adequately. They can take this all up a level. But noboday wants to do that because that involves surgery. The other things that they can try are cortisone shots in your neck. I'm not quite that desperate yet. Hi Deanna! Thanks for the website address! I'd checked it out briefly. I want to go back there to read much more. Thanks for allowing my neck situation to "register." By that I mean... thanks for saying..."Hello... anybody home? This is serious stuff." I was so bothered by the idea of wearing a neck brace...anytime, I had really forgotten about this until this subject came up on this forum! My husband was there when the one neuro "flipped out." I have never discussed it again with anyone after that appointment! That's how bothered I was... gonna bury that issue very deep, before I am even out of the doc's parking lot. I was very ill at the time and...I could not imagine them finding yet another ting wrong! I just could not let the "serious" part of it "register." You had left the note above. I'd read it...I was stunnedd with how quickly I had buried that info. when I was told it! You are absolutely correct! The brace is important! Wow! Where was I? (I had "checked out!") I had a chat with hubbie after I'd read your note, because he was there with me. He'd remebered once I'd mentioned it. He, too, had "buried it!" Amazing! I think this can happen after 22 years of being told all kinds of things. Some were correct and important, some were truly ridiculous and poor medicine. The doc with this suggestion (requirement) is very well respected. Guess what else I've now remembered? I never went back to "Neurology" to follow up on all of the brain films! Thanks for "being awake," for recognizing the seriousness, and for caring enough to take the time and energy to "awaken" me. Thanks, too, for giving me the address to this great spine site! I am very grateful! Forever!
You are more than welcome as I have similar concerns. Really glad you are going to check further into this because this might be why you haven't been getting very good results with your overall treatment. I get really tired of the bad news. It is hard to take. I can understand how you would react this way, especially after so many years. But please do follow through now. It is so very important.
Yes I have had xrays done and they have confirmed that I have cervical arthritis and that the pain is from a bone spur hitting against a nerve.
Unfortunately because of the health care system in canada one must be referred to a specialist and then the long incredible wait time. The city I live in (which is 75% seniors) there are only 2 arthritis specialist. I have phone though and asked to be put on the wait list for an earlier appt.
I have to go back to my gp when he returns from holidays and I will ask him if muscle relaxents would help me. Right now I would do almost anything to get control of the pain.
Interestingly enough the neck pain seems to have disappeared completely actually since the baack pain has started.
As far as starting PT. I have to confess that I have been putting it off, as I was hoping that I could get into the Arthrits Centre to see the PTs there are they deal with this all the time. Im hesitant to go to any PT because I dont want this to get worse. However after phoning the Arthritis Center, it is going to take months to get in so I will phone a PT this week and start with the therapy.
There is no cardiovascular disease. This is just plain and simple arthritis but what you say is very true, it could be alot worse.
Thanks again so much everyone. I really appreciate your help with this. I will start icing again today.
I will let you know the outcome of my appt with my dc.
Copyright ArthritisInsight.com