skiessoblu2
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Joined: 25 Jun 2007
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 Posted: 06/25/07 - 20:51 Post subject: Hypertrophic spurring causing severe stenosis of the neurofo |
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Greetings,
I have been experiencing transient numbness of the 4th and 5th fingers of my left hand for over a year. The numbness continued along the outer aspect of my forearm and felt as if I had constantly hit my funny bone. Within the past 2 months, the numbness progressed from transient to constant, from the 2 fingers to my entire left hand and then I began feeling numbness in the 4th and 5th fingers of my right hand. At that point, I went back to my doctor. I had been mentioning the numbness and constant feeling of "heaviness" of my left side (particularly when driving) for quite some time, but it was never my chief complaint and was not related, so I think it was overlooked and forgotten. I think he thought I was nuts mentioning so much unrelated stuff, but I thought it needed to be said because I knew it was not normal. It did became my chief complaint in June of 2007,when my right hand began to feel numb as well. I was in the office that day. To me, this seems to be some kind of progressive neurological condition and I NEED MY HANDS. I AM A NURSE.
My doctor gave me a script for a week of Prednisone and an MRI of the C-spine. Prednisone did make things better, but a few days after stopping it, I developed a new awful pain just left of my spinal column at mid chest level that radiates to my sternum. My fiancee can now feel a line of knots to the left of my thoracic spine. They are tender to touch. They are fine in the morning, but after about 3-4 hours of being mobile, they KILL me. The pain is worse now.
MRI OF THE CERVICAL SPINE WITHOUT CONTRAST: "Routine sagittal and axial images were obtained. The central spinal canal is normal in size. There is diffuse disc bulging at the C5-C6 level with disc herniation on the right side. Hypertrophic spurring is impinging on both neural foramina at this level. There is compression of the thecal sac and minimal indentation on the right side of the cervical cord. The rest of the cervical discs and neural foramina are normal."
MRI impression: "Central and to the right disc herniation at the C 5/6 level, causing compression of the thecal sac and mild indentation on the right side of the cervical cord. Hypertrophic spurring is causing severe stenosis of the neuroforamina bilaterally at this level. The rest of the lumbar discs and neural foramina appear normal."
Medical Intervention: Neurontin 400 tid. PT for cervical traction and a home unit. Flexeril qhs.
Subjective:
I don't take the Flexeril as I sleep well due to the fatigue from being in pain all day. Is pain medicine appropriate? Will it even work for this condition? Neurontin might be great in the long run, but isn't there something for the short term? I did ask my doctor the same question. He prescribed only Neurontin in response. I have been on it for 5 days and off Prednisone for 7. Each day my back pain worsens. The Neurosurgeon cannot see me until late July. How bad will the pain be then? Will I grow accustomed to it? It seems to be worsening, not improving. Will this delay cause long term loss of function?
Now, the MRI: My primary MD said that the results suggest I have arthritis in my cervical spine. I had just hoped for a herniated disc. When I do get into the neurologist for a consult, what should I expect? Should I wait that long for a consult? From my subjective perspective, the symptoms have worsened week by week and even through Prednisone. I have seen many impatient patients and would like to be certain that I am correct in demanding a specialists opinion. I am 40 years old...5'1, 115#...I do not fit the norm for this diagnosis. I have a long life ahead of me and I do not want to spend it disabled. However, I do have great pain every day and at this point and I am just "dealing" with it. Should I be screaming for an earlier appointment or is this timing with the neurosurgeon (late July) appropriate?
Should there be some imaging of my thoracic spine? It seems that most of my pain is from that area. Is it referred or could there be arthritis dispersed throughout localized areas of my spine? Should I blow it off as muscle strain?
I do have a specialty as well, but this is not it. I am in oncology, so neurology is a foreign science to me.
Thank you for any input. |
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