Atheria
Albuquerque, NM
Narrowing at different cervical levels will cause pain and or weakness in various places. Here's a link to a pictorial map of what nerves affect what regions of your body. It's a pretty good map.
http://www.tucsonchiropractors.com/images/spine-map.jpg
No, I've never seen a chiropractor nor do I have any relationship with this place of business.
Spinal stenosis of the cervical spine may cause the CSF to backup into your brain (where it originates) and give you a pressure like headache 24/7 too. The symptoms may be consistent with hydrocephalus if it does.
Epidurals won't necessarily help with these issues. I had many along with multiple rhizotomies before I finally had the two herniated discs replaced. I also had cervical foraminal narrowing at multiple levels plus spinal stenosis which was almost completely blocking the CSF flow.
For some reason (I believe it was associated with the CSF backing up), I also ended up getting bilateral mastoiditis which was one step away from turning into Meningitis. They put tubes in each ear and gave me a few bags of penicillin IV. Still have a tube in my left ear. That was my first surgery done on 2/5/07.
Had an ACDF at C4-6 for the herniated discs (5/07) followed by foraminotomy at various cervical locations and finally a laminectomy at C6 (they remove the back half of the vertebrae) a year after the ACDF.
I now have a plate in the front of my neck to hold the cadaver discs in place and two rods in the back of my spinal column to provide support where they removed the back half of the C6 vertebrae.
Did it all work? Nope.
I've had a constant pressure like headache 24/7 plus pain and ringing in both ears since the Fall of '06. I finally gave up and filed for disability and was awarded my claim in '09.
My experience with the doctors was horrible. They're a bunch of idiots. You have to understand each MRI and ask the right questions of every doctor you see and have a good idea of the correct answer when you do. I went through three neurologists before I found one that fully understood my particular problem. Doctors are generally able to perform when it's just one problem but they're like a deer in headlights when you present with three problems at once.
You have to stay informed and understand everything in your MRI radiology report and ask the right questions. And you can't let them intimidate you. You'll end up at a dead end if you do.
M2CW
Good health to you.
I had a "nerve block TEST" at Kaiser Permanente. After they realized they made a mistake by giving me an IV (which was irritating) they took that out and wheeled me into a surgical room. There was a donut hole area for your head and your body was at a 40 degree angle until your hips, then it was straight from there. So, from the very beginning, this "bed" was not designed for a human, but for a flamingo. The had me "lay" face down. They wiped a bunch of sterilizing liquid around my neck and shoulders. They then placed a piercing needle into my neck which was suppose to numb it; IT DIDN"T WORK. As they did the actual "test" where they used another needle twice to go IN BETWEEN my disks, I felt every moment of it. I had one child and I would rate this pain very close to the pain of childbirth. I was screaming for Jesus to come and take me home. The only time the doctor stopped was when my blood pressure crept up to 180/120...they tried to get me to relax. Are you KIDDING ME? NOW, I have headaches DAILY. I use to get them once or twice a week, but now I wake up feeling hung over every morning; I haven't touched alcohol for 8 years. Beware. After all of this the neurologist said that we should have done an EMG first!!! But might as well do the "test" while I was there. This test was suppose to last for 6 to 8 hours. They wanted to see if they hit the right nerve. Well, I have to tell you, by the time they completed this procedure, I was in actual fight or flight mode. My adrinalin was through the roof and I was shaking uncontrollably. It took me 6 hours to come down from my adrinalin so the test was useless. The headaches are to the point where my husband keeps threatening to take me to urgent care. Please, consider everything else and demand information prior to any invasive treatment! Jen Escondido, CA
I have tension headaches due to bulging cervical disks (the worst disk was removed and I have fusion). I get epidural steroid injections every 6 months. This doesn't take the headaches away entirely, but helps a great deal. I am a busy mom with four kids and I can't lay in bed all day due to a tension headache.
My pain management dr. performs these. It is approx. 2 hours from walking in the front door to being wheeled out. Plan on 24 hours taking it easy, and it takes a few days to feel the results, but it is a lifesaver for me.
Do not be nervous, as long as you have a reputable pain management dr. They are anesthesiologists first, so they know what they are doing. It is a routine procedure for them.
In between steroid injections, I take Fiorecet. I mostly get them when I first wake up. I have them by my bedside, with a water bottle. Make sure you sleep on your side or back, never on your stomach, and experiment with pillows. I like a soft one that I can smoosh down to cradle my neck. Take a hot shower or soak in a warm tub, or use a heating pad to help relax your muscles - I like the neck rolls that look like a snake - you just heat them in the microwave and wear them around your neck/shoulders.
P.S. your dr. may talk about facet joint injections. I find those don't help with the tension headaches. They are to block the pain from the bulging disks pinching the nerves on the "exterior" of the disks. The epidurals block the pain associated with the nerves running "interior", the nerves that run up your neck into your cranium.
I know what you are going thru.I was also in an accident in 2001,rear ended..I had then and now have c5 and c6 bulging and herinated dics which are flaring up now.Try going to a Chiropractor,to get traction on a decompression dics machine.Tell the Chiropractor that you want traction with no manipulation,the therpy should be about 6 to 8 weeks,going 3x a week.The pain in your neck is radiating to your head ,like mine is.Also I would try getting a cervical steriod epidural injection,which are a series of 3,an injection every 2 weeks.I'm going for my second one tomorrow,4-19-13.It seems to be working and is virtually pain free.plus try wet heat on your neck,10 minutes at a time ,as many times as you like but only once an hour.But don't give up,try some of these methods.I also went to a neurosurgeon,an he also recommended traction by a Chiropractor with no manipulation.Good luck.Charlie,N.J.