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Diagnosed Of Neck Spondylosis, Burning Sharp Sensation Down Left Arm After Doing Biokinetics. What To Do ?
Hi, please bear with me as this is a long story and I’m desperate for answers and help. Eight months ago, I was diagnosed with spondylosis in my neck. I went to a sports doctor who suggested I start doing biokinetics to isolate my neck muscles. At the beginning of this year, I started experiencing a burning, sharp sensation down my left arm only when I was lifting dumbbells (2kg). The pain would stop if I wasn’t exercising my arm.
I went to the sports doctor to have this problem checked out. I had x-rays taken on my left shoulder which indicated I had tendonitis. The doctor first gave me a cortisone injection in that shoulder but was ineffective – the same pain down my arm was felt ONLY during exercises when lifting weights. The doctor suggested I undergo a series of shock therapy. The first two treatments were mild in the sense I just felt pain for 2-3 days near my shoulder where he had worked on but would disappear afterwards. After the third shock treatment, my arm was bruised for two weeks and there was (still is) a “dent” in my arm as if the muscle tissue had collapsed. I started experiencing an excruciating burning sensation from my shoulder down my arm and sometimes moving to my fingers. This would only happen in the middle of the night after I had fallen asleep. The pain would last for 2 hours or it would go away as soon as I would get up in the morning. When I went back to the doctor, he referred me to an orthopaedic surgeon for a possible scope on my shoulder. The surgeon took another set of x-rays and couldn’t see severe signs of tendonitis. So he referred me to a neurologist suggesting it could be a nerve problem from my neck. The neurologist sent me for two MRI s: one for the neck and one for shoulder. The results showed slight tendonitis and spondylosis but no pinched nerve. The neurologist prescribed Lyrica for me and I had another cortizone shot in my shoulder.
I would like to know if that last shock treatment didn’t damage a nerve which can’t be seen in an MRI and whether Lyrica is really the solution as it does help with the pain but if I don’t take it, the burning sensation flares up again. What I’m experiencing now is something totally different to my initial problem. I don’t want to depend on Lyrica as it has severe side effects.
I went to the sports doctor to have this problem checked out. I had x-rays taken on my left shoulder which indicated I had tendonitis. The doctor first gave me a cortisone injection in that shoulder but was ineffective – the same pain down my arm was felt ONLY during exercises when lifting weights. The doctor suggested I undergo a series of shock therapy. The first two treatments were mild in the sense I just felt pain for 2-3 days near my shoulder where he had worked on but would disappear afterwards. After the third shock treatment, my arm was bruised for two weeks and there was (still is) a “dent” in my arm as if the muscle tissue had collapsed. I started experiencing an excruciating burning sensation from my shoulder down my arm and sometimes moving to my fingers. This would only happen in the middle of the night after I had fallen asleep. The pain would last for 2 hours or it would go away as soon as I would get up in the morning. When I went back to the doctor, he referred me to an orthopaedic surgeon for a possible scope on my shoulder. The surgeon took another set of x-rays and couldn’t see severe signs of tendonitis. So he referred me to a neurologist suggesting it could be a nerve problem from my neck. The neurologist sent me for two MRI s: one for the neck and one for shoulder. The results showed slight tendonitis and spondylosis but no pinched nerve. The neurologist prescribed Lyrica for me and I had another cortizone shot in my shoulder.
I would like to know if that last shock treatment didn’t damage a nerve which can’t be seen in an MRI and whether Lyrica is really the solution as it does help with the pain but if I don’t take it, the burning sensation flares up again. What I’m experiencing now is something totally different to my initial problem. I don’t want to depend on Lyrica as it has severe side effects.
Wed, 24 Jul 2013
Hi, thanks for writing to HCM.
After going through the elaborate description, I feel that the culprit for your pain is the DEGENERATED CERVICAL PAIN with RADICULOPATHY causing you pain and burning sensation going down into the fingers.
Generally, pain arising out of a shoulder problem will never radiate below the level of the elbow joint.
The general guidelines for the pain relief due to cervical causes are as follows
* Rest: A soft cervical collar is advisable. It should not be used for more than a week or two as it may worsen the condition with prolonged usage.
* Medicines: Analgesic are needed in the acute phase. Muscle relaxants are essential for relieving muscle spasms once the acute pain subsides.
* Cervical traction: may enlarge the disc space, permitting the prolapse to subside. Intermittent cervical traction for not more than 30 minutes at a time. Weight upto 8kg can be added.
* Physiotherapy: Once the acute phase of pain has subsided, Isometric strengthening exercises of the paravertebral muscles are started. Moist heat can be useful
Hope this information is helpful. Good day
After going through the elaborate description, I feel that the culprit for your pain is the DEGENERATED CERVICAL PAIN with RADICULOPATHY causing you pain and burning sensation going down into the fingers.
Generally, pain arising out of a shoulder problem will never radiate below the level of the elbow joint.
The general guidelines for the pain relief due to cervical causes are as follows
* Rest: A soft cervical collar is advisable. It should not be used for more than a week or two as it may worsen the condition with prolonged usage.
* Medicines: Analgesic are needed in the acute phase. Muscle relaxants are essential for relieving muscle spasms once the acute pain subsides.
* Cervical traction: may enlarge the disc space, permitting the prolapse to subside. Intermittent cervical traction for not more than 30 minutes at a time. Weight upto 8kg can be added.
* Physiotherapy: Once the acute phase of pain has subsided, Isometric strengthening exercises of the paravertebral muscles are started. Moist heat can be useful
Hope this information is helpful. Good day
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