Myofascial Pain Syndrome Support Group

Hi Cel,

I have two questions. Was the bulging disc from an injury and did it come before or after you developed carpal tunnel?

My personal opinion is to always get a second opinion. You might try a physiatrist (doctor of physical medicine and rehabilitation), an osteopath (D.O.) trained in manipulation or a doctor of Orthopedic Medicine instead of an Orthopedic Surgeon. My experience with GPs is that they aren't knowledgable about musculoskeletal pain, but that is only my experience. In my research on "double crush syndrome" it is due to the fact that your carpal tunnel could be coming from your cervical spine/bulging disc. My friend solved her carpal tunnel with acupuncture, but your doctor may think that the bulging disc is causing the carpal tunnel.

For treatment of bulging discs, check out a little known modality called prolotherapy, which strengthens weak/lax ligaments and tendons. One of the most informative websites is www.caringmedical.com. Scroll down and click on Symptoms & Conditions. Then scroll down and click on Hernicated Disc and at the bottom of the page click on treatments of Herniated Disc. For further information, check out www.getprolo.com. There are excellent articles on prolotherapy for most musculoskeletal pain such as knee, shoulder, neck, back, etc...and a list of some of the doctors who are trained. (I'm scheduled for my first prolotherapy treatment at the end of Sept., so will have more first hand experience to share after that. It usually takes 3-6 treatments, scheduled each month to see lasting results, so I won't know for at least 3 months if it helps/solves my back and leg pain.)

I have no idea if these suggestions will be helpful, but I always feel that people should be given as many options as possible. Pain is such an individual condition, and I have found solutions to be trial and error. Each of us responds differently to treatments. Wishing you luck in finding the right treatments for your pain. Kat

Hi Kat
thanks for the info, the carpal tunnel i think came after everything else. i first a massive back spasm back in may affecting my thoracic area i was treated for a sprained facet joint but the pain continued and then referred into my scapular shoulder arm and now my hand, i left that PT and found a great PT who has done many things to releive the pain but not the cause? he has thought i have thoracic outlet syndrome as well due to my tighted mucsle's pulling up my rib causing that, he doesnt think i have carpal tunnal but that it is happening because of my neck back shoulder probs, the specialist i saw is a muscoloskeletal expert and he was the one he said the bulge and CT and no it wasnt a cause of an accident it just happened while at work one day, he has suggested injections next month if my triggers havnt improved over that time, i also have an OT who is mediatting for my with my employer Dr and workcover and she is puhing for me to have a splint made to see if it helps with the symptoms for the CT, he did say the doyble crush syndrome is something that can happen when 2 nerve areas are affecting making it a bigger problem, Im just a bit lost in how all this is fixed i cant get an answer about what to do from anyone it seems, my specialist did say is going to contact my PT (who also is an occupational PT) about the appropriate treatment for the future, The bulge was also noticed on my scan by the Muscle Ske Spec when i took them down but the report came back normal i found that strange, he expalined to me he could tell as the disc was a 2 toned colour being grey and light grey on the bottom of pic, and showed me the difference. I had a vist with and I&E through workcover who also told me i had carpal tunnel and was going to request i have cortisone injec in my shoulder for the bursitis and splint for CT. IM just finding it hard with diff Dr etc and therapist telling me diff things
Thanks for the feedback Kat
Much appreciated Cel

Hi Cel,

I don't understand all of your diagnosis therefore, what I have to say might be meaningless.

Have you had a MRI to confirm your slipped disk? Is it possible, based on the images, that your pain down your shoulder and arm, might be caused by the disk putting pressure on the nerve?

I'm curious why your doc thinks the slip disk will heal itself.

I have two slipped disks. Corisone injections dulled the pain down my arm and along my shoulder blade. My doctors are of the opinion that if I get that underlying problem under control, my myofascial pain will go away. I'm not sure if I believe this, but I'm sharing what I've been told.

Tink

Thnks Tink
I have been to my physio to day, he has recieved the report from specialist and it also says that i have Thoracic outlet syn, as well as intrapment in the elbow, this is all my left side, the bulge in neck he said will heal on its own with appropiate therapy and if my symptoms are still as they are now then i will having an MRI, as i am quite good compared to 4 months ago,the bulge is causing the arm shoulder pain as well as the other problems , This is what he called double crush syndrome and the bulge in my neck could be seen on my CT scan, that is why he has not suggested MRI unless symptoms stay the same or get worse, its my arm and hand now that are the worst, so looking at a splint for time being so i at least can try and get some uninteruppted sleep!
Cheers Cel :)

saw doc today she is requesting a review of my CT and if shows nothing sending me else where for another to confirm disc bulge noted by my musculoskeletal specialist, she is also sending me to a neuroligist for nerve conducting test on my shoulder elbow and wrist as well as my scapular region. she did say 3 months ago she thought my symptoms were coimg from my neck but as the CT came back "normal" this confused her too so thats why i was sent to Mus Ske spec..she is happy that it is that really so she knows what she is dealing with now, if ct again comes back normal sending me for a MRI

Dear Cel,

Nobody likes to take meds but I could not sleep with this Myofascial pain and my PCP prescribed Ambien CR (so the pain wouldn't wake me in the middle of the night) and Amitriptyline which also helps with the pain and is a mild anti-depressant. They have really helped me.

Cheryl