Chronic Pain Support Group
Physicians and professionalsdefine pain as chronic if it lasts longer than three to six months and is persistent. It's distinct from acute pain that is a direct result of injury or trauma. This support group is dedicated to those suffering from chronic pain. Discuss treatments that have worked for you, find advice for your specific experience, and find support. You're not...
Where do I start? I wrote a journal entry last night that goes into depth.. but warning, its somewhat dark because I was at a low point...
Anyway, I was rear ended twice in a six week period in 2007. I've have had really bad neck pain since then. In December of 2014 I saw a chiropractor who adjusted my neck. Ever since then, my life has been a living hell. The pain is constant and very debilitating. I cannot even do household chores. In addition to my neck pain, now its my entire spine until what feels like just a couple vertebra above my hips.
Symptoms are: For my spine, it feels as if acid is constantly pouring down it. In addition, my neck and upper back vertebrae feel... out of joint? My neck has no curve in it what so ever, and there are a few minor slipped discs. I have occasional numbness on the left side of my face, the left side of my neck, and down into my left arm. I cannot stretch or I get charlie horses in my shoulders and neck. When I turn my head, I get sharp piercing pains in my neck. I also have demonstrated weakness in my left hand and arm. Also, my pinky and ring finger on my left hand occasionally go numb and tingle. As well, the left middle of my back around the spine has a loss of sensation. In addition, when the nerves act up, my entire left arm feels as if I hit my funny bone, but its not limited to the elbow, the pain is all over my left arm, and it lasts for at least an hour at a time. In addition, it feels like someone is cutting deeply into my spine with sharp and red hot razor.
I have had multiple injections in my spinal cord, and outside on my spine, I've had nerves cauterized in my neck, I've done physical therapy, and have seen a chiropractor. As for medicines, I've taken just about every NSAID on the planet to no effect. I was put on norco, and that helped a little bit but gave me seizures. Then I was switched to percos and they helped but I started having side effects that when I would try to go to sleep, all of a sudden my heart would start pounding like I was having a panic attack. The docs took me off it and it went away. However, the pain is intense. I'm currently taking only Lyrica but that only brings the pain level down from a 10 to about an 8.
Recently I saw a neurosurgeon but found out today that he can't find anything on my back to operate on that will fix anything. They said something about referring me to a physiatrist, but I have no idea what that is. I don't want to do any more physical therapy because that has not helped in the past and in addition, was extremely painful. Most of the time they could not even touch me.
I am getting desperate here. I am in constant pain and extremely miserable. Are there any doctors or has anyone experience what I am going through and have a clue about what it may be?
I live in a very religiously conservative area and I cannot even get any pain medicine for temporary relief. The pain has brought me to tears more than I can count, and I am not a "crying" type of guy.
Any feedback would be most welcome.
Anyway, I was rear ended twice in a six week period in 2007. I've have had really bad neck pain since then. In December of 2014 I saw a chiropractor who adjusted my neck. Ever since then, my life has been a living hell. The pain is constant and very debilitating. I cannot even do household chores. In addition to my neck pain, now its my entire spine until what feels like just a couple vertebra above my hips.
Symptoms are: For my spine, it feels as if acid is constantly pouring down it. In addition, my neck and upper back vertebrae feel... out of joint? My neck has no curve in it what so ever, and there are a few minor slipped discs. I have occasional numbness on the left side of my face, the left side of my neck, and down into my left arm. I cannot stretch or I get charlie horses in my shoulders and neck. When I turn my head, I get sharp piercing pains in my neck. I also have demonstrated weakness in my left hand and arm. Also, my pinky and ring finger on my left hand occasionally go numb and tingle. As well, the left middle of my back around the spine has a loss of sensation. In addition, when the nerves act up, my entire left arm feels as if I hit my funny bone, but its not limited to the elbow, the pain is all over my left arm, and it lasts for at least an hour at a time. In addition, it feels like someone is cutting deeply into my spine with sharp and red hot razor.
I have had multiple injections in my spinal cord, and outside on my spine, I've had nerves cauterized in my neck, I've done physical therapy, and have seen a chiropractor. As for medicines, I've taken just about every NSAID on the planet to no effect. I was put on norco, and that helped a little bit but gave me seizures. Then I was switched to percos and they helped but I started having side effects that when I would try to go to sleep, all of a sudden my heart would start pounding like I was having a panic attack. The docs took me off it and it went away. However, the pain is intense. I'm currently taking only Lyrica but that only brings the pain level down from a 10 to about an 8.
Recently I saw a neurosurgeon but found out today that he can't find anything on my back to operate on that will fix anything. They said something about referring me to a physiatrist, but I have no idea what that is. I don't want to do any more physical therapy because that has not helped in the past and in addition, was extremely painful. Most of the time they could not even touch me.
I am getting desperate here. I am in constant pain and extremely miserable. Are there any doctors or has anyone experience what I am going through and have a clue about what it may be?
I live in a very religiously conservative area and I cannot even get any pain medicine for temporary relief. The pain has brought me to tears more than I can count, and I am not a "crying" type of guy.
Any feedback would be most welcome.
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So mad at Xfinity! They're trying to charge me $115 per month for the same service I had been paying $50 the last four years. I took the equipment to UPS for shipping and cancelled my subscription today! Next door was a cookie shop called Crumbl. I had heard of it before but never went in until today. I don't need one more sugar fix, but maybe it will help with my sad) grieving heart....$15...
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I know this is stupid, but after not being able to find a job after graduation for almost two years, I ended up just taking an online teaching job because I couldn't find anything in my field. I was trying to get out of teaching and I feel so devastated. I felt this crushing feeling when I signed the paperwork and when I was in the meetings. I know that sounds so dramatic but it is how I felt. It...
I can add something though since I have been seeing a Physiatrist for years. They are a type of pain management doctor, but not the same as a true pain management doctor (although I have never figured out the difference). The link below will take you to a good description of Physiatrists. Depending on where you live, may be the driving force which type of doctoring you can find.
Good luck, and I am sure others will jump in with more specific comments.
http://www.aapmr.org/about-physiatry/about-physical-medicine-rehabilitation/what-is-physiatry
I am SO sorry for what you are going through...
Something is definitely wrong.
What you are describing are likely
sings of neuropathy and radiculopathy. Narcs and NSAIDs do not help with nerve pain.
I d like to ask you what kind of imaging have your doctors done?
Have you had CTs and MRI and nerve conduction studies ?
I am so so very sorry for the horrible pain you are in. ( I did read your journal and I can't even imagine what you go through on a daily basis ).
I do know about chronic back pain because that's what I have. I did have a spinal fusion of my L-5, S-1 vertebrae because I literally had no disc left at all between those vertebrae. Talk about the recovery from hell. I'm not sorry I had the surgery, but now I'm dealing with adjacent segment degeneration of the L-4, L-5 vertebrae above the fusion along with arthritis in the facet joints around the vertebrae. I am in constant pain too, but not near to the degree you are. It sure likes you've faced a lot of dismissiveness from the docs. Aronia is a nurse and is very knowledgeable in chronic pain issues. As far as the pain meds, yes, the laws are getting more strict all the time. My ortho surgeon did prescribe percs for me for a very long time ( I had complications from other things that prolonged my healing ), but he referred me to a pain management doc last November because he couldn't prescribe the percs anymore and that wasn't a good experience for various reasons I won't blab on about, but I never went back and weaned myself off of the percs I had left. I saw my surgeon just this past Monday for new xrays and the diagnosis I mentioned and he wouldn't prescribe anything at all. I don't have nerve pain though and I know nerve pain can be unbearable. My pain is in my spine. I am seeing a new Primary Care Doc next month and we'll see what he says going forward.
As far as a psychiatrist, like Sptrout said, they are a type of pain management doc too ( atleast I know some are ). I think it would be worth a try to see one, especially since understandably this horrible pain is causing you a lot of depression and stress and anxiety.
I've rambled on like I normally do, I apologize. Please don't beat yourself up. I hope that you can find a doctor and that you can find relief for your pain. No one should have to go through what you are.
Healing hugs~
LMT
Aronia, I've had the works - MRI, CT scan and yes, I've had nerve conduction tests which I passed. The MRI shows nothing other than a bunch of minor slipped discs and a neck that is straight as an arrow (no curves in it).
I have an appointment this wednesday with a physiologist and I set up an appointment that friday with a psychiatrist to see if I can get some help with my anxiety and depression. I don't really want to do the psych but I just hope its nothing too extreme. I'm concerned about being prescribed a lot pills...
I don't know whats going on and I guess neither do the docs. I guess I'm just an enigma.
I worked in neurosurgery for sometime and from what I know , things can be missed even by two doctors.
Example: We had a patient who was diagnosed with a benign lesion on her brain by a neurosurgeon and a neurologist from two different practices and was told to " observe" for another year. When she came to us, our surgeon reviewed the films, did another MRI and diagnosed her with astrocytoma.
If it wasn't for his good eyes, who knows what would have happened.
My point is that, it is very rare for people to have true psychogenic pain. I think yours is real, but they are not picking up the cause.
Where I live there aren't many choices, and my medical insurance (medicare) really cuts down my options.
I know my pain is real. I know when it started, and I know when it got worse and why. I can't explain why no one is diagnosing it, and I know I'm not imagining it. My wife is witness to everything I've gone through. I wish there was a clinic or hospital somewhere in the US that specializes in this, that would take my insurance, and that would allow me to travel there for a real diagnosis and treatment.
You'd also think the fact that the left side of my face gets numb, and I have numbness and tingling elsewhere in my body would point them to something, but so far, every test they've given me, they can't find anything. The two nerve tests they ended up sticking needles in my left arm, and one puncture in my neck. The first one didn't hurt so bad and was done about a year ago. This last one was horrible and it felt like all my nerves were being painfully activated. I was still suffering from the after effects in my neck a couple days later. But apparently, my nerves react just fine. I'm at a loss.
I've had two MRI's. One was taken on august after I had a concussion. Long story, but when I was getting married, I passed out and hit my head hard. We spent my wedding night in the ER. That MRI was only of my brain and neck. The second MRI I had Feb 24th and that was of the rest of my spine. That was also the same day I had the second nerve test. Only the neurosurgeon looked at those test results.
Where do you live ?
Myself and another member here branched out outside of area. I went to another state already for two appointments and He is also working on something after numerous visits to doctors.
I had to see 5 orthos to get diagnosed and I saw 4 oral surgeons to put me back together for my facial trauma. Only a neurologist finally diagnosed me in 2015 and my accident was in 2012.
I feel you would find the answers with a more skilled surgeon.
I went to a teaching facility .
One thing I've noticed is that its started to progress. Initially it was just the neck, and like that for seven years. Then the chiropractor "tweaked" my neck causing the constant ongoing extreme pain along with numbness and tingling on the left side. Then the pain spread to an ach in the vertebra between my shoulder blades. A strong piercing pain. Then from that, I got the acid burning feeling down my spine and the feeling of razors cutting in. Now the nerve pain has spread into my shoulders and is now on both sides of my neck. Now I have twitching going on in my face.
The numbness in face should not be happening.. Have you told your PCP about this? Facial numbness is cranial nerve stuff.
Now I know what the problem is.
I just looked through Idaho medical schools... They are scarse.
On top of it, nobody goes to med school and dreams of working in Idaho, so I can't imagine that it is easy to find the kind of specialists I have near me.
The closest thing to you is Utah. This is the link to a neurosurgeon in Salt Lake City medical school/ health center. Even so, I was not greatly impressed. It looks like a physician needs to refer you to even go there and there is no email provided anywhere. There are only two doctors listed
http://www.bmc.org/neurosurgery.htm
This is where I went, only to a different specialty. Look how many providers are on this site.
I know this is too far for you and will cost a lot to get there, so your best bet is to look for large medical schools near you. Medical schools are attached to a hospital. The bigger the number of beds, the bigger the hospital. You also want to look at the trauma level center. If the hospital a full trauma center, you will have more of a chance of meeting a great surgeon.
If there is a way to sent a message to the practice, do so online and ask to be referred to a a doctor there, keep the email short - just say that you have nerve pain that has not been treated successfully and need a second opinion.
I hope you will finally be able to be diagnosed!!
Thanks for the link, I'll see what I can do. And yes, I agree about no one wanting to come to Idaho... my wife and just talked about that last week.
Saturday I'm going to attend a health fair held by the Eastern Idaho Medical Center. Supposedly, they have a fairly good pain speciality practice there.
One of my wife's family members went to the Huntsman cancer center, something like that.. I know I don't have cancer (I hope anyway) but maybe I can get a referral down there.
Thanks for all your feedback and your suggestions. I'll will do my best to follow up. I hope that life gets simple for you soon, and that you find some ease from your pain. :)