herniated cervical disc?

Question

I surgery in october for lumbar stenosis, still lower back pain.
Now diagnosed with herniated cervical disc and severe degenerative disc disease. I have pain 24-7 in neck, shoulder and right arm. I have lost considerable strength in my right arm and hand. Are there any treatements which will restore that strength, or is it just gone forever?

I'm near indianapolis, In if you have any suggestions.

Answer 1

Terry, It's extremely necessary to have your cervical disc repaired by the best Neurosurgeon you can find. Get it done ASAP . If you let numbness and pain go too long permanency of your symptoms may be a factor. They could fix the pain later but strength, numbness may last forever.

Answer 2

I have had Back Surgery for the Exact same thing you are talking about. For years I was in constant pain and lived on Pain meds and Muscle relaxers. The Surgery really did help me alot. I was in a Wheel Chair the last 2 months before my Surgery. I have a Ray Cage in my Lower back Now. It rarely bothers me at all unless I do something foolish and Lift something too heavy. You will go through Physical Therapy after the Surgery and the best Advice I can give you is, Do not over do it, but try to move around as much as possible after the Surgery. This will speed up the healing process. I also have severe degenerative Disc disease, probably hereditary since My dad has had Back Surgery also, and Rhuematoid Arthritis runs in our family. Good Luck to you, stay Positive

Answer 3

Hi Terry,

I don't want to frighten you, but you should find yourself the best Neurosurgeon you can find in the area near you. What you are experiencing is in your neck, shoulder and arm are very alarming and can be restored with surgery with a knowledgable doctor. I know this because my mother has had cervical disc surgery to restore the use of her arm and the stop the horrible pain she had in her neck and shoulder. She couldn't lift her arm over her head. After surgery she was doing great, not immediately, but shortly thereafter the surgery her quality of life had improved. Then she fell recently and has the same problem in her neck. They have done ct-scan and MRI and have found that she has redamaged her cervical disc again only now she is older in her late 70's; so they are sending her to physical therapy and have her on meds to make her comfortable.
I too have had a fusion of the spine at the L-5;S-1 levels of my spine and also have been diagnosed with stenosis of the spine and severe degenerative disc disease. Along with all of this I have developed RSD for which there is no cure or surgery. In fact surgery only makes the RSD worse, which is why I am begging you to find the very best Neurosurgeon you can and get your cervical spine fixed. You don't say how old you are but I am fifty-eight years old and have suffered with my back since I was twenty-nine years old. Don't let it go to long, I was stubborn and refused surgery until they told me I was developing a drop foot and would have to wear a leg brace for the rest of my life, that was after four years of suffering. I don't want you to think that surgery is the only cure, but in the cervical spine you don't have the time to wait. I say this because I watched the difference in my mother back with the surgery she had and what she is going through now. Don't hesitate. Being able to move without as much pain as possible is something you learn not to take for granted. I live on more pain meds than I ever wanted to and I have steroid injections into my spine every six to eight weeks to hopefully give me two to three weeks of not pain free but bearable levels.

Please, please find a good doctor, ask questions, adocate for yourself. Remember doctors are not all created equal,some are at the top of their class and others just make the cut, so shop, ask questions, but get it fixed. God's Speed

Answer 4

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