[Chappelear]

#6968

Dr. Corenman:

I fell down stairs of a helicopter serving in the US Army at age 19 and sustained back problems since. Here I am, now almost 36 and I suffer from DDD, Osteoarthritis and multiple levels of protruding discs. I have had multiple ES Injections; Gone through my rounds of physical therapy and medications; I had a recent percutaneous laser disc decompression of the L5-S1, and now have Cervial spinal issues that became asymptomatic post Lumbar Puncture from and ESI (done by a resident under doctor observation).

My C3-C4 Disc has a focal central disc extrusion that is migrating to the C3 level. I have a Central, paracentral/(subarticular) right disc extrusion.

have protrusions at other levels that don’t appear quite as bad, but my symptoms are: Severe headache within the 1st hour of being upright, shoulder blade pain (always on right side, intermittent left); stiff neck on right; bicep/forearm (icy/burn) sensation; numbness on right pinky and ring finger; however, when I sleep, I have awaken to my thumb, 1st finger and middle finger being totally numb on both hands.

I have MRI results that I am in the process of compiling the photos along with the report on a Word Document. The pain is so severe, that I would rather spend my days lying down.

What can be done to fix this issue?

[Donald Corenman, MD, DC]

#6971

You first need a diagnosis. A good history and thorough physical examination are necessary to determine what your disorders are (you may have multiple problems). The list includes cervical radiculopathy, thoracic outlet syndrome, ulnar nerve entrapment and carpel tunnel syndrome. You might also have cervical facet syndrome and greater or lesser occipital neuralgia.

Find a very good spine surgeon or neurologist and he or she should be able to ferret out the specific causes.

Dr. Corenman

[Author]

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