[Donald Corenman, MD, DC]

#21056

Motion X-rays are simply static (stationary) X-rays that are taken in different positions (Flexion, extension and neutral) positions. The comparisons of these views leads to the understanding of what motion does to the individual vertebra.

Generally, facet mediated pain is not dangerous. If the symptoms are not too impairing, you can “wait them out”. Sometimes, time will reduce pain but if you have had symptoms for greater than six months, it is unlikely that these symptoms will improve. Finding the right specialist will be difficult but not impossible. You might find a “Pain Specialist” who does interventional injections to help with your symptoms.

Dr. Corenman

PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
 
Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.

[Nphillips]

#21059

Wow! Thank you so much for answering my questions. I’ve been in the dark so long so it’s so nice to hear from a professional. Would facet pain cause me to lose circulation to my head when I fall asleep with my head turned to one side? This is something that happens to me if I turn onto my stomach while sleeping. This is the biggest concern for me. No circulation to the brain means I am at risk for potential brain damage, does it not? When I straighten my neck in the morning after sleeping with my neck turned, it feels the same as when you fall asleep with your wrist bent, and when you straighten it all the blood rushes to the starved hand. I feel like this, only instead of blood rushing to my hand, it rushes to my head and is followed by a horrendous, day-long headache. If you still think it is facet damage, is there a way of mitigating my risk of brain damage while sleeping? Perhaps I should sleep with a collar on? Should I continue with chiropractic adjustments in my condition?

[Donald Corenman, MD, DC]

#21062

You are experiencing not a loss of blood flow to your head but a nerve compression syndrome. The greater and lesser occipital nerves originate from the top of the neck and travel over the head to the top of the eyes and the ears. When you turn your head, it sounds like you are “catching” your nerve-similar to how you note the ulnar nerve is “caught” at the “funny bone” (the cubital tunnel at the elbow-see website for cubital tunnel syndrome).

There is a syndrome called “Bow Hunter’s Syndrome” (see on this website) that does involve blood supply problems to the head but your symptoms sound more likely to be nerve distribution and not blood supply.

If Chiropractic adjustments are giving you relief, you can continue> If you find that absent one week of manipulation, your symptoms stay the same, then manipulation is not necessary.

Dr. Corenman

PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
 
Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.

[Nphillips]

#21064

Oh, I see now. I was diagnosed with mild Carpal Tunnel syndrome in my wrists a few years back. When I fell asleep with my wrists bent, it felt like I was cutting the circulation to my wrists off, but that was just the nerve being pinched, not the loss of blood flow that was causing the sensation. So you think I am pinching the nerve(s) in my neck when I turn my head. That is a relief. I can handle a pinched nerve, but not the loss of blood to the brain.

[Donald Corenman, MD, DC]

#21073

Loss of blood to the brain would cause a loss of consciousness generally or specific loss function (vocalization, balance or other functions). Your symptoms sound to be compression of the greater or lesser occipital nerves which is a “pinched nerve” and not a circulation loss.

Dr. Corenman

PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
 
Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.

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