ashbyboulware

My apologies Dr Corenman for an incomplete history, As i have had to be my own advocate and continue to push for answers to what is quite obviously neuropathy/radiculopathy…some variant of nerve generated pain, i would say I have had to, “learn on the job” as I have never really gotten much info from doctors on my condition/conditions. When I was diagnosed with ddd with radiculopathy in october 2012, I was told their was 3 options to treat. pt, conservative medicine, and surgery. I was never given nor told of the consequences of progressive nerve compression, nor the symptoms of progression and what to watch for. I was not aware of the consequences of failing to decompress a compressed nerve. Most of my ddd was sensory up until the acute trauma from whiplash in January 2013. My myelopathic symptoms were transient weakness in legs and arms, transient shocks or discharges felt randomly in my body(whole or part),tinnitus, trouble at times with fine motor skills i.e. buttoning small buttons on a shirt, nausea and mild vertigo..lots of nausea(or pain induced nausea)?, and frequency/urgency of urination. I appreciate your insight. I believe that your assessment of chronic neuropathy or radiculopathy is accurate. my fear is that as an uninformed layperson, I was at the mercy of doctors who relied on radiologist, who missed the herniation, and my clock was ticking. I knew something was being missed. As a technician I tend to look at things through a troubleshooting aspect. Symptoms were static until a traumatic event…then new presentation of a new symptom means something had occurred from the auto accident. Even I can see the herniation on the mri post auto accident. my herniation was extending into the spinal canal and was touching or was very close to touching the spinal cord. Its almost as if the radiologist never looked at it. Would a ct myelogram be prudent at this time? Any specifics with the mri variables that you would recommend that might reveal something unseen on an mri w/o contrast? I know that the c5-c6 herniation with myelopathy was an accurate diagnosis, and the acdf an appropriate repair. I just need closure on whether the “pain generator” is a permanently damaged nerve root at c6, or pain from another level. Any additional advice would be appreciated. What is the best way to approach the neurosurgeon without putting him on the defensive, as I am not questioning the c5-c6 diagnosis, nor the acdf. Im simply needing to put my fears to rest of an additional nerve problem. Dr Corenman, I would like to add additional symptoms in conjunction with my neuropathy.I am now roughly 26 days post op. Throughout this ordeal, and as of yesterday, my scapular pain was as bad if not worse than they have been since this started in January. When the scapula gets to the point of unbearable, it is usually accompanied by large amounts of “edema” surrounding and over the scapula itself. I also have edema in pockets on the right side of my spine in certain places. Also, the pain and edema is accompanied by significant amounts of “trigger points” on both sides of my back, icluding two large ones yesterday amongst the others in roughly the same spot of the ribcage area.My wife spent over an hour trying to massage out the trigger points. Whenever she would find one and press on it to get the trigger point to release, i could feel deep pain and pressure referred along the dermatome, with the most substantial response felt in my thumb, trigger finger, the webbing in between, outer pinkie side of hand, and bicep and forearm. This response was felt in my left arm/hand regardless of what side of the back the trigger points were. Does any of this raise a “red flag” of an undiagnosed problem that mimics c6 chronic radiculopathy, or do these signs and symptoms re-inforce chronic c6 radiculopathy? I havent been able to find much in regards to researching the edema. Thanks so much for any insight