Cervical MRI results came back.

[Hardluck]

By no means do I want to set anybody back with my results however not everything is caused by stress and anxiety. results could be a heck of a lot worse, I was thinking tumor or spinal lesions perhaps stenosis. I have a pretty bad bulge in my C6 which has trapped the nerve that's causing me pain,tingling,numbness,weakness, in my left arm, fingers, and an upper shoulder. I'm 42 years young. The positive side for me is I now know what's causing that particular pain and sensations.

[Agora1]

Hi Hardluck, I'm glad you got the MRI results back so now you know what you are dealing with. I had told you it would probably find some disc like problems in your neck. I have the bulging discs myself (for years due to a car accident) You still have 2 different issues, one being a disc problem and the other anxiety caused from the symptoms that are a result of a trapped nerve. Where does your doctor want to go from here? It's not always surgery you know. You did the right thing in pursuing what the problem was. You are correct in that we cannot always blame anxiety as the main cause of our symptoms. Let us know what the answer is to correct your pain. We support you. You will be okay. One step at a time.

[Hardluck in reply to Agora1]

Thanks for your kind words. The pain is very manageable at the moment. Surgery was briefly discussed. Now I must work on my anxiety, and a few other symptoms that are troublesome. The cold numb feet/toes is a big one for me.

[Agora1 in reply to Hardluck]

Hardluck, always use surgery as a last resort. There are other ways you may be able to address this problem. You are correct in that anxiety needs to be worked on right now in order to bring your stress level down. Anxiety and pain go hand in hand. So bringing down your anxiety may also help with the pain you experience. One step at a time. My best.

[lourocks in reply to Agora1]

Im tired

[Agora1 in reply to lourocks]

?

[HearYou]

When I was 34, I tripped and feel across a workman's cord strung across floor of my office door. RX was same as yours. Only the pain was as bad as childbirth, and right arm was useless; it was curled up and I couldn't open my fist. I knew and trusted the neurosurgeon. In 10 days he had me in the hospital for laminectomy, discectomy, and fusion. The spinal cord was being damaged and the danger was I would never be able to use my arm again if surgery wasn't done. When I woke in the recovery room, my right leg wouldn't move. Off work almost 4 months.

Chronic pain in my upper arm has never left. The use of my arm and lg gradually returned. Had to have another surgery one step down in 1999. Epidurals kept me working; oral painkillers makes thinking less than logical.

But then was hit by a very large truck. Anxiety and nightmares and depression came with that. No fun is it. Still, have some loss of feeling in my fingers and I have learned to fall down quite nicely as right leg didn't fully recover. No, no fun at all.

Back to epidurals in cervical and lumbar areas to control and cut down the use of oral pain meds. But dealing with anxiety, depression, and nightmares. But I'm dealing.

Sometimes life is a bit like a "crapshoot". Sometimes I have some winning days; sometimes, not so much. I wish you some winning days.