Severe chronic pain from worn neck discs

[mendham5691]

My husband had a car accident approx 26 years ago, which resulted in whip lash. He started suffering from neck, shoulder, back and arm pain, and tingling in his hand and fingers about 10 year's ago. This ramped up about 4 years ago at which he began being treated at hospital by a neck and spine specialist for 3 - 4 worn neck discs . They have since treated him with steroid injections in his shoulder (his muscle is always badly knotted, due to the trapped nerves in his neck), then he had a disc replacement. There was a slight improvement in his arm pain and the tingling in his fingers, but as they weren't his worse symptoms, so gave little relief from his severe chronic pain. He has since had two shoulder ops, with no relief, one of which we paid private, because of the long NHS waiting list. He has been passed from pillow to post with very little improvement. His consultant says he's running out of ideas (he doesn't seem to think any other disc replacements would help, yet he said this was an option right back at the beginning, as he has another 2-3 damaged discs?), so he is now getting new MRI, MRA and CT scans and has been referred him to a neurologist. His neck consultant is also talking about the possibility of steroid injections in his neck (obviously this is only treating the symtoms and not the cause, so would be temporary). My hubby would welcome this if it gave him some pain relief, but is worried his consultant would discharge him to the pain clinic, and once he has had the permitted doses, he would have to start back at square one with a neck consultant, hence the long waiting lists for treatment. He has been prescribed every pain and nerve med going (except for opioids, which he wants to avoid) and has also tried a miriad of alternative treatments costing us a fortune. He finds alcohol helps him to get some sleep, after he has been awoken with severe pain for 3 hours every night. We are really concerned that he is needing to drink a bottle of wine each night to get some relief from his severe pain. He semi retired 2 years ago, and was hoping to work part time, but this is impossible with the severe pain he suffers 24/7.

Has anyone experienced the same and could help with any other pain solutions please? We are desperate!

[Konagirl60]

I haven’t experienced the neck, shoulder, arms and hand pain /tingling but it sounds like nerves are involved. Had your husband tried Amytriptyline or Nortriptyline? Gabapentin?

As a natural pain relief for sore muscles all I can recommend are passionflower tablets, Curcumin ( turmeric ) tablets and magnesium bisglycinate to calm spasms.

Since he has been in pain so long, would mint Clonodine calm his Sympathetic Nervous system? Also, can he be offered a sleeping pill like 7.5 mg Zopiclone? If he continues to drink wine to sleep, he may harm his liver and nerves. You don’t want him to acquire fatty liver disease.

I hope that helps.

[mendham5691 in reply to Konagirl60]

Thanks for your reply. He has tried your first 3 suggestions to no avail, but I will look up your natural remedies thank you x

[Kinga2500]

I’m with extreme pain from one year. I’m still waiting for injection or surgery. If opioids not helping did he tried morphine?

When my pain is uncontrol just I’m calling to a&e they helping but he should call back to gp too.

By the way I heard about microdose but I’m never used this method. I heard is better than painkillers and drinking maybe have look int this microdose

[mendham5691 in reply to Kinga2500]

Hi, thanks for your reply. He doesnt want to use opioids, but I will look up your microdose suggestion x

[BooBooBearkins]

Hello there Froggatt1965 and husband..! I'm so sorry to hear of your situation. Pain is just the most awful thing to try and live with. I can totally hear and understand your desperation...and have so much empathy. Although my situatuon is similar in many ways and not so in others, I can only offer trying different medications to help. Like your husband...I had a serious whiplash injury @ 22 years ago. Who knew what the knock on effect would be years later..!! Sadly steroid injections are only a temporary fix and in my case, don't generally work..! I did get referred to the Pain Management Clinic and found it helpful, although I was discharged as there was nothing more they could do for me. A hard fact to face..! Sadly I have found that coming to terms with, and accepting this is what life has thrown at me, can help, rather than what felt like a never ending and exhausting battle to get a pain-free or freer life. I would most definitely try your GP for medication help. Gabapentin and Pregabalin are excellent nerve suppresants..but obviously come with their own side effects, for me...weight gain..!! And your hubby would definitely have to knock the plonk (as understandable as that is!!) on the head. I'm so sorry I can't offer any more to help...but this is a wonderful group and hopefully another member might have some new ideas. Just a last thought..has he tried acupuncture at all..? I'm sending you my very best wishes and thinking of you... 😊

[mendham5691 in reply to BooBooBearkins]

Thank you so much, and so sorry that you are suffering too. He has already tried every meds going, including gabapentin and pregablin, plus amitriptyline and nortriptyline, to no avail. He has also had acupuncture, which didn't help at all. Mostly what we don't understand is why he can't have other discs replaced? He will hopefully find out more when he see's the neurologist, plus he is hopefully being referred to pain management 🤞. Thanks and take care.

[BooBooBearkins in reply to mendham5691]

Hello there...apologies for using the wrong name..!! Don't know how I managed that..!! I'm so sorry your husband has tried all the medications...pretty much like myself...I've been on Morphine and Oramorph plus gabapentin for the past 15years. They do help to a degree...!? Hopefully the Neurologist and Pain Management Team will give you the answers that you need..and I'm so hoping for you, some pain relief too. Knowing "why" with regards to disc replacement will I'm hoping help with some of the frustration he's quite rightly feeling. As Blacknight1989 says...it's so important to try and carry on with life as much as possible. Normality is wonderful for helping with feelings of isolation and mental health in general. I know he obviously won't manage what he could previously, but pacing yourself helps and giving yourself "recovery time". Just doing a bit can take your mind away from the pain...and give you some enjoyment. My situation came to ahead at 34, but managed to carry on until 41, after 2 failed spinal surgeries. I'm now 54 and really feel for your husband. It's a time in your life when you want your health and be able to do things you've planned during your working years. I totally get his frustration. Please don't lose hope. Even though myself and others here can't necessarily be "fixed"... there's always hope. Things change all the time.. and who knows what advancements are round the corner. I'm wishing you both all my best wishes. Please let us know how he gets on. Ps...the acupuncture worked fantastically for the whiplash headache I had but did nothing for my neck and back pain. I also use 10% ibuprofen gel from the Dr...i find this helps...x x x

[Blackknight1989]

I suffer exactly the same pain except it’s mostly the entire left side of my head that goes completely numb. I cannot hold my head up more than about 2/3 hours at a time and that has caused me to not be able to work anymore so I had to sell me business I ran for 30 years. I’m saying I feel his pain and unfortunately I have no answers. I see a neurologist because I have poly-osteoarthritis in nearly every joint and have had 22 orthopedic surgeries since 1997. Amazon sells a neck brace that works well for me but I’m never without the pain…I’m sorry to say. If the surgery to replace the broken parts doesn’t work there really isn’t much more they can do. I get injections every 2 months as those are the only relief I can get. I hate to be the bearer of bad news…my apologies!

[mendham5691 in reply to Blackknight1989]

Hi, thank you for taking the time to reply. I am so sorry to hear about your pain and circumstances. My hubby does have two neck collars and a neck brace thank you, he is finding that these help him the most at the moment. He is possibly going to be getting some injections in his neck joints soon, so hopefully they might give him some relief 🤞. I feel for him soo much. He is currently horizontal on the sofa stretching his neck, an all too familiar sight. He has always been big into DIY and fixing cars etc and it is killing him not being able to do them very much anymore. If he does do things, he always pays dearly after. We always have this perception that we can always be ''fixed', unfortunately we are finding that this is not the case. Its frightening to think that this is going to be his life going forwards, he is only 58, and we had so many plans 😥. Thank you again!

[Blackknight1989]

my pleasure and please wish him the best…Also, keep your plans or most of them…why not? I’m 55 and now in wheelchair 80% plus most of the time…but I’m still doing stuff…just have to take lost of breaks and take it slow….anyway I just hate to see that when people believe they have to cancel life because of whatever…I don’t subscribe to that kind of thought…see mental health is just as important to the pain and kidney function as any physical process! I truly wish you and he the best in life and I wish I could have been more upbeat! Take care!

[mendham5691 in reply to Blackknight1989]

Hi, i'm really sorry to hear about the wheelchair, that must be really hard for you to bear. Thank you for your kind words of encouragement. Paul is a fighter too, he would rather do stuff, as he is in pain no matter what. Take care.

[Blackknight1989 in reply to mendham5691]

such kind words thanks for brightening my day! Good for Paul’s attitude and that is my same thought, in pain daily might as well do as much fun stuff as I can! You only get this chance at this journey once so you can’t let the pain ruin everything! Best of luck to you both and I wish you well!