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Hey there, this is a bit of a dark first post but I'm willing to try anything to get relief. Long story short, I'm 23 and I'm a struggling professional recently out of college. Things were starting to go well for me til I suddenly got pain in both hands that was coupled with neck pain.
7 weeks later and a variety of failed/partially failed treatments I find out I have a herniated disc in my neck that seems to be putting pressure on some nerves that effect my hands.
I just wanted to see if any musicians had any similar experiences and any success with any treatments-- as I would prefer to not get a shot in my neck but at this point I'll do anything to play my guitar again.
Any input is appreciated.
Best,
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08-30-2011 03:11 PM
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Gosh. My heart goes out to you. I myself sometimes have pain in my neck and back, and I know it comes because I sometimes don't have the best posture when playing guitar (depending on the chair, guitar, etc...)
Originally Posted by Dimitri
I would call around local guitar instructors/schools and see if they can recommend a doctor that can help this kind of repetitive injury. You have got to watch it because I known too many people who had doctors that tried to rush them into surgery and upon changing doctors was able to get relief without surgery.
I think that if stopping a certain activity or changing some of your habits won't make it subside, then you have no choice but to get a doctor that has good references.
Good luck, Sir, and approach this problem with eyes wide open, doing your due dilligence and research.
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How far have you gone down the doctor route? Ask for a referral to a specialist. Keep on them. You're a professional musician, this is not something that can wait.
I don't know what your insurance situation is like, but there's always another doctor, there's always someone else you can go to.
There's not much a bunch of guitarists here can do for you other than send positive vibes--which I'm already sending...other than that, be strong, don't take no for an answer.
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The most prescribed medication I've received is a low dose of steroids, which has helped considerably.
It seems that the Dr is going to probably want me to get a cervical epidural (cortizone shot in my neck) to reduce the inflammation-- not surgery. But my concern is that this is only a temporary fix and can have some side effects.
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It's hard to tell from your story Dimitri exactly who you've seen or what has been done to give you good advice on this. I'm a physician and from your story I'd assume you had an MRI of the neck and perhaps you're seeing a pain specialist but it's not clear. Either way Jeff's advice is good and you should see a neurosurgeon to determine the location and extent of herniation if present. Contrary to popular belief not all physicians are trying to pay off their boats and beach houses by running tests or operating on your neck. In particular cervical disc issues are not something a neurosurgeon will take lightly due to [B]potential [B] ( and I emphasize potential which doesn't mean probable or likely! ) complications. The risk of not getting it fully evaluated can run from chronic pain to loss of function in your present distribution to quadriplegia. Epidural injections can also be very helpful, much more so than oral steroids but first be sure you don't have an imminent problem. As Jeff mentioned if you're not happy with their opinion because they didn't give you time or weren't thorough etc,etc... get another opinion but be wary of shopping for what you want to hear as opposed to what is best for you. Good luck and don't procrastinate.
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I found out that I have a herniated C6 25 years ago. The pain used to shoot down the the center of my back and also the whole length of the top of my arms to my fingers. You need the care and advice of experts.
Here's my experience: I eventually had good expert consultation, after shopping many doctors who were't that good. I avoided any surgery. I used anti-inflammatory drugs, ice at the location of the disc, and changing many lifestyle habits (sleeping and waking). That and a few months of patience were enough to bring it under control. It has not effected my guitar playing, but it has allowed me to get out off helping my friends move!
The shot in the neck is not the only option. I highly recommend you seek 2nd and 3rd opinions, of MDs with the proper qualifications, experience, and appreciation of you as a human with a (guitar) life.
Good luck.
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I was going to chime in here but since Keith is a physician, I'd listen to him. You've got the best advice you're ever going to get on a guitar site. I had trouble with herniated discs in my lower back that caused tremendous pain in my neck. I had three cortisone injections into my lower back and it really didn't hurt much at all. I was very surprised. That was in 2001. Knock on wood, I haven't had trouble since. If that's what good surgeon recommends, don't be afraid of it. It's not as bad as it sounds. Originally Posted by keith
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Keith...as a retired physical therapist, I would be interested in your thoughts re: cervical traction. Obviously a thorough assessment would be required, (preferably) in conjunction with a physician, to rule out contraindications. Originally Posted by keith
I often found this (ancient) form of treatment beneficial for the relief (to varying degrees) of neurological symptoms in the upper extremities that originated in the cervical spine. The other benefit is that it can be safely done at home, provided the proper instructions, warnings, etc are provided.
I look forward to your comment.
Cheers
Dave
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I've had ruptured discs in both my cervical and lumbar spine. The first piece of advice I always give people is to find a D.O. who specializes in manipulative medicine. If you don't know, a D.O. has the same training as an M.D. and is state board certified like an M.D. They can prescribe medicine, operate, etc. The big difference is that they are also trained in manual manipulation of bones and tissue. My manipulative med doc was able to significantly reduce much of my nerve-based pain. The manipulation is gentle-- much more like a gentle massage than the bone-cracking exhibition that is chiropracty. I've had no luck with several chiropractors, but the manipulative med doc was like magic.
Another difference between a manipulative medicine doc and a chiropractor is that the manipulative medicine doctor knows when to give up. With one cervical problem, he made the pain go away in one trip. A second problem was more resistant, so he sent me to a neurosurgeon. The neurosurgeon did an MRI that clearly showed the disc was pinching the nerve into the spinal column. He performed surgery to remove the disc and fuse the neighboring vertebrae. The surgery was like a miracle-- pain instantly gone and I felt better than I had in a long time.
To summarize-- see a manipulative medicine doc. If that doesn't work, don't be afraid of surgery. I've had two and the results have been miraculous.
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A chiropractor would not help me at all. My back is too far gone. Plus, I scared the hell out of him when he took an X-ray. He never saw a spine tied in a knot before and fainted in the office. Now he's in traction. He can't play the guitar either.
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Greco/Dave I'm a urologic surgeon not an orthopod or neurosurgeon or even neurologist but with all surgery there are risks and so if a nonsurgical therapy is available that has some reasonable percentage of success than why not try it. The most important thing first off though is to fully define the problem along with risk for progression/ complication. It's very difficult for the physician and unfair to the patient to specify a treatment without knowing all the info ( full history, exam, labs, review of films etc ) Everyone has a mother who had a brother that worked with someone who received this treatment and it worked great and they're cured or it screwed them up for life. We've all heard it before. This does not have to be a major problem for Dimitri on the other it could be and so get it defined/ diagnosed and get advice from those that have experience.
Long winded answer Dave for saying I don't know in his case re traction.
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Keith..Many thanks for the reply. I wasn't very clear in my post. I was asking you your thoughts about using cervical traction for this type of condition with a similar/same presentation of symptoms (i.e., not specifically for Dimitri) and, as I mentioned, following a thorough assessment. Sorry for the lack of clarity. Originally Posted by keith
Dimitri....Sorry for derailing the thread. I was interested in Keith's thoughts on a specific treatment modality. I should have had this "academic" discussion with him via PM's, but it is too late now.
I wish you all the best and hope that you can get through this as quickly as reasonably possible.
Cheers
Dave
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Hey, it was good information for me. I was not aware it existed. something to keep in mind when this subject comes in the future. Thanks for caring. Originally Posted by Greco
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I appreciate all the responses. I saw someone today and am going to start 2 medrol packs (medium dose of steroids followed by waning off and then non steroidal anti-inflammatories) + muscle relaxers at night.
I was also advised to purchase a home cervical traction kit so I will be using that as well.
Hopefully this will quell the issue.
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This is what I was mentioning in my post. Originally Posted by Dimitri
All the best.
Cheers
Dave
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Fantastic advice, Keith.
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Hang in there Dimitri, and take the advice here. You can't do nothing, and yet you need to be very careful of what you end up doing. I have a similar condition in the neck, plus a minor brain tumour and a major cyst resulting in 24x7 severe headache, no feeling in arms and parts of legs. Every neurologist I've seen so far tells me these pathologies are quite normal and not possibly symptomatic - except that a few hundred thousand people around the world with the same symptoms and similar neurologists disagree. You have to keep on looking until you find a doctor who will do anything to find the root of the problem and who can then offer real therapies to ameliorate the situation.
Just so you understand where I'm coming from (and nothing negative here against Keith who gave really honest answers) one neurological professor said that the amount of demyelinisation (think that's right) on my brain (another issue) was a 'red flag' case and that I had some unusual manifestion of MS, and a second professor told me that it was totally inconsequential :-)
I'm still looking! And like you, still doing my best to play! Stay positive...
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I just wanted to bring this back up to thank everyone for their replies.
I got a cortisone injection in my spine and am better for now. Trying to get back on track!
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That's the best news I've heard in a long time. I'm glad to see the conservative route to treatment was effective. Good luck with your recovery.
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Dimitri,
Great that you are having a positive results with conservative therapies!
You have been given some great advice above.
I will only offer my .02 as one who is in the same situation.
I am scheduled for surgery this week.
The disk between C6 and C7 is fully ruptured and has not responded to a
full range of conservative measures to include medications, physical therapy, and epidural injection. I saw two docs and both offered the same diagnoses.
I have pain radiating down the arms and muscle atrophy. In my case the MRI clearly shows that the disk has actually ruptured rather than just bulged and is causing serious nerve compression.
I would have been willing to continue with conservative measures but this has been going on since before Memorial Day. I need to get off opiate pain killers just to function.
I asked one pertinent question of both surgeons, the PT doc, and the pain specialist MD, that convinced me that surgery was my best option at his point....
In my case, given what you see on the MRI, what is the likelihood that this will clear up; any chance that the offending material that is pushing on the nerves will pull back in or in some way fix itself?
All said that it was very unlikely given how far it protrudes out.
So, I'm having surgery. I hope you can continue to avoid it.
Sorry this is so long but I hoped the words of one in the same boat might be helpful.
All the best and lets get back to playing music as soon as we can, whatever that takes.
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jazzrat--
I had the same surgery. It was like a miracle. Like a full-blown parting of the Red Sea biblical miracle.
Same deal-- clear evidence of the burst disc pinching the spinal nerve. He was in an out in less than an hour and I woke up a new man. The pain vanished. I only had two concerns: 1) they go in from the front and move your trachea and esophagus to get access to the disc. As a result, my throat was sore for about two weeks, so don't plan on any singing! 2) They used a cadaver bone for the fusion and I'm still worried that it might have come from a crazed serial killer and manifest in my going on a killing rampage. Particularly around Halloween...
Great advice and good luck with your surgery. You will be very pleased with the outcome!
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Thanks Joe,
I appreciate the encouragement. I've heard similar good reports from
a couple other sources that leave me at peace with the impending surgery.
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