Pinched Nerve in Neck is the Culprit
I went back to the Orthopedist yesterday for the follow up on the Physical Therapy I've been getting. He says I have a pinched nerved on the left side from a bulging disk. It's all part of the Degenerative Disk Disease problem I have with several different cervical and lumbar vertebrae. Anyway, since I cannot have epidurals, he is making arrangements for me to see a Physiatrist at the Lakeshore Rehab Facility. This place is a Paralympics training facility and very highly thought of. It will take several weeks before I even get the appointment, as the doctor evaluates all the info my Ortho sends him, before he decides IF he will see me or not! Talk about a busy doctor!!! So, it's hard to say who I will see first, the Physiatrist, or the MDS at UAB. Either way, I'll be getting help from some extremely well thought of doctors, and for that I am very grateful.
In the meantime, he gave me a prescription for the Home TEN's, which my PT facility can fill tomorrow. And he also sent me home with an inflatable cervical collar that provides traction. It's not at all comfortable, as I have a very short neck. Even the small size seems too big to me. I'm to take it to PT tomorrow, so they can help me learn how to use it correctly. Then maybe it won't be so uncomfortable. The directions say to inflate it for 10 or 15 seconds, deflate, then inflate again, for the first week, leaving it on for no more than about 15 minutes. Then I gradually work up to a steady 15 minute session with it.
The PT also told me the other day to make the neck exercises a consistent part of my daily routine, whether they seemed to be helping or not. He said it could be months before I really saw improvement, but to continue indefinitely with the routine they gave me. They're easy enough to do, so it's just getting it to be part of my day's routine that remains to be accomplished.
So, another piece of the puzzle has been explained, and now I wait to see the Physiatrist for an evaluation, as well as the MDS at UAB. Looks like this is going to be an interesting year, and I choose to believe it will be a year where I get help with my pain, stiffness, and walking problems. Who knows, maybe I'll even stop shaking!
In the meantime, he gave me a prescription for the Home TEN's, which my PT facility can fill tomorrow. And he also sent me home with an inflatable cervical collar that provides traction. It's not at all comfortable, as I have a very short neck. Even the small size seems too big to me. I'm to take it to PT tomorrow, so they can help me learn how to use it correctly. Then maybe it won't be so uncomfortable. The directions say to inflate it for 10 or 15 seconds, deflate, then inflate again, for the first week, leaving it on for no more than about 15 minutes. Then I gradually work up to a steady 15 minute session with it.
The PT also told me the other day to make the neck exercises a consistent part of my daily routine, whether they seemed to be helping or not. He said it could be months before I really saw improvement, but to continue indefinitely with the routine they gave me. They're easy enough to do, so it's just getting it to be part of my day's routine that remains to be accomplished.
So, another piece of the puzzle has been explained, and now I wait to see the Physiatrist for an evaluation, as well as the MDS at UAB. Looks like this is going to be an interesting year, and I choose to believe it will be a year where I get help with my pain, stiffness, and walking problems. Who knows, maybe I'll even stop shaking!
Labels: cervical collar, Degenerative Disk Disease, herniated disk, Lakeshore Rehab Facility, muscle spasms, Orthopedist, pain, Physiatrist, Physical Therapy, Quality of Life, TENS, traction
posted by Dirty Butter @ 4:11 AM
4 Comments:
At 1/26/2008 7:11 AM ,
Sheila said...
I'm glad you'll be seeing a physiatrist DB. I had no idea what these doctors did until husband did an annual report for their national organization. In the coarse of proofing it, I learned a lot about how helpful they can be.
At 1/27/2008 6:08 AM ,
PD Warrior said...
Good luck with the Physiatrist. They can indeed work wonders. Just a little FYI - the reason the physiatrist wants to look over your files before making an appointment is as much for your benefit as it is for his/hers. Because of the nature of the specialty, not everyone will benefit from his services. By looking at your records first, they will have a pretty good idea if any of their services will help you, or in some cases make your symptoms worse. I hope everything works out well for you.
At 1/27/2008 6:11 AM ,
Dirty Butter said...
I had never even heard of a Physiatrist before this came up, Sheila. Thanks for the confidence boost!
At 1/27/2008 6:14 AM ,
Dirty Butter said...
I see your point, Warrior, but it just struck me so odd. Even the Chair of the Neurology Dept. at UAB, internationally known and respected, doesn't screen patients in this way.
But I'm sure you are right, that there are plenty of patients who would not benefit from his services. I think I'll get my Neuro to send him some information, too. That might increase my chances of getting to see him.
We'll be in town tomorrow, so it won't be any trouble to sign the release form to get my records sent to the Physiatrist.
You've both made me feel much better about this doctor, and I certainly hope to get to see him.
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