CHA-LEE Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 I recently ruptured the disk between C6 & C7 in my neck. This happened out of no where as I woke up one day with a slight neck pain and by the end of the day I was in serious pain and could barely move. Many X-Rays, Doctor visits and an MRI later we have found that my disk has ruptured back into my spinal cord and to the right into the nerve bundle going to my right arm. So far I have experienced pretty sever neck and arm pain along with numbness and tingling in my trigger and middle finger. Luckily I have not experienced much in the way of nerve damage to my spinal cord which would affect my lower extremities. Honestly after looking at the MRI images I am shocked that I don't have some kind of other symptoms down lower due to the pressure on my spinal cord. The rupture towards my spinal cord looks a lot worse than the one on my right arm nerve bundle. My only options at this point are to let it heal on its own over the next 6 - 8 weeks and if that isn't successful they will have to go in and remove the damaged disk and fuse the two vertebra together. I am hoping that my body can mend its self and get me back on track to a normal pain free life. Getting my neck fused isn't something that I want to do this early in life. It is going to be a long while before I can do any more shooting. In a best case scenario I won't be able to shoot until April. Worst case........ I may never be able to shoot again. All I can do is give it my best to stay healthy so I can recover and we will have to wait and see how it turns out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Hopefully you can heal quickly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lugnut Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Wow- I hope you recover quickly. From what I know most people'd bodies will recover on their own given time. If surgery becomes an option- don't screw around... find the best neurosurgeon you can find! My wife has had 4 lower back surgeries.... not all the same disk though. You can't keep operating on the same disc area so get it done right the first time if you can! I wish you the best... stay strong. I'm sure you will still be shooting in the future! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckS Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Welcome to the club: I had the work done in late 2009. I am still real pleased with the results. I hope you don't need it but worse things can happen... Later, Chuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lugnut Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Welcome to the club: I had the work done in late 2009. I am still real pleased with the results. I hope you don't need it but worse things can happen... Later, Chuck Holy crap!!! Why did they need to fuse the discs? Couldn't they remove the herniated disc material??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lugnut Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 (edited) Dupe Edited February 9, 2011 by lugnut Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckS Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Holy crap!!! Why did they need to fuse the discs? Couldn't they remove the herniated disc material??? Naw, everything was so flattened, there was really no other choice. C5-C6 had issues since the early 90's. I was able to deal with it but I wound up with my arms just going numb without any warning. Not good. I got the x-ray on the left and that showed that C6-C7 had collapsed! C6/7 was starting to fuse by itself. I guess a disc transplant would be another approach. I am real pleased with the results. Shit wears out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritinUSA Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Do you work with Computers a lot ? I've heard that this type of injury can be caused by working in a fixed position for prolonged periods of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokshwn Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Charlie, Best of luck... be sure to explore the possibility of a microdiscectomy. Essentially it removes the herniated portions of the disc, you then take the time to let it heal without the fusion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeyephil Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Sorry to hear about your problem. Sad to say I'm kind of in the same boat. I had a pain in my upper back just to the left of my spine back in mid summer. Started out going to Chiropractor. Had never tried one before. Anyway I'll make a long story shorter. Didn't help, as a matter of fact he had me doing traction and I got worse, much worse. I had lots more pain and a numb fingers on my left hand like you. Finally went to the family Dr. got some meds and after wrangling with Insurance got an MRI. Went back to the Dr. and he said, no problem getting you into a Neurosurgeon. I've seen 3 now. First one started out with, I'm going to tell you something that is going to change your life. Wanted to do a posterior cervical decompression and an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) 4 level. All at the same time. Second Dr. said too much to do all at once, third said the same. Really need the decompression, heal from that and then wait and see. Right now I don't have a lot of symptoms. But I'm scheduled for surgery at the end of April. I had just starting shooting USPSA and IDPA in July and love it. Of course I'm not very good but I have been able to shoot most of the local matches. I plan on shooting at least a couple more times before my surgery too. I enjoy it so much that I am committed to get back to shooting as soon as I can. I don't expect to ever be competitive, but I'll compete with myself if that is all that I can do. I'm 56 and waited way too many years to get into the shooting sports, I don't intend for this to stop me now. Good luck to you, hope you heal quick and even if you need the surgery, I expect that you'll be able to get back at it. Cheers from Arkansas Phillip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hvsmith Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 (edited) Charlie, Phillip, Chuck & All: I went through basically the same surgery 11 years ago, had to fuse C5/6 & C6/7, + titanium plate & 5 screws. It took 2 surgeries within 3 months to get it right, but I'm happy to say I'm pain free & still shooting. I'm not going to to say the surgery is fun, and the recovery is a struggle, but know that this should not keep you guys from shooting down the road - hang in there & know this is just a bump in the road called life. I had triple by-pass surgery & part of my Lung taken out 2 years ago, so keep your spirits up, you'll be back better than ever, & appreciate this addiction we all love even more than you do now - Best of Luck. Edited February 9, 2011 by hvsmith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Lord Gomer Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 (edited) I liked the "Welcome to the club" comment... While I can see it making you take some time off from shooting, I can't see why it would stop you from returning once it is corrected. Chuck...looks like they put in spacers from Home Depot. In mine they spead the discs back apart and put cadaver fragments in so that they bones would all fuse with the donor bone. I still have some of the residual numbness because I went almost a year before getting it fixed, but no real trouble from it, now (5 years later). Edited February 9, 2011 by High Lord Gomer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHA-LEE Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 Thanks for all of the good information and kind responses, its much appreciated. I am back to work today and yes I am a keyboard monkey sitting at a desk most of the day with a horrible posture. At least now the pain forces me to use the correct posture I really hope that this thing will heal on its own, but if it does not cooperate then I will have to get it fused. I just figured that stuff like this happened later in life, but I guess being 35 does not make me a spring chicken any more. My birthday was last Sunday as well....... Some kind of birthday present huh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jman Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Wow man. How does this heal on its own? I mean what do you differently? A neck brace, exercise or...? Nothing like waking up some morning with what looks like a football injury. Here's to you and a complete recovery. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckS Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Chuck...looks like they put in spacers from Home Depot. In mine they spead the discs back apart and put cadaver fragments in so that they bones would all fuse with the donor bone. The spacers they used are a ceramic / dead guy matrix. They provide stable separation from the start. Those spacers combined with the Ti plate and screws tie everything down immediately. The neck is as strong as it needs to be with zero waiting. Over the year they fuse just like your dead guy chips. Interesting stuff. After this procedure, I signed the donor thing on my DL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hvsmith Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Just something I felt un-easy about is when your Neurosurgeon is talking about harvesting from the "Bone Bank" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duct tape Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Charlie, Many disc herniations will improve over time without intervention. I've had a diffuse bulging disc (not as focal as a disc herniation) with intermittent right thumb pain and numbness and occ. lateral arm pain for several years. It comes and goes. It's amazing how often I see follow up MRI's where the disc pathology is improved without therapy. It is also conversely true that pt's can get worse symptomatically where their MR images are the same or better. So make sure to be treated based on symptoms, not images. You can ask your MD if epidural injections are an option, they often work and IMO are a MUCH better first (or second) choice than discectomy and anterior cervical fusion. Another option that often works for many people, including me, is physical therapy - you just need to find the right person. In fact, I would not let anyone convince me of the necessity of surgery unless I have persistent muscle weakness and atrophy (in the nerve distribution of the cervical disc level) and/or severe sensory loss. I'd never let anyone talk me into surgery just for pain. Just my .02. You can call me if you have other questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHA-LEE Posted February 11, 2011 Author Share Posted February 11, 2011 (edited) Duct Tape> Thanks for the response. My primary care Doctor did mention that some times people get epidural steroid injections to reduce the swelling and help with healing. I did ask the neurosurgeon about epidural injections and he was not a fan of them. He said that in his experience they were pretty much a 50/50 on working and when they didn't work they just made the pain worse. His advice was basically to give it a reasonable amount of time to see if it will heal on its own "IF" I can manage the pain. If the pain gets to a point where I can't manage it any more then my only option will be to get the disk removed and have the vertebra fused. He also said that if the pain continues for more than 4 months then its probably not going to ever heal enough to eliminate the pain and surgery will be needed. On an up note, I have been back to work these past two days and taking it easy. Today I have only had to take half a pain pill in the morning and nothing else all day. Sure there is still a little pain, especially when I move my head wrong. But its at least a mini "Win" to not have to be doped up the whole time due to the pain. I will take whatever little win's I can get right now. All I can do right now is take it easy one day at a time. I am working at earning a "GM Card" in the ruptured disk recovery division Edited February 11, 2011 by CHA-LEE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frunkenstein Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 In my situation Cha-lee the MD said stay ahead of the pain by using the pain meds cautiosly but dont let the pain get ahead of you. Stay strong. First day of bike was ok. second day was ahhhhh not so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jman Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Not related but thought I'd share. Twenty years ago a Dr. in Chicago treated me for an upper cervical misalignment. It worked and sparing you all the details, did save my life. I still practice two things I was taught during my treatment and recovery to maintain the condition of my cervical spine. 1. Never sleep on my stomach again. 2. Buy the best pillow available every year or two to properly support my head and neck. Simple for sure but like I said, it worked. Best of luck to you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torogi Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 +1 to what Jman said, buy the best for your back (eg pillows and bed). At 24, i have to go laminectomy. L5-S1 disc ruptured, and physical therapy wasn't effective. MD said probably when I was a little boy i fell and left a trauma on my lower back that i wasn't even aware of and for years & years training in martial arts it took its toll. Anyway, 5 years or so after the surgery, im okay. It hurts time to time but mainly due to wrong body position but im doing great. Take care of yourself Sir. Not doing things you're not suppose to, pretty sure you know that already. Heal well!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 I hope you get and feel better. I had some work done C7 T1. Fingers can still be a little tingly and neck pain sometimes but it gets better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ima45dv8 Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 Get vertical, real soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHA-LEE Posted February 28, 2011 Author Share Posted February 28, 2011 I wanted to post an update to my neck situation. Over the last two weeks I have been able to take it easy and let it heal. Currently I don’t have any constant pain in my neck or arm, which is good. If I move my neck or arm in certain positions I get a sharp spike in pain/numbness in my right arm. My trigger finger is still numb and tingly but it has gotten a little better. I think that may take quite a long time to resolve if it ever does. I am down to only taking one Aleve in the morning and evening to keep the pain at bay and inflammation at a minimum. I only need to use the major pain killers when I overdo it which I am trying to keep from doing. I am still refraining from doing anything shooting wise until the end of March. It seems like I am on the road to recovery, even though it is slow going. Hopefully I will continue to improve over the next month. I want to get past this injury by letting it heal naturally and not having to go under the knife. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudman Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Hi CHA-LEE, Great to hear your neck is feeling better. I had a similar situation (but lower down in the back) that caused my left leg to go numb and tingly all the way down to my toes. I think you're absolutely doing the right thing by staying away from surgery if possible. Once you go under the knife you're never quite the same again. I don't mean to go all new-agey on you (I'm not the least bit granola crunchy myself), but one thing that did help was acupuncture. Make sure you find an accredited acupuncturist though (not just some random Chinese dude with a porcupine fetish ). I don't know how easy that is where you live. Pain killers are necessary sometimes, but try to keep them to a minimum as well. Your body will figure out how to heal itself - give it time, get plenty of rest and try not to stay in the same position for too long. All in all, it probably took about 6-8 months for my back/leg to get back to normal. But it did, and without surgery. You've helped me so much with my shooting, I hope my experience can help you in return. Best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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