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1240783 tn?1286669028

spinal cord compression

i hit my head a few years ago at the base of my skull where the skull meets the spine. i hit it pretty hard but never went to hospital.
i didn't have any symptoms to begin with. then i got tingling in my right arm and started physiotherapy. the physiotherapist said i have a vertebra slightly twisted
after the first mobilisation on c1, that night i was laying down on the couch and my head felt like it was going to fall off, i literally grabbed my head. i thought this was strange but never questioned it.
after a few more mobilisations and ROM exercises, i had spinal pain, which was like an electric shock. at the time i thought this was part of the process of physio and continued the sessions.
i had spinal pain a few more times but again never questioned it.
i went to the docs to get meds and my doc wasn't there and Dr Siddique sent me for a neck xray and gave me amatrypsalin and he conducted neurological tests, i had right arm pain and weakness in right leg, when he pressed my pressure point(i think) on my right shoulder i got tingling in left arm right leg and right arm
the xray showed there was no fractures but mild scoliosis to the right
a while after that i had the worst spinal pain ever, it started in my neck and radiated through my body. it was like being struck by lightning. i rang an ambulance and was in sheer panic. after calming down i realised i was going to be ok.
since then ive been referred to a nuro and started taking pregablin instead of amatypsalin.
just a few days age i started getting nerve pain really bad in my left arm, which is strange as it has always been in the right, also getting nerve pain in my legs too. i cant even lift my elbow above shoulder height.
i had spinal pain down my left side last night and in scared that the damage is irreversible.
Dr Siddique suspects spinal cord compression and im a month away from my appointment with the neurologist.
I am scared I may be in pain for the rest of my life or maybe worse, im only 23 and very scared.
If you've got this far, thanks for reading any comments are appreciated


12 Responses
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1240783 tn?1286669028
hi i got the images, i posted one in the neurology forum :)
Helpful - 0
1240783 tn?1286669028
hi all,
i got my results back, and apparently everything is normal (intercerebral and spinal cord). most people would be happy with this but im affraid im not. I want a second opinion. I will post the images when i get them. Dr Siddique said that the scoliosis is causing the pain but I can hardly believe that l'hermittes can be caused by scoliosis alone. I told him that when i get l'hermittes it orriginates from c2, the site of the trauma. But he said his hands are tied, and i have to go back to physio, to correct the scoliosis. But it was physio what made me bad before. I feel like im back at square one. Dr S is putting me on gabapentin instead of pregabalin, hope that helps. Can anybody on the site read mri images? as that would be very helpfull
all the best Beckie
Helpful - 0
620923 tn?1452915648
Glad u had that done and no it is the wait....I pray all goes well and please let us know what  u find out.


"selma"
Helpful - 0
1240783 tn?1286669028
hi all,
I had an Mri last Saturday, just waiting for the results which feels like forever! Hope they will come soon so I can finally have some answers.
Hope my next post comes soon and with more details
Beckie :)
Helpful - 0
1093617 tn?1279302002
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi, Thank you for your question. Spinal disc compression occurs due to injury or any fault in spinal curvature. Therefore, this makes disc more fragile and slight pressure may lead to disc prolapse. As a result of prolapse or injury, nerve impingement may cause intermittent low back pain, leg or thigh pain, numbness or tingling of the buttocks and loss on bowel/bladder control(if severe disc degeneration). The pain originates due to degenerative disc disease is usually treated with heat compression, rest, rehabilitative exercises and pain killer medications. In addition, surgical treatment like discectomy, spinal fusion, and spinal laminectomy may be the last resort in most of the non-resolving cases. . I would recommend you to see a neurologist who can evaluate the details of your case and could better determine the insight of your situation.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hooray Beckie!  It's about time they checked you out more thoroughly.  You had said you were feeling depressed, but if it's any help, when a person is in pain, it can cause a person to feel SO frustrated, everything hurts when you move, and so you feel sad because of all this turmoil.  Keep in mind, too, it takes a while for the MRI report to come back, but your neurologist will discuss with you the results and what it means at a followup appointment.  GG
Helpful - 0
1240783 tn?1286669028
I have an MRI booked for the 7th of august of Head and C spine. Not long to wait though I will let you all know when the results come back.

Beckie
Helpful - 0
1240783 tn?1286669028
thanks, it was the soonest I could get an appointment, I live in England and well I guess that's the way patients are treated in the NHS. I have been getting spinal pain as I'm just falling asleep the past few days. Not sure whether this is of any significance or not. And I have weakness in my right leg but Dr Siddiqe knows about that. I'm getting depressed which I have suffered with for a long time, but hey the app is only 3 weeks away now. I'll let you know how it goes. Fingers Crossed
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Avatar universal
I see.  Well, go easy on yourself activity-wise until your neuro appointment next month, and NO PHYSIO or any other types of exercises.  Walking will keep you fit.  There ARE surgeries for the whole C-spine.  Actually, it's the thoracic spine (between the shoulder blades) that can be tricky to operate on.  But really, could be when you see the neuro, he'll change up your meds a little or add some, he might order a soft collar for you to wear for a while, and possibly put you in physical therapy.  Most docs will try the moderate route IF there is no sign of spinal cord impingement.  At least Dr. Siddique suspects spinal cord compression, so I'm a little surprised he's making you wait a month to investigate it.  There are some other reasons for having shocks that run down the spinal cord like that, nowhere near as dangerous as an actual injury to the spinal cord, I'm sorry I cannot recall them, but the neuro will be familiar.  If at any point you feel any significant loss of sensation below the site of the injury, go on back to the ER, better safe than sorry despite them sending you away last time.
Helpful - 0
1240783 tn?1286669028
thanks for replying,
I've been to the ER when i had the spinal pain, and the Dr there said I should wait for the appointment. I've been back to Dr Siddique, who says the same. I've read that nerve damage can be permanent, and surgery of c3 and above seems quiet rare I haven't read much about it, although I know a great deal about c3 and below surgeries.
and thanks selmaS I will look into that
all the best Beckie
Helpful - 0
620923 tn?1452915648
Hi...just something to ask ur drs to look for and that would be syringomyelia...it is a cyst like cavity that fills with CSF and can be the result of an injury/trauma as u mentioned.

The cyst as it fills causes compression and many symptoms like u mentioned here.

Good luck and I pray it is something easy like a pinched nerve.

"selma"
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hmmmm.  You might ring up Dr. Siddique and tell him how you couldn't lift your left arm above shoulder height, and that you are now feeling shocks in your legs, that you are concerned you spinal cord is being pushed on by your cervical spine injury, and that you want to go to the ER.  Your X-ray SHOULD have shown if your spinal cord is being impinged on by the compressed vertebrae, but they don't always tell the whole story.  So perhaps you need a CT scan right away, to make sure your spinal cord isn't in any danger, which most ERs have that in the building.  Maybe Dr. Siddique can meet you at the ER, get the scan done, just to be on the safe side.  Or you can go on your own if you cannot reach him.

You said you are worried your injury is "irreversible," but there are surgeries to stabilize a spine injury that may be pushing on the cord, or you might need a little neck collar for a while and better medicines.  But I don't think I'd wait a month to see the neuro, your symptoms are just way too wild to me, too, I also had compression fractures in my spine from a car accident, so I know where you're coming from.  I hope you'll call your doc and consider the ER and a scan as soon as possible, just in case.
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