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Right scapula pain caused bye c6-7 herniation??? or something else
I'm a 29 year old healthy and fit male. 10 months ago I was involved in an MVA during which I recieved a severe concussion and was told i had neck and back strain due to whiplash. My head hit my shoulder so hard my ear swelled. My initial symptoms where pain in lower and upper back. Extreme sharp pain with cervical flexion , extension, and rotation. I also had slight but not complete numbness in my thumb, pointer and middle finger. 3 months later my doctor finally sent me for an mri. The report showed as follows. MRI of the cervical spine dated 3-24-08 revealing a large right paracentral disc herniation at c6-7 level causing compression on the right anterolateral aspect of the cord with cord rotation. On 6/15/08 i had an emg which showed up as normal. My symptoms in my arm are now gone but i still have extreme pain when looking down located in my neck but worst on the inner edge of my right shoulder blade. I sweat uncontrollably and get chills and goosebumps on my right arm as well as a tendancy to relax my hand and drop things if i do get a chill. My doctor says because the emg is normal and i dont have classic symptoms of a c6-7 herniation my only option is pain therapy. I have asked for flexion and extension mri's as well as another emg but was told they were not needed because the tests have allready been done. The emg was done with me lying flat on my back with my head supported by 2 pillows and i was pain free. My motor vehicle insurance company will not cover me seeing a new doctor and being re tested and my insurance will not pay because it is supposed to be covered by no-fault. I live in western NY (Rochester Area) and if anyone can refer a doctor who is willing to help find the cause of the pain rather than try to drug me i would greatly appreciate it. I cant live like this anymore. I do have a lawsuit against the company who left my tire loose and i think this is influencing the doctors impression of my injury. I am ready to just drop the lawsuit if it will help. I am suprised by how unwilling my doctor and insurance company are to find the problem. Please help
In Nov 2006, from the top of a truck, I feel backwards and hit the ground shoulder first, on the way down, the right side of my back hit the rear mud guard bracket, fracyuring 3 right ribs and puncturing my right lung. then hitting the ground shoulder 1st, fracturing and dislocating my right shoulder. also head injury, knocking me out for over 35mins. i was concious when the ambulance arrived so they recorded not KO'd on arrival. I was admitted to hospital A&E, their only concern was my fractured ribs and punctured lung. Other injuries were insignificant as far as they were concerned although they found my dislocated and fractured right shoulder, and damage to my left knee after it was pointed out to them that it was very blue, i was told i had gout and put on gout medication. next mornig after bllod tests the gout medication was stopped.
I was discharged from hospital 12 days later, I had little or no use of my right shoulder, arm and hand, either completely numb or burning pain. ACC case maanger told me you are ok to return to work, they did not really want to know about my shoulder and left knee, I tried to return to work and with in a couple of weeks my left knee was scene by an orthopaedic surgeon who arranged an MRI and operated on my left knee 2 days later, re-attaching 5 torn ligaments. I treid to carry on working doing my old job driving a bulk feed truck and climbing Silo towers on farms to open up the loading lid 30 to 40 feet above the ground. Try doing that with a dislocated shoulder. 7 months after thew accident i fianaly got my Dr to except may be I had more of an injury than first thought and was sent to an Orthopaedic surgeon who had an MRI done, but was away over sea's for 2 months so we did not get the results. In the end I went back to my Dr who rang the MRI that did the scan and asked for the results to be faxed to him with in the next few minutes. he received the fax and took one look at me and goes, Oh My God, you can't return to work Brian your shoulder is in a bad way. I finally got to see the orthopaedic surgeon on his return and he put me straight into a private hospital, talked about micro surgery before the surgery, 6 hours later and major shoulder repairs, taking my right ham string to do a graft and several tendon and ligament repairs. i ended up with a scare across my shoulder about 8 inches long. My right bicep was also re-attached but let go again.
That should have been the end of the matter, and was reffered to physiotheropists who found I was unable to do simple exercises and kept modifying programs. I returned to work 12 months later and really struggled, ^ months later i was taken off work and a 2nd lot of surgery to my right shoulder. this did not help with symptoms, ACC sent me off for assessment and also Auckland Pain clinic, was told the pain was in my head, I had no use of my right shoulder and arm, my scapular felt like some one had hit me over the back and would take my brief away.
ACC still ignored Physiotheropist request for further test and opinions, ACC berried their heads in the sand and choose not to listen to Dr's telling ACC in IMA's that i had major injuries that had not been diagnosed and needed attention. ! orthopaedic surgeon was on the right tract but because the injuries were not recorded at the time of the accident they were not covered, Bone scans done by the othopaedic surgeon showed damaged to my thoracic spin, MRI alos showed damage to my C-spine, but ACC still choose to ignor, 5 CT guided nerve blocks into my thoracic spine did not help, ACC kept sending me away for IMA's and Occupational assessments, but omitted to supply infomation on the injuries that were starting to show up, so those assessment went against me, I then asked ACC under the Privacy Act for informationm that they held on my files, including emails, and communications between them and medical advisors they were asking for info on my injuries, Included in that infomation was internal emails between their own medical advisors suggesting that the injuries need to be recorded and added to my files, When I was given the last assessment dated for my Independant Living allowance I asked for copies of the documents that ACC were submitting to the Dr who was doing the VIMA assessment. My advocate also asked for copies to be sent to her. On the morning of the assessment the Dr doing the assessment recieved his copies just prior to my arrival to my appointment so he did not have time to have a look at what was supplied, and that assessment did not go well and he was guided by what ACC had submitted, I rang my ACC case manager and asked where my copies oif the documents and was told they had been couried out to me, they arrived 5 days after the assessment and dated the day before I received them, my lawyer also asked where her copies were, she was told that they had been sent out but returned and in correct address. After opening up the courier package it was obvious that the medical reports and Bone scan were not included in infomation supplied to the assessing Dr, needles to say that assessment went against me and clearly shows ACC can and do manipulate the out comes of assessments, Just after that assessment and deciding to challenge ACC on the out come I went and saw one of Aucklands top orthopaedic surgeons who wrote to my Dr, ACC and the Pain Dr, telling them that I received significant injuries in my accident that was caused by hitting the ground from that height of 4 meters and force that i struck the ground would have easily cause all my injuries. My Lawyers started asking questions and ACC wrote back to the surgeon asking him to completely review my injuries, reports, MRI's, bone scans' and treament. He again wrote back to ACC confirming that all my injiuries right shoulder, C-spine, thoracic spine, lumber spine chest injuries and major head injuries were all part and parcel of my accident, I tried to challenge ACC with my advoacte, but ACC choose to carry on and remove me from ACC weekly entitlements, My Dr asked for a full medical review after ACC received the report from the surgeon but they declined do so and I was taken off ACC and put on invalids benifit, i am greatful for Winz taking on my case. but feel ACC have dome me a injustice by berrying their head in the sand by saying well sorry those injuries were not recorded at the time of your injury. The orthopaedic surgeon told them that with my fractured ribs and punctured lung i would have been in so much pain i would not really had any idea just where the symtoms were really coming from. Today my sysmtoms are no different from the morning i wok up in intensive care, Nasty neck pain on the right hand side, right shoulder pain, right arm and hand pain or toatl numbness, weak right arm and hand, unable to lift weights in right hand, unable to cratch my right ear, tuck my shirt into my pants, unable to extend my right arm to my right hand side or infront of me, peeling an egg, mashing potato are all things that I am unable to do. I am right handed so using a key board is an effort, i try to use my right hand, but after a very short time unable to lift of the keys and end up dragging the keys off the key board.
I was discharged from hospital 12 days later, I had little or no use of my right shoulder, arm and hand, either completely numb or burning pain. ACC case maanger told me you are ok to return to work, they did not really want to know about my shoulder and left knee, I tried to return to work and with in a couple of weeks my left knee was scene by an orthopaedic surgeon who arranged an MRI and operated on my left knee 2 days later, re-attaching 5 torn ligaments. I treid to carry on working doing my old job driving a bulk feed truck and climbing Silo towers on farms to open up the loading lid 30 to 40 feet above the ground. Try doing that with a dislocated shoulder. 7 months after thew accident i fianaly got my Dr to except may be I had more of an injury than first thought and was sent to an Orthopaedic surgeon who had an MRI done, but was away over sea's for 2 months so we did not get the results. In the end I went back to my Dr who rang the MRI that did the scan and asked for the results to be faxed to him with in the next few minutes. he received the fax and took one look at me and goes, Oh My God, you can't return to work Brian your shoulder is in a bad way. I finally got to see the orthopaedic surgeon on his return and he put me straight into a private hospital, talked about micro surgery before the surgery, 6 hours later and major shoulder repairs, taking my right ham string to do a graft and several tendon and ligament repairs. i ended up with a scare across my shoulder about 8 inches long. My right bicep was also re-attached but let go again.
That should have been the end of the matter, and was reffered to physiotheropists who found I was unable to do simple exercises and kept modifying programs. I returned to work 12 months later and really struggled, ^ months later i was taken off work and a 2nd lot of surgery to my right shoulder. this did not help with symptoms, ACC sent me off for assessment and also Auckland Pain clinic, was told the pain was in my head, I had no use of my right shoulder and arm, my scapular felt like some one had hit me over the back and would take my brief away.
ACC still ignored Physiotheropist request for further test and opinions, ACC berried their heads in the sand and choose not to listen to Dr's telling ACC in IMA's that i had major injuries that had not been diagnosed and needed attention. ! orthopaedic surgeon was on the right tract but because the injuries were not recorded at the time of the accident they were not covered, Bone scans done by the othopaedic surgeon showed damaged to my thoracic spin, MRI alos showed damage to my C-spine, but ACC still choose to ignor, 5 CT guided nerve blocks into my thoracic spine did not help, ACC kept sending me away for IMA's and Occupational assessments, but omitted to supply infomation on the injuries that were starting to show up, so those assessment went against me, I then asked ACC under the Privacy Act for informationm that they held on my files, including emails, and communications between them and medical advisors they were asking for info on my injuries, Included in that infomation was internal emails between their own medical advisors suggesting that the injuries need to be recorded and added to my files, When I was given the last assessment dated for my Independant Living allowance I asked for copies of the documents that ACC were submitting to the Dr who was doing the VIMA assessment. My advocate also asked for copies to be sent to her. On the morning of the assessment the Dr doing the assessment recieved his copies just prior to my arrival to my appointment so he did not have time to have a look at what was supplied, and that assessment did not go well and he was guided by what ACC had submitted, I rang my ACC case manager and asked where my copies oif the documents and was told they had been couried out to me, they arrived 5 days after the assessment and dated the day before I received them, my lawyer also asked where her copies were, she was told that they had been sent out but returned and in correct address. After opening up the courier package it was obvious that the medical reports and Bone scan were not included in infomation supplied to the assessing Dr, needles to say that assessment went against me and clearly shows ACC can and do manipulate the out comes of assessments, Just after that assessment and deciding to challenge ACC on the out come I went and saw one of Aucklands top orthopaedic surgeons who wrote to my Dr, ACC and the Pain Dr, telling them that I received significant injuries in my accident that was caused by hitting the ground from that height of 4 meters and force that i struck the ground would have easily cause all my injuries. My Lawyers started asking questions and ACC wrote back to the surgeon asking him to completely review my injuries, reports, MRI's, bone scans' and treament. He again wrote back to ACC confirming that all my injiuries right shoulder, C-spine, thoracic spine, lumber spine chest injuries and major head injuries were all part and parcel of my accident, I tried to challenge ACC with my advoacte, but ACC choose to carry on and remove me from ACC weekly entitlements, My Dr asked for a full medical review after ACC received the report from the surgeon but they declined do so and I was taken off ACC and put on invalids benifit, i am greatful for Winz taking on my case. but feel ACC have dome me a injustice by berrying their head in the sand by saying well sorry those injuries were not recorded at the time of your injury. The orthopaedic surgeon told them that with my fractured ribs and punctured lung i would have been in so much pain i would not really had any idea just where the symtoms were really coming from. Today my sysmtoms are no different from the morning i wok up in intensive care, Nasty neck pain on the right hand side, right shoulder pain, right arm and hand pain or toatl numbness, weak right arm and hand, unable to lift weights in right hand, unable to cratch my right ear, tuck my shirt into my pants, unable to extend my right arm to my right hand side or infront of me, peeling an egg, mashing potato are all things that I am unable to do. I am right handed so using a key board is an effort, i try to use my right hand, but after a very short time unable to lift of the keys and end up dragging the keys off the key board.
Hi Sparky. Welcome to the medical and legal field. I have been exactly where you are. I am a member of the medical profession and have worked for an attorney(s). Don't give up on the lawsuit. You have a right to resolution of your medical and legal issues. However, some physicians act like they're paying you for the lawsuit right out of their pocket. Sometimes it is better not to mention a lawsuit to a doctor. A physician is supposed to treat you and not judge you but they do. I actually heard a neurosurgeon say "the patient gets better once the lawsuit settles"! They somtimes think you are malingering. Since your MRI and EMG results are WNL (within normal limits) the neurologist, neurosurgeon or orthopedist does not have any criteria to continue to order test. Yes. We all want to know what is causing the pain but at this point in the game you are dealing with health issues along with insurance companies calling the shots so you really don't have much choice but to go to the pain control doctor and try to get your pain under control. To heck with being more patient-get your pain under control. An anti-imflammatory medication might help and that's what they are probably going to try first before offering a narcotic. Don't expect a hugh windfall from the insurance company. I don't know though, the time missed from work, your prognosis and predictibility of 100% recovery as documented in your medical records will determine the outcome. You say your are physically fit. Have you been physically fit through this whole ordeal? Has your quality of life changed? Have your activities of daily life changed? All these things should be taken into account in your settlement issues. There are pro-patient/pro-plaintiff doctors out there but they are hard to find. You have to PUSH the attorney, if you have one, to stay on top of your medical records and if they don't have all of them that are pertinent, go get them yourself and give them to him. What's been done is done. I don't have any answers for you as I'm on this computer looking for answers just like you. However, IF it is nerve damage it can get better. Have you tried Neurontin, Topamax, Lyrica or Anaprox? It won't hurt to try the medication to see if you can tolerate it but if you can't tell the doctor you can't. You may need to see a psychiatrist (don't mean to sound like you are crazy but that's what eventually happened to me) to get Zanax or an anti-depressant tp help you relax. Most doctors practice within their specialty i.e. Ortho treats bone not pain so that's why you are being referred to a pain control specialist. Plz go to the pain control doctor and get some relief. Down the road and when the case settles your private insurance will probably pick up the bills and if you continue to have all this discomfort, I'm sure that you are aware that an injury such as yours can cause arthritis. You may have to see a rheumatologist at a later date. You just have to try to play it by ear and go day to day. I hate hearing that when I am in so much pain and just want to be normal again. Oh, did the concussion cause memory loss or any cognative disability? May want that to be documented and considered in your prognosis. My bery best to you Sparky. Hope you can get well buddy.
Hello sparky79,
You need to focus on the management of the cervical injury. Take pain killer like tramadol. You need to relax and use cervical collar. Discuss this with the orthpedician. Also there might be some surgical management that might help.
The healing process by itself might take sometime for which you need to be more patient. Avoid going for the lawsuit as this would not help much.
Take care
Best
You need to focus on the management of the cervical injury. Take pain killer like tramadol. You need to relax and use cervical collar. Discuss this with the orthpedician. Also there might be some surgical management that might help.
The healing process by itself might take sometime for which you need to be more patient. Avoid going for the lawsuit as this would not help much.
Take care
Best
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