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Neck Pain and Crepitus

Female, mid forties, I have moderate C4-C5 disc degeneration, mild canal stenosis C-3 C-4/C-4 C-5, midline protrusions at C-3 C-4 also C-6 C-7(no stenosis at that level). Right arm burns frequently, right hand numbness and have tendonitis in right shoulder. L-3L-4L-5L6 minor narrowing. Have lower right sensitivity in my back and have done for several years, numb right foot. Dx’d sacroiliitis. Neck has started hurting when I turn my head or try to hold my head up straight. Hard to sleep due to discomfort. My last imaging was just a year ago, since then my neck has started cracking nearly every time I move my head. Also have chronically low Vitamin D (with normal calcium levels around 9.7) - everyone seems to have low Vitamin D. I guess my question is why, at a relatively young age, would I have developed so many diseases of aging? Especially since these problems started and were originally diagnosed when I was 39? I was prescribed muscle relaxants and Celebrex. These help with pain, but I have developed an itchy, unremitting rash on my right shoulder and should probably stop taking meds to see if any of them are causing it?  I tried glucosamine but the pain and cracking remained and sometimes my head hurts on the right side too. I also have Hashimoto’s (TPO antibodies over 1,000) take 75mcg Levoxyl per day. There is a 1.2cm nodule on the right side of thyroid- it was ruled benign after biopsy.
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Avatar universal
A related discussion, Check forLyme disease was started.
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1083596 tn?1313394676
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Dear Feellikegranny,
Disc protrusion is a condition, which can arise due to many reason. According to your calculation, all these started at around 39 years.But i would still think, it was diagnosed pretty late. We see disc protrusion at pretty young age-say 25-30 years age group.Its all related to the type of work we do. For eg- Too much sitting without break, or bending or lifting heavy weights can cause this problem. Also it may be due to stress activities, improper sleep, bad posture during driving, etc.
Also few people have connective tissue disorder, which causes disc degeneration too early.
Try to do a lot of Lower back and neck physiotherapy for this.I should really help you.
Need to supplement the physio via medicines (Muscle relaxants).As far as Glucosamines are concerned, they can only prevent the speed of degeneration.And they have to be taken for a lot of days, before any active results are obtained.
Regarding the Thyroid problem, am really sorry, but the real cause of it can't be explained.You should consider yourself lucky, as it was ruled as benign.
Feel free to ask more in this context.
Regards.
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Avatar universal
I should be called "feellikegreatgrandpappy" I'm 62 going on 90! I started with the neck and back in my early thirties. Also had hashimoto's- and had half my thyroid removed, the other half must have removed itself because it's no longer there! I also have diabetes, gluacoma, cataracts, osteoarthritis in most of my joints (can't take meds for the pain because of kidney desease) , a temporal lobe seizure disorder, kidney failure, thirteen surgeries, high blood pressure and cholesterol and yes, an anxiety disorder with panic attacks.
But I made it this far and don't plan on giving up. It is tough, but if you get in some good habits like diet and exercise life will probably get better for you. Some people like us were just born on the wrong side of the gene pool :o)  This may not have helped much but I love humor and humor does help take my mind off of the pain!  Rich
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