Yikes! That's a tough situation. Wait and see what the neurologist recommends as treatment. Sometimes (depending on what type of cervical disease is present) a cervical laminectomy and/or fusion may do wonders. My brother had this done and he has been A-OK for the last 20 years since.
Taesha said:
Well, aliscott I did have that MRI of my cervical spine ordered by my neurologist. I got an unexpected call from my GP who told me that any tests that are performed automatically come to him and that he reviewed the MRI and found that I have cervical disc disease in C4,C5,C6,C7. They left finger pain has transformed into pain in both hands particularly my right. I now have weakness just opening my medication bottles. I have occasional swelling too. The pain in my hands is constant and my meds that keep my TN st bay are doing absolutely nothing for this new painful annoyance. He said in this case he would refer me to the Brain and Spine Associated but since my neurologist is an associate there he will let him handle the treatment. I'm sure I'm headed to physical therapy which seems almost impossible because I work overnights 930pm -630 am and any type of daytime commitment is incredibly difficult combined with the heavy fatigue I already experience from my medications. I really need some type of relief. I also have constant pain in right hip with very limited range of motion. Tying my shoe, putting on socks, in and out of a car, and from sitting to standing just to name a few restrictions. I continue to work 40+ hours a week at Women and Children's as a phlebotomist where my experience with venipuncture on children cause me to work sometimes 50+ hours. I can't afford to lower my hours.
I have 3 levels of my spine fused from herniated discs. I think because you are having weakness you may need surgery. A nerve conduction study and EMG should be done to confirm this.
Usually conservative treatment is tried first. That would be PT.
The only flip side to having surgery if it is one level causing weakness and you have several levels with problems when you fuse one level very often a level above or below will herniate from overuse losing another level.
I started with C5-C6, then C6-C7 herniated years later followed by C4-C5 two years later. I don't see how old you are but also beware of arthritic changes causing bone spurring and then there is always scar tissue after surgery causing the same symptoms you had before surgery. I was able to rehabilitate my cervical spine from all these changes with good PT, stretching and stretching exercises and my neuro does botox injections for muscles that misbehave with spasm.
And also cervical problems can aggravate your TN. It just doesn't seem fair to have to deal with another chronic issue. I am post op lumbar surgery from April and sustained a nerve injury to my left leg with severe sciatica and a dropped foot. I have ATN and atypical GN. And yes, the pain meds to treat those do not touch the spasms I get in my left leg. I am beginning to improve with PT again and in the pool every other day. I realize you work nights and daytime PT would be so difficult but I don't see any other way out of it. Go for several visits and develop a home program you might be able to do when you wake late in the afternoon. 30 minutes at best should make a difference.
I have left index finger pain that started along with the TN. I never told my neurosurgeon about it, but sometime after my MVD, I still had that shocking pain in my finger, where-as the other shocks were gone (unfortunately not all the other pain). So I did some research and at www.urmc.rochester.edu there it is in the symptoms, the last symptom. It says "some patients also experience pain in their left index finger". I gave a copy of it to my neurologist and she had never heard of this. Doesn't shock me very often anymore, years later, but just now and then to remind me.
Very interesting. Thanks for sharing. Hope you are having a good & pain-free day. I clicked on the link but I couldn't find that list of symptoms. Is there another link to the article? Thanks.
I have left index finger pain that started along with the TN. I never told my neurosurgeon about it, but sometime after my MVD, I still had that shocking pain in my finger, where-as the other shocks were gone (unfortunately not all the other pain). So I did some research and at www.urmc.rochester.edu there it is in the symptoms, the last symptom. It says "some patients also experience pain in their left index finger". I gave a copy of it to my neurologist and she had never heard of this. Doesn't shock me very often anymore, years later, but just now and then to remind me. After you bring up the website that is highlighted, type in trigeminal neuarlgia in the search box, then on the list that comes up click on the first one (at least for now), that says "conditions for patients....
Very interesting. Thanks for sharing. Hope you are having a good & pain-free day. I clicked on the link but I couldn't find that list of symptoms. Is there another link to the article? Thanks. Evidently I'm writing in the wrong spot, but look back up at my message above with the website and it guides you further. I didn't realize it didn't go straight to the article.
Thanks. I found it. I am also going to paste the first paragraph for others to read. This is the first time I have ever seen this information in the 20+ years I have been dealing with TN. invisible said:
Not Again said:
Very interesting. Thanks for sharing. Hope you are having a good & pain-free day. I clicked on the link but I couldn't find that list of symptoms. Is there another link to the article? Thanks. Evidently I'm writing in the wrong spot, but look back up at my message above with the website and it guides you further. I didn't realize it didn't go straight to the article.
From the University of Rochester Medical Center's website: What it trigeminal neuralgia.
"Trigeminal neuralgia (TN), tic douloureux (also known as prosopalgia, the Suicide Disease or Fothergill’s disease) is a neuropathic disorder characterized by episodes of intense pain in the face, originating from the trigeminal nerve. One, two, or all three branches of the nerve may be affected. It is, "one of the most painful conditions known to humans, yet remains an enigma to many health professionals." This pain may be felt in the ear, eye, lips, nose, scalp, forehead, cheeks, teeth, and/or jaw and side of the face; some patients also experience pain in their left index finger. Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is not easily controlled and there is no cure. It is estimated that 1 in 15,000 people suffer from trigeminal neuralgia, although the actual figure may be significantly higher due to frequent misdiagnosis. In a majority of cases, TN symptoms begin appearing after the age of 50, although there have been cases with patients being as young as three years of age. It is more common in females than males."