I went to see another neurologist today who did a nerve conduction test, it appears that the ulnar nerve is not functioning properly all the way up the arm. She called it "permanment nerve damage".

She also pulled my MRI pictures and pointed to the bulging disk and pointed at the thin white line between the spinal cord and the bulging disk and said that since there is still space between the cord and disk that surgery is unwaranteed in this case. The risks outweight the benifits.

She laughed when I told her I was using traction 3 times a day, 10 pounds, blah. She said I could keep on using it if I wanted too but it would do no good.

Now I have conflicting information here, the first neurologists prescribed traction (And Kaiser put me through a lot of waiting and authorizations for a price tag of $26.89 on that one!) The second says don't bother using it.

The first said that time will heal this, the second said that this is a permanment neck injury and as such will never get better. She also told me to keep out of car accidents (rear enders) because whip-lash will do a number on me - and of course no more foot-ball or other contact sports .

So which one do I listen too?

Thus far I have been diaganosed with "muscle strain", Carpal Tunnel (Which the nerve test says there is no carpal tunnel for me), and slipped disk. With all of these solid facts, what should I believe?

I'm thinking chiropractor at this stage of the game..... Can't do me worse - right?

(edit) Yes I am a bit frustrated here, between this neck thing and the poor, long term wait on getting my knees fixed I'm thinking seriously to forget modern medicine - I don't like doctors to begin with.....

Have you considered oriental medicine, ie a combination of accupuncture with chinese herbs, maybe cupping or massage?

quote:

I'm thinking chiropractor at this stage of the game..... Can't do me worse - right?

Wrong! Normally they're harmless and make many people feel better -- despite practicing total quackery based on zero science. (Those who disagree are advised to start a new thread rather than discuss it here.) However in the presence of actual pathology, such as it sounds like you have, chiropractic manipulation may indeed be harmful. What could be worse? How about quadriplegia! Even if it doesn't hurt you it's not likely to help, either. Meanwhile medical follow-up may get neglected. But hey, it's your body.

Silja's suggestions of acupuncture and herbal remedies are a mixed bag of valuable, worthless, and unknown. Some acupuncture treatments have been validated scientifically, others not. There are neurophysiologic theories of acupuncture under investigation. Herbal "medications" have two problems stemming from NOT being regulated by the FDA: (1) The active ingredients may be present at much higher or much lower strengths than claimed; and (2) no scientific evidence is required for any of their claimed effects. A few herbal remedies have been tested scientifically with mostly negative results. (For example, St. John's wort does not perform better than placebo for depression; saw palmetto does not perform better than placebo for prostatic enlargement, etc.) Massages should help muscle strains -- and feel good, too! However I don't think massaging the neck would improve cervical nerve problems. Cupping, as I understand it, is mainly used for respiratory ailments.

So please be careful, especially if you're spending your own money!

Nerve conduction tests are supposed to be pretty reliable at distinguishing carpal tunnel syndrome from nerve problems in the neck. Maybe you could get another doctor to interpret your MRI. Or even get Kaiser to pay for a follow-up MRI, if their doctors will sign off on it? It's always tough when the doctors don't agree, but I'd stick within the science-based system even if it's let you down so far. Kaiser has a reputation for being cheap. I'm sorry to hear of your misery and hope you get well soon.

My end tag was reflecting on how much quackery I think there is in modern medicine nowdays... After all I suspect that had the doctors, HMO and what not got their act together the week after Christmas when I went in with the 'problem' and did something other than set me up appointments for the springtime, perhaps my "permanment nerve damage" may not have been so permanment.

Kaiser would have to OK a second (or would this actually be 3rd?) opinion. It took a act of congress (and about as long too) to get them to buy the traction device ($26.89). Had I known it was so terribly expensive I would have sold one of my properties to buy it (Sarcasm).

This is not fun nor funny, I've reached the limits of my patients with this (pun intended). They (KAISER and Doctors) dicked around with my knee resulting in more damage being done over the long run (So says the Surgeon who went in and reshaped the meniscus). Now it appears they are doing the same with my neck....

quote:

Cupping, as I understand it, is mainly used for respiratory ailments.

As it turns out I didn't understand it at all! I was thinking of chest physical therapy by percussion with cupped hands.

"Cupping" as a Chinese healing art is described here, a variation of moxibustion that produces a giant round hickey. Unfortunately, according to the article, evidence for efficacy is absent.

Honestly Dvd, I wouldn't waste the time or money on chiropractors.

I have been diagnosed with bulging disks in my lumbar spine. But before the diagnosis, I went to a chiropractor who, within the first 2 minutes of my appointment, had me up on a table, twisting my back, popping my back and manipulating it...all without an xray or anything making sure there wasn't risk of serious injury. Not good.

I don't know much about cervical bulging disks, but mine was pretty much taken care of with physical therapy.

Physical Therapy? Not even offered or mentioned... Well not by my doctors. I brought it up with Both Doctors asking if there was strength training I could do to manage the alignment of my vertebrae in my neck by strengthing the muscles. Both discounted it saying that either it would but more strain on the neck or that it wouldn't do anything for the bulging itself.

Bulging disks are not cause by "misalignment" of the vertebrae. The whole chiropractic theory of vertebral subluxations is seriously flawed. A misalgnment severe enough to cause nerve impingement would be so unstable that you'd already be quadriplegic or they'd be rushing you to surgery to stabilize it. The notion that a well-trained practitioner can manipulate your neck to "snap it back" into alignment, thereby instantly curing your problem, is unfortunately mere wishful thinking.

However bulging disks can be treated medically, surgically, or even improve on their own without treatment. "Your doctor knows best." If you can figure out which doctor.

Hi David,

I know this is way down the road from your original post, but I was wondering how you're feelng? I'm posting to comment on the whole bulging disk discussion.. .I've had 4 at this point. What I was told, was that surgery pretty much gets you to the same point as waiting for the disks to reabsorb. However, I will tell you that physical therapy has been extremely successful for me with disk problems. The aim of which being to strengthen the surrounding muscles so that you are not overcompenstating for the pain that the disks are causing you, and ideally, stengthening the muscles, and getting your posture etc corrected once your musculature is strong enough to support it, helps to alleviate the pressure on the nerves. Honestly, I've never met a doc that refused PT. I would definitely try a 3rd doc. I don't know if I've seen what area you are in, but around here, there are neck, spinal, shoulder, etc etc specialists. It's important to have a doc that you like and respect. So I say keep looking until you feel you are being heard and validated. Best of luck!

Gold Girl,

It only bothers me on days that we have weather... (Yes that is to say every day). However the pain has subsided (perhaps I'm just used to it now?) but my arm still does the "funny bone tingle".

I just received authorization for 3 visits to a neurologist through my HMO. Two weeks ago it arrived although the request for authorization was sent in late January of this year.

As for PT - the last PT I had (for the knee) was only covered for 3 visits by my HMO it is highly unlikely that they will actually pay for PT for a condition which can “clear up” on its own in “about a year”.

I just deal with it and move on. My last visit to a neurologist I was told no more contact sports (ever) and no getting rear ended - it would appear that both of those could lead to some serious issues with the neck. My football career is over - this is a joke since I stopped playing football when I left high school with the exception of a few games played with family and friends.