Pinched nerve in neck or back---symptoms?

[torinsmom]

My mom has had severe arm, shoulder and neck pain for the last month. She has been seen by her doctor several times and just had an MRI--waiting on the results. Anyway, it is pain in her neck radiating down her arms. It started as radiating down one arm, but is starting to affect her other arm as well. The pain has also gotten worse. It is especially worse when she is lying down, so she has slept very little lately. Nothing she has taken, OTC or prescription, is dulling the pain much.

Anyway, she is totally freaked out that she has cancer. She has lost 4 siblings to cancer, and even though her exams and blood work are always normal, it is always the first thing she suspects. I am thinking it sounds like a pinched nerve. If any of you have had a pinched nerve, does this sound similar? Also, what was the treatment and did you get relief?

Thanks!

 

[kirbydog48]

Could be a bulging disk. Sorry she's in so much pain and scared. I'm sure being stressed does not help the situation. Hopefully the MRI will give you some answers.

 

[dngnb8]

Could be a plethora of things. Sounds like they are doing diagnostics. We sure arent gonna be able to tell you. I have degenerative joint disease, a form of arthritis, in my neck. That pinches nerves and creates muscle spasms. I use heating pads, muscle relaxants and a TENS unit.

The TENS unit sends pulses of electricity into the area and basically deadens the nerves. Cant use it too much though

 

[Jennasis]

Sounds like a herniated/bulging disk pressing on a nerve. Symptoms often include numbness, tingling, weakness in fingers, hands, arms. Radiating pain.

 

[torinsmom]

I know noone here can diagnose her. Just trying to reassure her of other things it could be besides the big C.

 

[h2oophelia]

neck pain that radiates down one or both arms is relatively common. Sounds like a herniated disk to me. Hopefully she gets some pain relief soon!

 

[torinsmom]

Sounds like a herniated/bulging disk pressing on a nerve. Symptoms often include numbness, tingling, weakness in fingers, hands, arms. Radiating pain.

An MRI would show this, correct? Hopefully, she will get it read soon.

 

[wilderness01]

Yes, an MRI will dx this.

Sounds like a herniated disk to me. Could be several herniated. Good luck to her.

 

[wdw4rfam]

Had similar symptoms, more numbness than pain, but did have both. MRI showed nothing, tested for MS, nothing...Went to a chiropractor, because I had given up, he fixed it in one appt.

 

[wdwmom2]

I too have had those symtoms. I was seeing a chiropractor, and it was helping, but VERY slowly!! Ended up going to my doc, can't remember if the diagnosis was a pinched nerve, but I think it was. Doc told me I could continue chiropractic care, and also put me on a steroid. Once I started the steroid, my recovery went much, much faster. But even once the pain was gone, it took at least a month for all the numbness and tingling the was going down my right arm and into my fingers to go away.

Hope she gets her MRI results back quickly!!!

 

[maslex]

I had similar symtoms a few years back (maybe 8-10yrs ago?) I was also scared out of my mind. Not of cancer, but of a heart attack. My dad had his first heart attack at the age of 41 and had 2-3 more within the next couple of years. Ended up with a quadruple bypass.

So when I started to feel pain radiating down my left arm & some tingling...I started to freak out. And when I started to freak out, my heart started to race, then I thought I felt chest pain, etc, etc. It just snowballed from there.

Hubby brought me to the hospital. They did an EKG (heart was fine) also did a cat scan (came back fine) they did not do an MRI. In the end, they told me that I had a pinched nerve in my neck. Sorry, but I don't remember what I took for pain. I do know that for the next few days to a week, my whole arm was numb. They told me that the heart racing and chest pains were brought on basically from me working myself into a frenzy.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I am assuming she has been throughly checked for a heart attack, correct? Is this her left shoulder? It could be ischemic pain (angina). Anyway, just throwing that out there since women are often misdiagnosed.

Sorry she is so much pain, I hope your testing reveals the answers.

 

[torinsmom]

I am assuming she has been throughly checked for a heart attack, correct? Is this her left shoulder? It could be ischemic pain (angina). Anyway, just throwing that out there since women are often misdiagnosed.

Sorry she is so much pain, I hope your testing reveals the answers.

That's the first thing she worried about, but her doctor ruled that out. She is more worried about cancer, although I don't know what kind would present this way. I don't blame her for being worried though. She lost 4 siblings within 2 years to cancer

 

[ols386]

Could be degenerative disc disease. That's what I have, and recently had to have (what was left of) 3 discs removed, and replaced with spacers, metal plate, and screws.

My symptons were, a lot of pain in the back of the neck, and tingling down the left arm. After the surgery, the tingling in my arm is cleared-up and no more neck pain.

It can be extremely painful. I hope your Mom can get some relief soon.

 

[tar heel]

I've had a pinched nerve in my back. It was the worst pain I've ever experienced, and I've had two natural childbirths!

The pain was in my back and my arm, especially the upper arm. I had numbness in my hand. I woke up screaming and very afraid I was having an heart attack. My doctor put me on muscle relaxers and steroids and sent me for physical therapy. The PT was AMAZING. If your mom's doctor truly thinks this is what's wrong, she should ask for a PT referral.

 

[Fly4free]

Sounds like a pinched nerve. I am suffering from similar ailments. If she does the pt she will have to be very careful as the wrong pt will do more damage. I found this out the hard way. When it comes to the nerves my Dr. said the therapists motto of no pain no gain is absolutely wrong.

Hope the mri shows whats wrong. Mine did not since the nerves are compressed as they enter the shoulder. I had to go for nerve testing with a neurologist.