NERVE STUDY

[rholmes]

I POSTED LAST NIGHT/THIS MORNING

NOT SURE WHERE IT WENT. ANYWAY I DID MY NERVE STUDY MONDAY. I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST THANK EVERYONE THAT RESPONDED TO MY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. YES IT WAS A LITTLE PAINFUL BUT NOT NEARLY AS BAD AS THE ONE I HAD ABOUT 14 YEARS AGO. MY QUESTION IS THE DOCTOR SAID HE FOUND THAT I HAD 4 PINCHED/DAMAGED NERVES ONE IN NECK, WRIST(CARPAL TUNNEL) BACK AND LEG AND 2 BULGING DISK. THAT WAS ONLY ON MY LEFT SIDE HE DIDN'T DO THE RIGHT. MY THING IS DOES THIS SOUND LIKE ENOUGH TO DISABLE YOU OUT OF A JOB? HE TOLD ME I WAS NOT READY FOR SURGERY, I WAS GLAD TO HEAR THAT. BUT WHAT DO THEY DO FOR PINCHED NERVES? DOES IT JUST HEAL ITSELF? SOME DAYS I DON'T FEEL SO BAD BUT OTHER DAYS I CAN'T SIT,SLEEP,WALK OR STAND WITHOUT 2 VICODINS AND A MOTRIN. ANY SUGGESTIONS, EVERYONE KNOWS BY NOW THAT I AM THE ONE FIGHTING TO KEEP MY JOB AT LEAST UNTIL OCT OF 2008 WHEN I CAN RETIRE WITH FULL BENIFITS. CITY BUS DRIVER BY TRADE JUST TRYING TO MAKE MY RETIREMENT.


RH

[Still in Limbo]

If the Report comes back to show these pinched nerves and Bulges, (Sometimes they tell us one thing, and write another) and Surgery is not an Option right now, I would guess Pain Management would be the Best solution. The question then would be, will you be allowed to Drive a Bus while on these Meds.? Bulges and Pinched Nerves can Heal, provided the Nerves that are pinched are freed, and you take it easy until the Bulges subside. I'm not sure how they are going to "Unpinch" the Nerves, did they say anything about that?

[capricorn]

rh....Limbo is right. Ihave had many a bilged lumbar disk heal through time, caution and the right PT. I have a pinched nerve at the C7 and believe through traction and massage if it has not healed it at least doesn't cause me any adverse symptoms anymore. At least right now it's not.


CAP

[Bad Boy Bad Boy]

Rholmes, pinched Nerves can't heal, for something is pinching them, or touching them. In general they can get worse, even if you slip or even trip. I am somewhat amazed they didn't do your right side to use as a compared measure. or even to see if the right side is ok. So, your going to keep having good and bad days like you said. This does not get better with time, like we would wish. I am being straight forward and honest with you. But if you rather I say something easier, let me know. I myself, like the truth and the straight facts. i don't like to be run around with hope. Hope that would not happen anyways.

[NewDriver]

Bad Boy Bad Boy Wrote:Rholmes, pinched Nerves can't heal, for something is pinching them, or touching them. In general they can get worse, even if you slip or even trip. I am somewhat amazed they didn't do your right side to use as a compared measure. or even to see if the right side is ok. So, your going to keep having good and bad days like you said. This does not get better with time, like we would wish. I am being straight forward and honest with you. But if you rather I say something easier, let me know. I myself, like the truth and the straight facts. i don't like to be run around with hope. Hope that would not happen anyways.

Bad Boy, I don't mean to start NONE, but I do have to respectfully disagree with your anaology that pinched nerves can't heal. Brother I am living proof that they can and sometimes do improve without surgical intervention. From a MVA 18 years ago to date I have went from herniated nucleus pulpus causing nerve impingement, where surgery was recommended by the neurologist doing the emg, (to this day I have NOT have any kind of surgery on my cervical spine), to many of the past 18 years with minimal or no pain from the impingement/injury. In fact 2 1/2 years after the original accident, while on lunch break at work, I was side swiped while driving my car. My doc immediately ordered a MRI as he knew of the possibility of the cervical spine injury being made worse, even though I was NOT having the severe smyptoms like I did with the original MVA/injury. That MRI showed that even the disc that 2 1/2 years earlier was basically totally blown out had healed nicely, and that the others that were previously bulging were nearly normal as well.

Fast forward 15 years when I had another flare with the cervical spine, this time for no apparent reason. Very symptomatic and treated at PM for 5 months. Again recovered well enough to return to my job driving a truck. Of course I have had days when it bothered me for what ever reason but for the most part I have been fully functional, at least enough to work, until this past March when I had yet another incident that has put my cervical injury back at a very symptomatic status. Recent MRI indicate disc herniation from c 3-4 to c-6-7, spinal stenosis, neuroforaminal narrowing, cord effacement, and a number of bone spurs. The emg study I recently had indicates yet again nerve impingement. I expect that with rest and PT I will yet again recover to the point of returning to work. And unless I get to the point of loosing complete use of my arms or legs NO surgery will be done on my cervical spine.

I believe Limbo and Caps discriptions to be dead on, in that if the nerve is encapsulated with scar tissue or perhaps a nerve is severed that is most definately not going to heal itself. Maybe even if the impingement is caused by a bone spur that must first be removed to stop the irritation. On the other hand and in absence of those maladies I am living proof that nerve impingement/irritation/damages can and do heal with time and many times without surgical intervention.

How else would you account for the return of feeling, improvement in pain and increased strength for those that have undergone removal of the cause for the impingement? Nerves are amazing in their ability to recover/regenerate. Even to the extent of actually new nerves gowing in to replace the damaged ones when a procedure such as radio frequency is used to kill the nerve to reduce or eliminate pain caused from nerve impingement.

[Bad Boy Bad Boy]

NewDriver, in somewhat of what you say is and could be true, and age is a major factor. But one will almost always find that in time, even with injuries that you stated happened to you, will come back some day. Now as for radio frequency. Everyone I have known to date that had that performed, claimed it was a major mistake in their life. But also, I only get to speak and read from a selected amount of people. So there can always be some that do benefit. When I speak or write something, it's from facts that I had, or others had, plus what many Doctor's have taught me.

[sparkey]

I had radio frequency on both sides of my neck and found it was a waste of time and money for my insurance co. It did absolutly nothing except i feel it may have caused more damage than treatment to my nerves. It does help if you have a pain management ( ansethesiologist) if i spelled that right, that knows what he is actually doing. Mine put the wrong size rods in the back of my neck and said " oops". He had to take them out as he did not have the right tool to insert in them after he implanted it during the surgery.Now this is while i am awake and only on one valium ( low dose). TALK ABOUT PAIN!!!! I had an emg after that, that showed i had nerve damage due to possible radio frequency procedure.

Just be aware when deciding to have this done. Make sure you have someone who is highly qualified as i would not recommend this guy to anyone! He felt so bad after doing the procedure that he prescribed me 50 percocets!!!! I had never been given so much percocets from one doctor. I had him do one procedure before that one, and he didn't give me any pain meds for that same procedure beforehand. Guess he felt guilty.

Everyone's body handles different procedures differently, so it really is hard to say if it would help someone or not. Just make sure you go over the whole procedure like i said and have someone highly skilled with good refrences first. As i should have done.

[NewDriver]

Bad Boy Bad Boy Wrote:NewDriver, in somewhat of what you say is and could be true, and age is a major factor. But one will almost always find that in time, even with injuries that you stated happened to you, will come back some day. Now as for radio frequency. Everyone I have known to date that had that performed, claimed it was a major mistake in their life. But also, I only get to speak and read from a selected amount of people. So there can always be some that do benefit. When I speak or write something, it's from facts that I had, or others had, plus what many Doctor's have taught me.

BB I in no way meant to offend you just stating the facts that I KNOW to be true. As for the RF I personally have not had the treatment completed as initial "test pilot" studies indicated it most likely would not be successful for me. I read the litature and all information I could lay my hands to and one of the pit falls to RF treatement is the tendendcy for the nerves to "replinish, or revive" themselves at some future time causing a return of the original symptoms and for nned for further treatment of RF or an alternative being necessary to bring relief. Back to square one so to speak. So I honestly DO NOT have an opion one way or the other where RF is concerned because I have NO experience with it.

I can certainly attest to the fact that when the pressure from a bulging, herniated or even ruptured disc is removed the nerves can and often do heal up. I think that was the original issue were I can not agree with what was stated.

Not a biggy by no means. We can still be friends and have that vertual cup of joe I hope. In spite of our difference of opinions and what each of us believe to be true. We just simply do not agree on each and every point of the subject matter.

ND

[Bad Boy Bad Boy]

New Driver, you must first understand, I don't get offended that easy, nor am I at all offended by you. I respect you as much as the next person. We all have a body that we can related the facts about, and what has been done or happened. each person heals different. And each person respond to treatment different. I will say, I'm please to hear you are one of those very lucky people that obtained Pinch Nerve relief.

I have 1 pinched Nerve, and 1 damaged. Neither will ever go away for me, and has been Medically proven. I wasn't allowed the luck, for the damage to my Cervical Spine both times, left me with little choices other than surgeries to help prevent death, or to end up like Kris Reves (Superman) who has now passed on to a better life. His condition, once injured has proven medical Studies of a 5 year life to live, once such type injury happens. I didn't want that for myself. I just want to live, and do what I can.

[NewDriver]

Deffinately understand where you are coming from BB and I hear you on the Chris Reeves saga. I too have very valid concerns about what "might" or "could" happen to me should these nastly litter boogers in my neck take a mind to !@#$%#.

I am forever mindful of every move I make and do my best to use proper body mechanics and use good posture when idle. It is the uncontrolable things like my recent injury that scares the heck out of me. In just an instant I was jerked and knocked around by the very equipment I hold the highest regard for. In an effort to keep from bustin my butt I caused all kinds of damage in my shoulder and aggravated the issue with my cervical spine. I can only hope that with proper treatment to have the same good results as I have with the past two episodes. You make a very noteworthy point in the age issue and God knows I'm not getting any younger.

Peace be with you.

ND