I feel desperate please help me

[mary8]

Hi, I have had a trapped nerve in my neck which is giving me pain in my neck, shoulder blade and all down my right arm. I have posted a thread before regarding this. I am now getting myself so terribly down and have convinced myself that a have a spinal tumour. I have been suffering with this pain for 6/7 weeks now and with each day that goes by I get more and more anxious to the degree now I just don't know how to cope. It doesn't hurt to move my neck from side to side, but if I try to put my chin to my chest I feel it pulling down the back of my neck. Also the bone that is at the base of my neck and the top of my back hurts, but not when it is pressed which I get even more anxious about because I am convinced it is because there is a tumour on the inside.
I have had various visits to my GP and in fact seen 2 other Doctors, a Physio and Chiropractor who all say the same thing, it is a trapped nerve. I just know that without an MRI scan no one can tell me 100% that it isn't a tumour. My GP doesn't want to refer me for one as he says all that does is feed my health anxiety and once I get confirmation that this is ok I will move on to the next symptom. But if the pain doesn't get any better I know that eventually I will be referred and I am so scared.
Has anyone suffered this condition and has it lasted for a long time? I would be so grateful for some feedback, I am crying as I write this I am so sick with worry.
Thank you for your help.

[tashbarnes87]

awww, im so sorry to hear you have been in pain for so long. Health Anxiety or no Health Anxiety the GP cant expect you to stay in pain. I dont know that much about he human body but i guess if 3 different people have told you the same thing then it probably is a trapped nerve, however what are they doing about it? are you on pain medication?
xx

[mary8]

Hi Tashbarnes thank you for replying to me, it is so much appreciated. In answer to your question I was originally prescribed Declofenac tablets but they didn't seem to make much difference so I now a Co-codamol. I am trying not to take them too much as I want to try and see if it is improving at all. But by the evening I've usually got to the stage that I cannot tolerate the pain any longer and take some.

[kittykat]

Hi there,

I replied to your last post about this, first of all stop worrying, i went to a lot of people with my back pain ,and was told it was a disc problem, like you I did'nt believe them thought it was a tumour as the pain was so bad . Eventually had mri scan guess what it showed i have a disc prolapse and also arthritis ,okay so i now need an op as it is so bad, but its not a tumour...............now my really bad symptoms started in july and didn't get my mri until this month so thats about 4 mths i was waiting.
The doctor will be trying to see what different meds could maybe help, the diclofenac, you have to keep taking as it builds up gradually , although it doesn't help me much, have you asked the doctor about gabapentin it is for nueropathic pain caused by these sorts of things( it's what i'm on at moment ) also there is amitryptyline as well.........because my disc is so bad and i cant take codamol products for my tummy i've had to go on slow release morphine tablets........ so that alone tells you the kind of pain you get when nerves are involved.
I can't say much else apart from asking your doctor maybe about these options, oh and i meant to say my step mum had a trapped nerve in her shoulder and had to have a small op to fix it as it was very painful.
So it's not a tumour , stop worrying and enjoy having time with your family , you will eventually get an mri, or you may not even need it if these tablets work, you take care and feel free to pm me if you are still worrying and need someone to chat to.

xx

[debbie_jane]

hi mary and hello everyone else.

i have read your thread mary and feel you shold have an mri. chiropracters are good and ive used them loads but dont feel without an mri how they can diagnose. i suffered for 18months with neck pain sometimes so severe my neck would lock. i was told it was one thing then another .. in the end i seen a diff doc at surgery and ws referred for mri where they diagnosed disc bulge so i would insist on an mri.. i was like you .. convinced i had a tumour

good luck

[lamentinglaura]

Hi,
My sister has the exact same symptoms as you and it was found to be a disc in the neck that was irritating the nerves. She could have had surgery but opted for physio-therapy and medication. The pain comes and goes depending on what kind of activity she's involved with ... she's a nurse and lifting people really aggravates the area so she avoids doing that. Like you, her pain symptoms can last a long period of time until they get things settled down. I do believe you need an MRI though. I'm positive this isn't a tumor but you need to know exactly what's going on in the neck area in regard to discs. Not sure if any of this helped but I'm hoping it'll ease your worrying a bit.

[AnnieMags]

Hi Mary

10 years ago I had the EXACT symptoms you describe and was eventually diagnosed with a prolapsed disc in my neck (I have quickly looked through the other answers and have seen that others have also pointed you in that direction.)

If you haven't already been referred, please go to your GP and insist on an MRI (I find it incredible that he/she did not refer you long ago!) so that a correct diagnosis can be made.

Please don't worry about a spinal tumour - it is EXTREMELY unlikely. (Have you ever heard the expression "When you hear the sound of hooves, think 'horses' not 'zebras'? It sometimes helps me when my mind goes wandering off to some extreme but unlikely fear. )

My symptoms resolved without surgery. I had physiotherapy and traction on my neck to release the nerve. The neurologist said the prolapse would eventually 'dry up' on its own and did not need to be removed. I am still very careful with my neck but have had no further trouble. I still remember those months before diagnosis and treatment, though - the pain in my arm just took over and interfered with everything I did. It was not a happy spring (1999)!

Now go pester your GP and get it sorted!

Best wishes from Annie