Useless day.

[BillESC]

I've been diagnosed with Cervical Stenosis and was scheduled to get a shot in my neck between C3 and C4 today at 3:00 in Richmond. The procedure calls for fasting starting at 7:00 in the morning but I was allowed to have 6 ounces of black coffee, one piece of dry toast and one boiled egg if consumed prior to seven. I did this.

Cher, my daughter, and I left for Richmond at 12:30 and arrived to the doctors office around 2:20, signed in, did the paperwork and sat down to wait for the three o'clock appointment. About 2:45 the wind picked up and the skys darkened, within a few minutes the wind was howling and electricity was lost. Waste was hitting the fan. . . .

Arount 3:15 still with no power, the doctor appeared and said no more procedures would be performed and that their office would contact us to reschedule. Cher and I left to discover most of the traffic lights in down town Richmond were not working. We got home a bit after six.

BTW, we couldn't find a place with power to get something to eat for the first hour of the drive home.

[DJSTEVEZ]

So sorry for your trouble Bill.
I hope your next appointment goes smoother. Good luck. -Steve

[RhinoRider]

Get better Brother- and sorry to here the troubles.

[DJSTEVEZ]

University of Maryland Spine Program

A Patient's Guide to Cervical Spinal Stenosis

Introduction
Most neck pain is due to degenerative changes that occur in the intervertebral discs of the cervical spine and the joints between each vertebra. Perhaps the most serious of the problems caused by degeneration of the spinal segment in the cervical spine is the condition of spinal stenosis.In the late stages of spinal degeneration, bone spurs from the degenerative process can cause a condition known as spinal stenosis. As the bone spurs form, the size of the spinal canal becomes smaller. The bone spurs begin to press on the spinal cord or the nerve roots. Pressure on the nerves in the spinal cord can cause numbness, tingling, or pain in the arms, hands, and legs. This condition is sometimes called cervical myelopathy. It is from the simpler problem where only one nerve root is being pinched by a herniated disc or a bone spur.The purpose of this information is to help you understand:

• The anatomy of the cervical spine
• The causes and symptoms of cervical spinal stenosis
• How the condition is diagnosed
• The treatments available for cervical spinal stenosis

AnatomyIn order to understand your symptoms and treatment choices, you should start with some understanding of the general anatomy of your neck. This includes becoming familiar with the various parts that make up the neck, and how these parts work together.Please review the document, entitled:

• Cervical Spine Anatomy

CausesTo really understand cervical spinal stenosis you first need an understanding of the wear and tear process, called disc degeneration. To help you understand disc degeneration, compare a spinal segment to two vanilla wafers (the "vertebrae") and a marshmallow (the "disc"). Imagine a fresh marshmallow between the two wafers. When you press the wafers close together, the marshmallow gives or "squishes out". Suppose you leave the marshmallow out for a week and it starts drying out. When you press it between the wafers, it is not quite as spongy. If you press hard enough, the outside of the marshmallow may even tear or split. Suppose you left the marshmallow out for a month. It would probably be so dried out it would be hard and very thin and would not have any "shock absorbing" ability.As we age, the disc loses some of its water content and, as a result, some of its shock absorbing ability. Like the marshmallow, the first changes that occur in the disc are tears in the outer ring of the disc, called the annulus. Tears in the annulus may occur without symptoms. Therefore, you may not notice when they occur or what caused them. These tears heal by forming scar tissue. Scar tissue is weaker than normal tissue. Repeated injuries and tears cause more wear and tear to the disc. As the disc wears, it loses more of its water content. It becomes less and less "spongy", eventually no longer able to act as a shock absorber.As the disc continues to wear, it begins to collapse. The space between each vertebra becomes smaller. The collapse also affects the way that the facet joints in the back of the spine "line up". Like any other joint in the body, the change in the way the bones fit together causes abnormal pressure on the articular cartilage. Articular cartilage is the smooth shiny material that covers the end of the bones in any joint. Over time, this abnormal pressure causes wear and tear arthritis (osteoarthritis) of the facet joints.Bone spurs may form around the disc and facet joints. It is thought that too much motion in a spinal segment causes the bone spurs to form. Eventually, bone spurs can form around the nerves of the spine, causing a condition called spinal stenosis.SymptomsWhen there is narrowing of the spinal canal, the bony tube through which the spinal cord runs, the whole spinal cord may be affected. This is different than when the bone spurs only narrow one of the foramen - the openings where the nerve roots exit. The symptoms are much different. A pinched nerve from either a herniated disc or a bone spur rarely affects the legs. Cervical myelopathy can affect both the arms and the legs.Pressure on the spinal cord, as it runs through the cervical spine, can cause many symptoms. Cervical stenosis can cause weakness and spasticity in the legs. Spasticity means you to lose control over your legs and you may have a great deal of difficulty walking due to loss of control of where you place your feet. You may have numbness in both the upper extremities and the lower extremities. Your reflexes may be increased in the legs. You may lose the strength in your legs. You may lose your "position sense". This is the sensation that allows you to "know" where your arms and legs are when you have your eyes closed. For example, you may not be able to tell whether your arm is up in the air or down by your side, unless you can see it.DiagnosisFinding the cause of your neck problem begins with a complete history and physical examination. After the history and physical exam, your doctor will have a good idea of the cause of your pain. To make sure of the exact cause of your neck pain, your doctor can use several diagnostic tests. These tests are used to find the cause of your pain, not make your pain better. Regular X-rays, taken in the doctor's office, are usually a first step in looking into any neck problem and will help determine if more tests are needed.

Read more: http://www.umm.edu/spinecenter/educa...#ixzz1ytibJ1Lx

[JTizzle]

We're all with ya Bill.

I had the discs between C4-5-6 replaced a couple of years ago. A titanium plate, 6 screws and a $60k hospital bill later, I'm almost good as new. Of course, I can't lift the rear end of my car and change the tire at the same time anymore, but you'll have that.

Depending on the present company, I tell people the scar on my neck came 1) from being a SEAL, or 2) from getting shivved in the big house.

[DandyD]

Get Well Bill. I feel your frustration. I had a lumbar laminectomy/fusion on L4 & L5 on the 22nd of May and have not been able to do anything. Its like being trapped in your own skin. Just don't let them cut you until last resort.

[Mark Evans]

Sorry to hear Bill. I will probably be going through the same thing in the next few years.

[NickyB]

Have a stiff drink or two or three to ease your pain .... sit back and await the rescheduling! I need L4 (70% worn away) and L5 (90% worn away) replaced. They want to do outpatient surgery to remove the discs and replace them with high-density polyethylene pads. I haven't made a decision yet but it may have to be done soon before the damage starts affecting the nerves in my legs.

[BillESC]

Nicky,

Believe me, I'm taking my medicine.

[Ken Heath]

See what dealing with DJ's has done to you? And here you just thought we were a theoretical pain in the neck!



Get better dude, sorry about the wasted day!