Trapped nerve/cervical radiculopathy

[MidnightEagle]

Does anyone suffer from this god awful thing? It all started quite suddenly for me last Saturday night when I couldn't sleep due to pain in my shoulder blade. Over the next few days it worsened and the pain started going into my arm and started getting numbness in my hand. Someone drove into the back of me at a roundabout a few days earlier but I hadn't really thought much of it at the time as there was no damage to be seen to the car. I went to see a physio on Thursday and she thinks it is a trapped nerve between C5 and C6. She has given me exercises to do twice daily. I phoned the GP on Friday and they have prescribed amitriptyline 10mg for 1 week increasing to 20mg. I am currently alternating ibuprofen and either paracetamol or cocodamol but sometimes the pain is soo bad like all the muscles go into spasm. I have been putting hot water bottles on regularly too which helps. Has anyone else dealt with this? Any advice? How the heck do you sleep with this? Every position is agony!

I had something similar in my early 20s.
I used red tiger balm which helped (lovely when used with heat). The cheap stuff doesn't work though, you need the £5 a jar stuff from boots/superdrug. It looks small but you only need a tiny amount.

Do the exercises. The amytriptiline will build up over a week or so. I had codeine &tramadol for when I needed it but hopefully yours will be sorted quickly

Thank you for the tip. Yes the GP said the amitriptyline takes a while to work. I wonder why they didn't give me any other pain relief in the mean time though. I'm doing exercises twice daily religiously! Do you remember how long it took for yours to resolve?

OP, I have cervical radiculopathy in my case I had a herniated disc at C6 C7 caused by a particular activity I was doing over time. I had very specific pain, ‘in’ through the back of my shoulder blade out at the side of the shoulder, then burning / squeezing down the outer aspect of my upper arm, flipping to top of forearm and back of hand. First and second finger numb. I had a private MRI which confirmed this. The only thing that has really worked well for me is amytrptiline, and at the peak when my neck was in spasm, diazepam and a bit of nurofen to manage the secondary inflammation. I’m six months in and its much much better but not 100%.
the only treatment is rest or surgery but the surgical option is reserved for worsening weakness, numbness, severe ongoing pain.
i would very very strongly recommend you try to access an MRI as soon as you can to ensure there is no underlying instability with your discs- I say this as its pretty obvious your neck was injured in the car accident- symptoms can take a few days to fully show up as the inner core of the disc starts pushing out more and more and causing secondary swelling etc. sometimes discs can become unstable towards the spinal cord which is potentially serious so I think you need to be seen urgently.

Also just to say as well the codeine didn’t touch the pain even on 240mg a day. My Consultant also advised against doing physio/exercises/chiropractic etc as he said the body needs to rest and heal and further movement can worsen the discs. Just try to keep moving normally, avoid anything that causes pain or increases the numbness/ neuropathy.

Thank you for responding. I am still in agony with it. I've been on the amitriptyline over a week now and up to 20 mg daily. Do you remember how long it took for the amitriptyline to help? I'm still taking the ibuprofen and occasional co-codamol but I'm worried about taking the ibuprofen too long. I'm back to see the physio on Thursday again. She never mentioned an MRI and when I looked online it seemed to only be recommended if it didn't resolve after a couple of mths but I'll definitely ask. I had private medical insurance until a few weeks ago when I changed jobs. My symptoms sound similar to you. My pain is in towards my inner shoulder blade, down the front of my upper and lower arm, wrist and my forefinger goes numb.

@MidnightEagle Ill be honest Its been slow and faltering progress with mine- it started getting better initially after about 4 weeks but I then set myself back to square one twice, by inadvertently doing something to weaken the disc again. If the physio has given you neck exercises I’m really not sure thats a good idea 🙁 The aim is to move as normally as possible - keeping mobile helps push fluid into the discs and as they don’t have any direct blood supply that’s really important for healing, however you have to move without causing any increase in pain or numbness so its a balancing act.
The things I found helped; - Warmth ( heat pads and showers); very gentle massage to the area (nothing deep); walking helped a lot, not sure why but it did; a cervical support pillow £20 of amazon- This provided a lot of relief; My consultant also recommended an inflatable cervical collar - about £25 again off Amazon this helped when it was at its worst; the amytriptiline took a few weeks I think. Please fo consider asking your GP for a few days of diazepam- my neck pain was significantly worse when my neck went into spasm and the diazepam relieved that.
i really feel for you as slipped discs are much less common than in the lower back and its disabling, but people think its just a bit of a ‘trapped nerve’ NO!! Please consider discussing with your GP being referred for an MRI and be aware of worsening symptoms- that would warrant a call to A&E or 111 at the least.

Thank you so much. That is really helpful. I'm currently sitting with two hot water bottles and it definitely helps. I have already invested in a cervival pillow of Amazon although I don't find it very comfy. I'm going to have a look at that inflatable neck collar too. It definitely feels like the muscles go into spasm at times and they get so painful and right. I feel better when I'm walking too. Sitting and lying down are the worst! Yes I think you are right, I should probably speak to the GP again.

I'm waiting on an MRI , osteopath fairly sure I've got some kind of either disc or spine degeneration in neck area - caused me huge back of head headaches plus some light headed ness and weakness down one leg along with pins and needles. Occasionally in hand too. If I could walk around all day I would be relatively fine and I'm reasonably ok lying down- it's sitting that I have a problem with - !!

Joining you here for solidarity in radicular nerve horrors.

I’m into week 7 of pain ranging from pins and needles to agony.

Chiropractor trying to work on it but this week it’s been set back and now I’m scared.

Thankfully I am doing much better now.
The amitriptyline really kicked in after a few weeks. I know it's still not completely better as I can still have sore days and my fingers still go numb but nothing like as bad as it was!! I can't believe how painful it was, one of the worst things I've ever had. What are you taking?

So glad you’re doing better.

amitryptaline x 2 for overnight, naproxen, paracetamol and codeine.

But it’s breaking right though it all.

Moved on from electric shocks down arm and a lot of shoulder pain before, to intense intolerable ache in my arm and shoulder.

days are sort of manageable but omg, the nights are just awful.

@WaityWTF could you have a disc issue in your neck? That's what my osteopath thinks it is- and I have almost identical issues. still haven't got an MRI appointment- am saving up for it privately-

Yes - chiro did an X-ray and there are two discs leaning towards one another, squashing the nerves.

The current plan is to try to realign them with manual adjustment, but it’s a slow road to get it to calm down enough to do that.

I’m worn out with pain.

@WaityWTF have you been refered for an MRI so that a specialist can evaluate the extent of the disc compression- this will not be possible to seen on xray alone.
sorry to be negative but I would not be having any type of manipulation on my neck with the symptoms you have - it could destabilise you disc further and risk spinal cord compression- my Spinal consultant told me not to have any manipulation at all when my C6/7 herniated last year.
On the positive side your body will most likely help itself- I’m 9 months on from my herniated disc and was in a terrible state, ended up in A&E at one point through shear desperation 🙁. I’m not almost completely pain free although still being very cautious about putting any strain on my neck.

@WaityWTF my osteopath wouldn't touch my neck until I've had an MRI - as he stated he could cause more damage until he knew the exact issue. You have my total sympathy- it's given me a double whammy of pain in my neck and shoulder and back of head with some lightheaded feelings and on/off pins and needles/unpleasant sensations and leg weakness and occasionally tingly fingers - I wouldn't say I'm in agony if I'm honest it's more very uncomfortable and pulling trousers up etc or putting bra on is a bit of a 'grimace' - it's bloody awful that we can't be seen within 2 or 3 weeks

oh dear. Now I’m worrying.

He’s being cautious, but even so.

Hoping GP will refer me for a scan but it takes forever to even get a phone call from them.

You would probably be better off using the osteopath money to see s private spine surgeon.

@Tethersend01 and @Crikeyalmighty I’ve now got an MRI referral on the way - thank you both for helping me realise it needed to step up a notch.

It’s been a really mixed week, a couple of days where it felt great and was barely tingling but now I’m back to absolute agony at night and numb fingers.

Not really coping at this point.

@WaityWTF interested in what the outcome is- my symptoms almost identical- do you get persistent back of head headaches as well??

Just to mention whilst waiting on it the osteopath told me to do light neck stretching excercise (online) and gentle neck turns

No headaches at all for me. Plenty of excruciating pain in my arm though.

Although I hate to think of anyone in pain these messages make me feel a little less like I’m loosing my mind! I rolled over in bed last Wednesday and I’ve been in agony since! Been on diazepam which made no difference and ended up in A&E on Friday as the pain is excruciating! Seen a physio today who think it’s an issue with C5 as I have neck and shoulder pain and no feeling in the tip of my thumb and the finger next to it. I’m taking ibuprofen, co-codamol and paragablin. I’m exhausted with the pain and super drowsy from the meds. The physio said no point going private for an MRI as the only treatment is pain killers and time no matter that the MRI scan says.
I’m a dance teacher and I’m so worried this is the end of my career!

I feel your pain tinydancer! I was in absolute agony at the start. How long have you been on the prevailing? The GP gave me amitriptyline and it started to help after a couple of weeks. My symptoms were the same as yours. I am feeling much better now and can go a few days without even thinking about it now!! It still isn't 100% and sometimes I still get the numbness in my finger so I am straying on the amitriptyline for now. Definitely one of the worst things I have ever experienced!!

Sorry that should say pregablin not prevailing

Amitryptaline still going in.

Things have been a bit better, but I’m sitting here right now with a hot water bottle on my arm because it’s really affecting pain sensation in my arm in time. Sleep is a bit better lately with a higher dose of naproxen and amitriptyline.

The GP wants me to have an MRI as well as the private Chiropractor. So we have an MRI queued up next.