My neck has finally carked it!

[Garth Sch]

Hi Team,

After about 12 months or so I finally took the recommendation of many people on this board and saw a proffessional about my neck/ upper back condition (I'm stubborn, I know )

To recap, I had a roof collapse on my head 18 months ago (I'm a fireman, don't try these stunts at home). From there I've gradually had less and less ROM in my neck, and over the last 4 months I started to lose strength in my arms, particually when my arms where in overhead situations, where I would experience pins and needles in my hands and wrists.

It got to the point where I could no longer even down a downward dog in my 'yoga' practice that I realised I needed proffessional help.

So I'm seeing a physiotherapist twice per week, consisting of massage work through the traps, rhomboids and levator scap. Also having spinal adjustments from C1 to T4-ish. I was shocked that even after doing daily WW that my cerival spine was rock hard from C1 to C4. My prescibed exercises are tractioning the neck by pressing the head against the floor and levator scap stretches.

Anyway, all these adjustments are making my spine and associated muscles flare in rather intense pain. (I was in tears last week from it) My assesment is that a very chronic condition is now being made acute from treatment to allow it to heal (Need to discuss this further with physio)

Currently attempting to do WW with difficulty, I'm used to being flexible and now I can't straighten my arm above my head.

What really, really sucks, is that I've never had a good workout with my 15lb clubbells, I just don't have the shoulder/neck strength to do these exercises. :(

Any advice from the Tribe would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Garth

[KEVIN TEAGLE]

Garth,

has anyone taken any pictures yet, (radiographs, X-rays), Even if they were taken a year ago, degeneration can set in quickly from direct trauma, also a year is a long time for your body to set multiple levels of tension essentially turning your neck into a piece of stone. I hop you are not swinging that Clubbell® right now. Slow way down, and do warrior wellness gently so that you do not continue to traumatize your neck. Even if you are very tough, (which I suspect you are because the type of job you have) you will only increase tension and fear reactivity if you push it. Your therapy may be good but possibly too aggressive at this point. You had a year to build a strong reaction to a roof falling on your head. CAll me crazy but we were not designed to handle that kind of trauma. Your therapist may even have to slow down on the intensity of treatment. However you should know that any progress at this point after a year will be painful. Your previous strength is now being used against you. The residual muscle tension is no longer working for effeciency, it is trying to protect you from the next roof falling on your head.

Garth, please know also that I am only guessing and just throwing things out there because I cannot evaluate you in person.

your therapist may have to get deeper than the superficial muscles and get at the core of your cervical spine before progress can be made. The superficial muscles, (upper traps, levator scapula, supra and infraspinatus, SCM etc are most likely acting as a shield. Muscles such as the scalenes, anterior, middle and posterior, and myofascial tissues in this region, usage of light traction, and cervical paraspinals may be a better target. Once again Garth please take this with a grain of sand.

Take home message is that if you have damaged tissues that are in a stae of gaurding and myospasm, then any strengthening exercise will only strengthen your problem.

Have some more conversation with your therapist. You may already be on the right path and just need to give your body a chance to catch up, or maybe you need to change your therapy with less intensity or a different approach.

This is serious trauma and every effort must be made so that degeneration does not take over.

Humbly

Dr. Teagle

[fbleagh]

Wow that sucks Garth.

Hope you start to get better soon.

[Garth Sch]

Much appreciated Kevin,

Stu,
I'm still going to try to make training this weekend. It will be a social outing rather than any kind of training though.

I'll call you this week.

Garth

[JasonE]

Garth -

One step back... let the next step forward be a slow and short one. More will follow. Take care and good luck with your recovery.

[fbleagh]

Garth,

No worries, look forward to meeting you

[Joseph David]

Garth,

To throw in my two cents, sounds like you have a compression trauma to C1 atlas axis. Dr. Teagle is correct that the superficial stabilizing musculature is bracing from the reactive pattern caused by the trauma. Focusing on the bracing is only treating the symptom. To go deeper you need to look at the compression of the spinal cord in the foramen and its association with the atlas axis.

I had a client, several years ago, that was hit on the head with a book. The trauma incurred sounds exactly like what you’re describing. She did not get full relief until she saw a cranial specialist. This person was an osteopath trained in manual therapy. He did some work that relieved the strain pattern on the spinal cord. I honestly don't remember the DR's name; however, find an old school DO to get treatment.

Best wishes finding the appropriate care giver.

[StuMcD]

Hey Garth,

I look forward to meeting you on Sunday too.

I didn't have a roof fall on my head but have been suffering from a back injury that has only just started to come good recently after a year or so of work.

We can compare notes/sob stories on Sunday.

Good luck with the injury. Treat yourself gently and patiently.
Cheers,
Stu.

[Matt_OZ]

Hi Garth,

I'm terribly sorry to hear about your neck mate.

I hope it all starts coming together for you very soon.

Glad to hear you are seeking treatment.

Matt

[Garth Sch]

Just recieved my CT scan and new X-ray results.

Here's the diagnosis verbatim.

"C5/6:
There is a loss of disc space with posterior disc bulging. This is causing some narrowing of the spinal canal particually the left lateral, though no cord compression identified and the exiting nerve roots are clear.

C6/7:
There is evidence of a degenerate posterior disc bulge. This is causing some narrowing of the spinal canal similar to the level above but no significant neurological compression

C7/T1:
There is a small degenerate disc but no neurological compression

Comment:
Degenerate disc disease at C5/C7 and C6/C7
"

Hrmm, any advice from here?

Much appreciated,
Garth