Pinched Nerve - Holy Sh*t!!!

[Quad-smack]

About 6 weeks ago I was lifting on a Saturday at my gym. Standard workout, nothing heavy for chest, triceps & calves. On the way home I felt a little pain in my right trapezius. I didn't think much of it until later that night, it became just about unbearable. I got enough ibuprofen in me & tiger balm on it to be able to rest. Of course I thought it was just a muscle pull and would go away in 2 or 3 days. Wrong. Over the next 2 weeks the pain migrated from my right trapezius to the right side of my neck then to between my spine & scapula and finally down & around to my rhomboid. In all my years I have NEVER had anything like that. The pain was about a 6 to 7 on a scale of 1 to 10. 600mg Ibuprofen would bring this down to a 3 or 4. I hate taking Ibuprofen so this has got to be bad. Finally this past Monday morning it is so bad I can barely sit still. I decided I had to see somebody.
I tracked down my Chiropractor that had moved his practice years ago. I got lucky enough to find a guy with what I call "the gift". He was a Physical Therapist and had a change of heart. He is not a "holistic" but a structural practitioner. What he does works and if he doesn't feel he can help you, he refers to an MD or Orthopedist. A little unusual for a DC - but he has my respect & trust.
Okay, back to the story. X-rays showed my C-5 vertebrae rotated way out of place and pressing on nerve roots. He tells me that since I live an hour away that he will do his best to get the rotated vertebrae back in place in 2 sessions. I just blinked and said "Okay". I really didn't think it was possible, but I was willing to piss on an electric fence at that point if it would have helped. He just proceeded to work on me - manual adjustment, e-stim, cryotherapy & Biofreeze.
After the 2nd treatment yesterday, I woke up today 90% pain free! I am supposed to wait until Monday to resume normal lifting again. I am hesitant to really load up for a while but high rep sets will make me sore, I'm sure.
Quad-smack happy

 

[Force245]

I feel for you Quad, going through simial with low back. Talk about sucking not being able to do deads or squats that one is used to... One little pinched nerve and it makes you feel like a litlle sissy girl...

 

[inoverdrive]

Thank God for ibuprofen. My lower back gets that way once in a while.

 

[Thor]

SO........

DO you know exactly what caused this and how to avoid it happening again?

 

[Quad-smack]

I have absolutely no clue as to what caused it. My DC said it could be one of a thousand different things or a combination. He gave some examples like sneezing with my head turned, coughing, lifting something biomechanically incorrect, sleeping in an awkward position, and on and on.
What I have learned is to not wait and try to tough it out but get it seen about at the first signs of a problem. Yeah, I know - duh!

 

[Quad-smack]

Update

Well, at a very challenging time in my life, things got cranked up.
Turns out that an MRI revealed I have 2 herniated cervical discs. C-5/6 on the left and C-6/7 on the right. The left one appears to be old and self-resolved the one on the right is moderate but not ruptured. The bad part is I have motor-neuron impairment. I have about a 70% loss of strength in my right tricep. We are trying agressive therapy, traction and anti-inflammatories to decrease the herniation. At about 6 weeks it seems that it can become permanent impairment or at the very least difficult to recuperate from. I am meeting with the Neurosurgeon next week to decide if I must have surgery.

I am having a hard time sleeping and eating as well as not training at all. I have lost 20 lbs in the last 4 weeks. In January I was worrying about filling out my delts and bringing up my calves for the competitions this year. Now I'd like nothing more than to sleep through the night and not hurt so bad that I can't stand or sit still more than 30 seconds. How fast our objectives in life can change. Everyone out there that is healthy - appreciate it and thank God for it - don't take it for granted.

 

[pesty4077]

Well, at a very challenging time in my life, things got cranked up.
Turns out that an MRI revealed I have 2 herniated cervical discs. C-5/6 on the left and C-6/7 on the right. The left one appears to be old and self-resolved the one on the right is moderate but not ruptured. The bad part is I have motor-neuron impairment. I have about a 70% loss of strength in my right tricep. We are trying agressive therapy, traction and anti-inflammatories to decrease the herniation. At about 6 weeks it seems that it can become permanent impairment or at the very least difficult to recuperate from. I am meeting with the Neurosurgeon next week to decide if I must have surgery.

I am having a hard time sleeping and eating as well as not training at all. I have lost 20 lbs in the last 4 weeks. In January I was worrying about filling out my delts and bringing up my calves for the competitions this year. Now I'd like nothing more than to sleep through the night and not hurt so bad that I can't stand or sit still more than 30 seconds. How fast our objectives in life can change. Everyone out there that is healthy - appreciate it and thank God for it - don't take it for granted.

How true, we under estimate the health God has given us. I'll pray for you speedy recovery!

 

[sdstealth]

Good luck, brother. You'll come through this.

 

[Quad-smack]

Thanks everybody, need all the good thoughts and prayers I can get now.
I will say that even now there are so many others out there that are less fortunate and need prayers more than me. Today at my gym I was feeling pretty sorry for myself when this fella drives up and parks in the handicap acces parking spot. He begins to drag stuff from the back seat around and begins to assemble his wheel chair outside the drivers door. Didn't have anyone to help him and couldn't even walk. Needless to say, I began to realize what an ungreatful schmuck I've been lately...

 

[bigheinz]

Good to know you are in good hands witch is very difficult to find and you are recovering.

Best