[discombobul8d]

I have had some numbness and tingling in both hands off and on for several years. My newest doctor tested me for Carpal Tunnel even though I told him I was pretty sure it was because of my neck. He had the results of my MRI in front of him from the day before so after he conducted the nerve test, he looked at those results and decided that it was indeed stemming from my neck. I have 2 bulging disks in my neck, one in my lower back close to a previous fracture of the L1 & L2 and several bone spurs down my spine. My question is: for the past 2 or 3 days, I can't seem to find a position of any kind to relieve the stress on the nerves on my neck and I just imagine how swollen those disks are right now. I am allergic to NSAIDS and I haven't found any relief. I was awakened at 3:30 this morning with the pain feeling like my fingers were going to split open. This only seems to include my 2 middle fingers and thumb on both hands occasionally affecting all my phalanges. It's been over 12 hours and the pain has not let up in my left hand and my right will start and go away within 30 minutes. Is there anything I can do to relieve this or anything they could possibly do at the ER? I can't work like this as I use my hands and this is too painful and causes me to drop things. I have had 5 injections in my neck to reduce the swelling and provide relief, but don't have insurance now to begin another series.

[Wondergirl]

Have you tried inversion therapy to decompress your neck and spine? You want your cervical vertebrae to open up so that the discs will slip back in, although if they are swollen, they would first have to return to near-normal size.

I suggest you visit a well-recommended chiropractor who could assess your situation and give you tips to help yourself. Work out a payment plan. Walk out the door if he tries to sign you up for the rest of your life or cure everything else that's wrong with you.

Shiatsu (acupressure) or acupuncture treatments might be very helpful too.

[mars918]

I also have a bulging disc in my neck (c5-c6). My doctor thought from the start it was carpal tunnel, and I do have carpal tunnel, but I insisted it was my neck. Got an MRI of my neck, showed the bulging disc pressing on my spinal cord, yet my Dr. still thinks it's the carpal tunnel. I insisted on my neck being treated first, so I started PT 2 weeks ago. Stretching my neck has been making it worse in my opinion. But cervical traction seems to help a lot. It feels so good. You might want to give that a try. A lot of people sell Cervical Traction units on eBay fyi. Good luck!

[unluckynut]

I'm right there with you, been there, done that. Floating in water will help, but sometimes that's not that easy to do, Hard to find a place you like. The shots you got in your neck were they call facets. There is another step to take its called radio-frequency-nerve blocks. They last longer each time you get one. The last one I received lasted over a year. It helped my tingling and my headaches, and neck shoulder pain. I know you said you have no insurance but this does help. Don't go to the chiropractor, they said too much stuff and go wrong. I have what you have but with one more thing my spine is fusing together also. In my cervical and lumber and thoracic spine. Its called D.S.I.H. desiase, or foresstor desiase. Good luck! I hope I helped a bit.