cervical disk problem ?

[b***@yahoo.ie]

I have a history of cervical diosk disease. stiffness, and muscle
spasms.

Recently when cycling had a bad muscle spasm. Neck stiff for over a
week, movement gradually restored. Initially did not notioce any arm
weakness but after about a week noticed very little strength in left
shoulder, could not raise arm laterally, cannot lift above head
etc problem for driving etc. Have normal use of hands, forearms,
etc. no pins and needles, good sensation, skin warm and pink,
Sometimes get a sort electric shooting pain towards wrist when
extending atrm a certain way. Thats the only strange thing, which I
thionk (and hope) is more to do with nerve root compression.,
Occasional pain in shoulders after activity, and when going to sleep
at night. But most of the time no pain. Neck just a bit stiff, sore
sporadically now.

Have been examined, very limited reflexes in left arm normal
series of blood tests

Drs. will refer for MRI very soon

My questions are

1. Bearing in mind this is unilateral arm weakness, isnt this more
likely to be nerve root compression, rather than spinal cord
compression

2. If so, what is the chance of spontaneous improvement.

3. The mention of reference to a nuerosuregions outpatient clinic
fills me with horror As surgery comes to mind

Any advice appreciated

[Joe Jared]

Post by b***@yahoo.ie
Drs. will refer for MRI very soon
My questions are
1. Bearing in mind this is unilateral arm weakness, isnt this more
likely to be nerve root compression, rather than spinal cord
compression
2. If so, what is the chance of spontaneous improvement.
3. The mention of reference to a nuerosuregions outpatient clinic
fills me with horror As surgery comes to mind
Any advice appreciated

How do you sit when you're at the computer?
When you look at your elbows in the mirror, does one have a callous?
How often do you apply more stress to one side of the body than the other?

More often than not, we react to a problem by compensating for it, or
alternatively, develop a habit that causes a problem. My wife has neck
pain occasionally, and it all has to do with how she sits when she's on
the computer. If you can imagine the nerves in the body, imagine how an
unreasonable pressure is applied to the nerves in the elbow, and how they
could affect sensations in the fingers, and conversely, how this same
pressure could affect the shoulder over time.