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I have a dull to numb pain in the back of my head and i have been having neck pain and tightness along with both arm pain. what do you think this is?

By Anonymous August 25, 2010 - 5:01pm
 
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In 2003 i got into a car accident and 8 months later was diagnosed a bulging C3 disk. i went to physical therapy for 8 weeks and then they said i was better. i have had on and off pain since but this time i have had it for 9 months and it is not going away. my doctor said the only thing i can do at this point is get surgery, but he hasn't even taken an MRI.

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Expert HERWriter Guide Blogger

Anon - Thanks for your question. If I understand the information you provided correctly, you were in a car accident which resulted in the bulging disc and that physical therapy was prescribed. When medical care is paid through auto claims there are often efforts to minimize the amount of care provided and/or there are often dollar limits on the amount of care that can be provided. Is that the situation in your case? If so, you may want to seek care that is not attached to the insurance claim.

Are you certain that what you have is a bulging disc? According to the Mayo Clinic, a bulging disk simply extends outside the space it should normally occupy. The bulge typically affects a large portion of the disk, so it may look a little like a hamburger that's too big for its bun. Usually bulging is considered part of the normal aging process of the disk. A herniated disk, on the other hand, results when a crack in the tough outer layer of cartilage allows some of the softer material inside to protrude out of the disk. Herniated disks are also called ruptured disks or slipped disks.Bulging disks are more common, while herniated disks are more likely to cause pain.

You need to see an orthopedic specialist who will go through a proper diagnostic workup to determine what is causing the pain and what your options are for relief. The options may, or may not, include surgery. In the meantime, the following article has some tips that may help you in finding relief from the pain you're experiencing. http://www.webmd.com/back-pain/tc/herniated-disc-topic-overview

Has this helped? Let us know what you decide to do. We wish the best for you.
Pat

August 25, 2010 - 5:45pm
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