Cervical Spondylosis ruminations

wow idk8000, i am impressed, i wouldnt know where to start looking, how do we know which of the three we are?. it would be good to go to my gp with something concrete next week. that being said i am anxious about my appointment next week as aunty em knows. as it has been going on so long i dont know what to say any more, they say nothing else can be done, do we as auntie em's brother has done and put up with what we have or do we fight to find out more, and do as a few of you have done and do their research for them.

Just a quick response to questions on the thursday thing. Generally speaking, thursday is guaranteed headache and I can verify tomorrow. Re mon, tues, wed....it makes no difference. I could be active and working or I could be pampering and inactive. The only times it seems to skip thurs and happen on a friday is maybe when I've over-rested, say with a cold or flu or whatever. But it reverts the next week to thurs. In some ways I'm glad that it's mid week and not weekend because it would ruin my respite time and headaches always feel worse when contrasted with other people having a good time. I can write off thursdays with no remorse!

That headache problem sounds dreadful. It must take a lot out of you psychologically as well as physically. I think a big problem with the NHS and c/s is that c/s seems to affect everyone slightly differently and our doctors much prefer the pigeon hole approach of designating you to some box labelled 'feed more painkillers'.

Just lately I have developed a new side-effect. Not headaches (thank goodness!!) but my hand tends to shake when holding things like hot cups of coffee. Has anyone experienced this at all?

Chris - stick with it - c/s can make your life very difficult at times but you must be patient, with yourself more than anyone. I'm not sure how long you have been affected for but I've had 3 years of it and still find myself trying to adapt.

Thursday tomorrow Gerry! Good luck and I hope your worshipping isn't too painful. That trigger thing you mentioned sounds interesting - I must do some digging around. You should google Jordan Maxwell - he takes a 2 hour lecture on hidden meanings - great way to waste some time

Em your family gatherings must be a right laugh with you, your husband and your brother fighting over who does the dishes :D I can hear the groans from here!!

hi mike, i have suffered with this PAIN IN THE NECK literally for 17yrs, so i have given it time and time and time, so much time and i have waited long enough. it has got to the stage that every year its seems things get worse, and where is the help from the nhs???? nowhere at all to be seen. i must say that if it wasnt for this website i would be a wreck, you have all been so much help.

well Chris i'm very sorry for thinking you were a newbie at this. 17 years!!!! Good god! I first went to my doc when I was 14 but never suffered until 3 years ago (suffered as in lost ability to cope)

Have you got progressively worse?? A gradual thing? I guess I'm trying to work out what is in store for me even though I know its a condition that varies from person to person.

I feel bad now cause Gerry has dibs on ruminations and maybe doesn't like to be interrupted but needs the attention :D Please do not worry - sarcasm and humour don't cross the interweb

[quote:655be7ca98=\"ldk8000\"]Aunty Em, since you first said that CS was probably a broad-based diagnosis, I've been doing some research. And I think you're probably right. If you look at most British websites, they refer to CS as a \"medical term used to refer to the general 'wear and tear' that occurs in the joints and bones in the neck as people get older\". That's from the NHS website. But American websites phrase it differently: The Mayo Clinic says CS \"is a general term for age-related wear and tear affecting the joints in your neck\" and the NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases describes spondylosis as \"a general term for arthritic breakdown of the intervertebral joints and spinal discs\". The Ochsner Journal contains a detailed article by Dr Voorhies, a New Orleans-based neurosurgeon, which includes the following key sentence: \"Cervical spondylosis is a general and nonspecific term that encompasses a broad spectrum of afflictions but, for purposes of clarity, can be organized into three clinical syndromes...\" He then goes on to describe these three syndromes. If you (or anyone else) can't find these websites, drop me a PM.

Gerry, I used to think there was a two week cycle to my CS but that cycle could sometimes be broken. Aunty Em's question about what you're doing before the change is similar to a thought that was in my head. If Thursday tends to be your bad day at the moment, are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday particularly active days for you? And is the seven day cycle ever broken?[/quote:655be7ca98]

Hiya idk,

I can't take the credit for the 'broad based diagnosis' think it was probably one of the mods Dr Spock.

Been doing some reading myself, and, it appears there are two specifics surrounding CS one is due to 'mechanical disorder' eg: bad posture, poor seating at the computer, heavy unbalanced loads. Number two is 'degenerative disorder' eg: general wear and tear of the discs and vertebra.

I would probably place myself in both categorises, as my age puts me in the degenerative stage and the prolapse came under the 1st catagory.

Oh and Mike, my husband is sooooo forceful, he insists on doing the dishes (he he, I can't see any smillies)

Emxx *smile*

[quote:4dd272aa23=\"ldk8000\"]Aunty Em, since you first said that CS was probably a broad-based diagnosis, I've been doing some research. And I think you're probably right. If you look at most British websites, they refer to CS as a \"medical term used to refer to the general 'wear and tear' that occurs in the joints and bones in the neck as people get older\". That's from the NHS website. But American websites phrase it differently: The Mayo Clinic says CS \"is a general term for age-related wear and tear affecting the joints in your neck\" and the NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases describes spondylosis as \"a general term for arthritic breakdown of the intervertebral joints and spinal discs\". The Ochsner Journal contains a detailed article by Dr Voorhies, a New Orleans-based neurosurgeon, which includes the following key sentence: \"Cervical spondylosis is a general and nonspecific term that encompasses a broad spectrum of afflictions but, for purposes of clarity, can be organized into three clinical syndromes...\" He then goes on to describe these three syndromes. If you (or anyone else) can't find these websites, drop me a PM.

Gerry, I used to think there was a two week cycle to my CS but that cycle could sometimes be broken. Aunty Em's question about what you're doing before the change is similar to a thought that was in my head. If Thursday tends to be your bad day at the moment, are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday particularly active days for you? And is the seven day cycle ever broken?[/quote:4dd272aa23]

Hiya idk,

I can't take the credit for the 'broad based diagnosis' think it was probably one of the mods Dr Spock.

Been doing some reading myself, and, it appears there are two specifics surrounding CS one is due to 'mechanical disorder' eg: bad posture, poor seating at the computer, heavy unbalanced loads. Number two is 'degenerative disorder' eg: general wear and tear of the discs and vertebra.

I would probably place myself in both categorises, as my age puts me in the degenerative stage and the prolapse came under the 1st catagory.

Oh and Mike, my husband is sooooo forceful, he insists on doing the dishes (he he, I can't see any smillies)

Emxx *smile*

[quote:6447fbaf1a=\"ldk8000\"]Aunty Em, since you first said that CS was probably a broad-based diagnosis, I've been doing some research. And I think you're probably right. If you look at most British websites, they refer to CS as a \"medical term used to refer to the general 'wear and tear' that occurs in the joints and bones in the neck as people get older\". That's from the NHS website. But American websites phrase it differently: The Mayo Clinic says CS \"is a general term for age-related wear and tear affecting the joints in your neck\" and the NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases describes spondylosis as \"a general term for arthritic breakdown of the intervertebral joints and spinal discs\". The Ochsner Journal contains a detailed article by Dr Voorhies, a New Orleans-based neurosurgeon, which includes the following key sentence: \"Cervical spondylosis is a general and nonspecific term that encompasses a broad spectrum of afflictions but, for purposes of clarity, can be organized into three clinical syndromes...\" He then goes on to describe these three syndromes. If you (or anyone else) can't find these websites, drop me a PM.

Gerry, I used to think there was a two week cycle to my CS but that cycle could sometimes be broken. Aunty Em's question about what you're doing before the change is similar to a thought that was in my head. If Thursday tends to be your bad day at the moment, are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday particularly active days for you? And is the seven day cycle ever broken?[/quote:6447fbaf1a]

Hiya idk,

I can't take the credit for the 'broad based diagnosis' think it was probably one of the mods Dr Spock.

Been doing some reading myself, and, it appears there are two specifics surrounding CS one is due to 'mechanical disorder' eg: bad posture, poor seating at the computer, heavy unbalanced loads. Number two is 'degenerative disorder' eg: general wear and tear of the discs and vertebra.

I would probably place myself in both categorises, as my age puts me in the degenerative stage and the prolapse came under the 1st catagory.

Oh and Mike, my husband is sooooo forceful, he insists on doing the dishes (he he, I can't see any smillies)

Emxx *smile*

[quote:4754b220f4=\"ldk8000\"]Aunty Em, since you first said that CS was probably a broad-based diagnosis, I've been doing some research. And I think you're probably right. If you look at most British websites, they refer to CS as a \"medical term used to refer to the general 'wear and tear' that occurs in the joints and bones in the neck as people get older\". That's from the NHS website. But American websites phrase it differently: The Mayo Clinic says CS \"is a general term for age-related wear and tear affecting the joints in your neck\" and the NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases describes spondylosis as \"a general term for arthritic breakdown of the intervertebral joints and spinal discs\". The Ochsner Journal contains a detailed article by Dr Voorhies, a New Orleans-based neurosurgeon, which includes the following key sentence: \"Cervical spondylosis is a general and nonspecific term that encompasses a broad spectrum of afflictions but, for purposes of clarity, can be organized into three clinical syndromes...\" He then goes on to describe these three syndromes. If you (or anyone else) can't find these websites, drop me a PM.

Gerry, I used to think there was a two week cycle to my CS but that cycle could sometimes be broken. Aunty Em's question about what you're doing before the change is similar to a thought that was in my head. If Thursday tends to be your bad day at the moment, are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday particularly active days for you? And is the seven day cycle ever broken?[/quote:4754b220f4]

Hiya idk,

I can't take the credit for the 'broad based diagnosis' think it was probably one of the mods Dr Spock.

Been doing some reading myself, and, it appears there are two specifics surrounding CS one is due to 'mechanical disorder' eg: bad posture, poor seating at the computer, heavy unbalanced loads. Number two is 'degenerative disorder' eg: general wear and tear of the discs and vertebra.

I would probably place myself in both categorises, as my age puts me in the degenerative stage and the prolapse came under the 1st catagory.

Oh and Mike, my husband is sooooo forceful, he insists on doing the dishes (he he, I can't see any smillies)

Emxx *smile*

Back again (3+ weeks since last post). You're probably asking yourself \" What new outlandish theories are fermenting in his addled brain, this time\". So here goes.

This one concerns the effects of the body's natural defences when dealing with a chronic painful condition like c/s. The body produces, naturally, a selection of it's own painkillers - dopamine, seratonin, andrenaline etc. and uses them selectively when a situation or an emergency requires us to feel no pain. this most likely happens when we incur a serious injury (shock) or when we need to sleep to recover from injury. We don't feel pain when we sleep because these chemicals mask the pain.

However, with a chronic condition, like c/s, there is a limit to how much the body can produce naturally to allow us some respite. A healthy person would only need these aids ocassionally, whereas someone with c/s would have a constant need...every night. This obviously constantly drains the tank and I believe that this is one reason why c/s is usually most painful in the mornings. The reserves of natural painkillers have been used up helping us to sleep and the process of manufacturing these chemicals must begin again in the morning, until there's enough there to take effect...some hours later. Of course, if we take artificial painkillers constantly, we may negate the natural manufacturing process, temporarilly, and therefore would have nothing to fall back on if we stop taking them...until the body's natural defences kicked in again. Could be days, even weeks...I'm guessing.

The processes of these natural painkillers is well recorded, such as shock after a serious injury, and the same theory should apply to chronic c/s....think of it as being in constant shock, but not serious enough to warrant a constant supply of natural painkillers, except for the priority of having to sleep. So, we use more than our fair share to enable sleeping, constantly, and this leaves the body with the task of replenishing daily ( something which may have it's own side effects, such as fatigue). Our natural protective systems are working overtime to protect us and possibly leaving us feeling knackered!

One thing that this theory suggests to me is that if we just use a painkiller that is specific to pain free sleeping, at night, it might just mean we have more reserves of natural painkillers in store, in the morning, to help ease the day ahead. Again, guesswork, but I feel an experiment coming on! In other words, instead of thinking of painkillers as useful when we are most in pain, think of them as useful when we seem to need them least...when we're sleeping, thus reserving our days production of natural chemicals for use next day. Just a theory, at the moment, but something that maybe hasn't been tested properly before...I don't know.

On the pillow front, a few weeks ago I got a cervical pillow, as recommended by Aunty Em, and I have to say it's had positive effects. I'm still assessing and will report again in a few weeks. It took a couple of days to get used to it, but then there were less aches in the morning and more energy throughout the day. As I said...still assessing...I wouldn't want to make any misleading claims.

Gerry

Gerry

As you started the 'ruminations' thread thought it was only right you had the [b:fd229cefda]100 post[/b:fd229cefda] :lol:

I think I may be in the minority regards sleeping, since I started Amytriptyline over 12 months ago, I have not lost a nights sleep. Taking into account the op which is a very, very painful experience (for me anyway) I haven't lost any sleep, in fact if anything I find it difficult to get up in the morning, a totally new experience for me.

I will have to take a look see at pain controllers, as I believe it may be a bit more complicated for a layman to understand, I do know there are pain gates, topical pain and another one that I've totally forgotten ( sorry having a senior moment :lol: ) just wondering if the hypothalamus may be involved too.

Emxx

This is such an entertaining and thought provoking thread....I hope you don't mind me reading along, Garry and all... :roll:

I just wanted to tell you that so much of what you are saying and feeling is so familiar to me...I feel like i have found people that can see inside my head!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you.......Jas.... :D

Hi.

Welcome onboard and thanks for adding to the feel good factor.....and....Don't let any of those thoughts, that have been provoked , get wasted!

[quote:59100db951=\"Gerry the neck\"]Hi.

Welcome onboard and thanks for adding to the feel good factor.....and....Don't let any of those thoughts, that have been provoked , get wasted![/quote:59100db951]

Thank you, Gerry.... I think way too much...thats half my problem i think.... :wink: Maybe i will need my own ' Jassy's musings' thread..... :lol:

Hope you have a good day...Jas....

:D

Hi Gerry.... It's thursday here in Aust. so I'm just sending you my thoughts and well wishes for a headache free day!!!! :D

Jas...xx.. 8)