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What Causes Pain In Neck And Upper Back Radiating To Hand?
Question: I am 58 yrs old (male) according to my x-ray report Osteophytic Lippings are seen in cervical vertebrae.Intervertebral Disc Spaces are reduced and rudimentary cervical rib seen on both sides...features favour cervical Spondylosis.What should I do to get cured???? My height is 5 feet 7 inches and my weight is 75kg... it often pains severly from the back of the shoulder and the pain is transmitted through my right hand.....plz suggest that what should be done.....
Brief Answer:
Need muscle relaxants.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for posting your query.
Pain in neck and upper back with pain radiation to the right hand is suggestive of a nerve root compression at the cervical vertebral level due to degenerative disc changes or cervical spondylosis. It happens primarily due to degenerative changes secondary to age in the cervical spine. Past neck injury may also contribute to the degeneration.
MRI will help in the proper diagnosis and evaluation of the nerve damage.
Treatment includes
1. Use of cervical collar helps in immobilisation and brings relief.
2. Medical drugs like pain killers - acetaminophen/ibuprofen and muscle relaxants might be helpful.
3. Methylcobalamin supplements are also recommended for nerve compression symptoms.
4. Cervical isometric exercises are beneficial to maintain the strength of the neck muscles. Neck and upper back stretching exercises, as well as light aerobic activities, also are recommended under the guidance of a physical therapist.
5. Hot fomentation helps in relieving acute symptoms.
6. You can avoid using a pillow.
As you try these measures, I also encourage you to consult an orthopedician for both evaluation and to avail stronger prescription medications like muscle relaxants and stronger pain killers for proper relief. Rest of the medicines that you are taking are alright.
In case there is no relief with regular medicines then surgical treatment needs to be considered.
I hope this answers your query.
In case you have additional questions or doubts, you can forward them to me, and I shall be glad to help you out.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Dr. Praveen Tayal.
For future query, you can directly approach me through my profile URL http://bit.ly/Dr-Praveen-Tayal
Need muscle relaxants.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for posting your query.
Pain in neck and upper back with pain radiation to the right hand is suggestive of a nerve root compression at the cervical vertebral level due to degenerative disc changes or cervical spondylosis. It happens primarily due to degenerative changes secondary to age in the cervical spine. Past neck injury may also contribute to the degeneration.
MRI will help in the proper diagnosis and evaluation of the nerve damage.
Treatment includes
1. Use of cervical collar helps in immobilisation and brings relief.
2. Medical drugs like pain killers - acetaminophen/ibuprofen and muscle relaxants might be helpful.
3. Methylcobalamin supplements are also recommended for nerve compression symptoms.
4. Cervical isometric exercises are beneficial to maintain the strength of the neck muscles. Neck and upper back stretching exercises, as well as light aerobic activities, also are recommended under the guidance of a physical therapist.
5. Hot fomentation helps in relieving acute symptoms.
6. You can avoid using a pillow.
As you try these measures, I also encourage you to consult an orthopedician for both evaluation and to avail stronger prescription medications like muscle relaxants and stronger pain killers for proper relief. Rest of the medicines that you are taking are alright.
In case there is no relief with regular medicines then surgical treatment needs to be considered.
I hope this answers your query.
In case you have additional questions or doubts, you can forward them to me, and I shall be glad to help you out.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Dr. Praveen Tayal.
For future query, you can directly approach me through my profile URL http://bit.ly/Dr-Praveen-Tayal
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
i AM ALREADY WEARING A CERVICAL NECK....AND WHATEVER YOU HAVE HAVE RECOMMENDED HAS BEEN ALREADY DONE......BUT STILL THE PAIN IS CONTINUING....HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO GET RELIEF AS I AM CONTINUING PHYSIOTHERAPY AS WELL AS TRACTION.....FOR THE PAST 10 DAYS......i HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED 15 SITTINGS OF PHYSIOTHERAPY.....
Brief Answer:
May need surgical treatment.
Detailed Answer:
Hello.
Thanks for writing again.
You need muscle relaxants and medicines to reduce swelling like serratiopeptidase which you are not taking right now. Stop physiotherapy and continue only with cervical traction till the acute pain subsides.
Get an MRI scan done and consult a neurosurgeon to see if surgical decompression of the painful compressed nerves is needed.
Hope my answer is helpful.
Do accept my answer in case there are no further queries.
Regards.
May need surgical treatment.
Detailed Answer:
Hello.
Thanks for writing again.
You need muscle relaxants and medicines to reduce swelling like serratiopeptidase which you are not taking right now. Stop physiotherapy and continue only with cervical traction till the acute pain subsides.
Get an MRI scan done and consult a neurosurgeon to see if surgical decompression of the painful compressed nerves is needed.
Hope my answer is helpful.
Do accept my answer in case there are no further queries.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
can you please suggest me the name of a muscle relaxant and a painkiller?? and there is no swelling to be visible as mentioned by you in the previous mail....The pain completely vanishes while sleeping but it increases a lot when I get up in the morning.........so plz kindly suggest the names of few medicines (relaxants and pain killers)
Brief Answer:
tramadol and thiocolchicoside
Detailed Answer:
Hello.
You need to take tramadol and thiocolchicoside like Etogesic MR or Tolagin 4 twice a day after meals. The dosage regulation is done according to the severity of symptoms after a physical examination.
A swelling is usually within the disc due to inflammation and is not visible from outside.
Since the pain reduces with rest it means the problem is not very severe and is posture related.
Regards.
tramadol and thiocolchicoside
Detailed Answer:
Hello.
You need to take tramadol and thiocolchicoside like Etogesic MR or Tolagin 4 twice a day after meals. The dosage regulation is done according to the severity of symptoms after a physical examination.
A swelling is usually within the disc due to inflammation and is not visible from outside.
Since the pain reduces with rest it means the problem is not very severe and is posture related.
Regards.
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Shanthi.E
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