Insane neck pain

So, you’ve already got some early-stage degenerative changes going on in your cervical spine.
It's nothing to lose sleep over, honestly, but they are there.

I’m guessing you might have sped things up a little bit by hitting the gym with some pretty questionable form.

The test results might not look catastrophic, but this neck pain is absolutely draining me. It feels completely detached from my body. Once winter hits and I spend even fifteen or twenty minutes outside, the pain becomes intense and I lose all sensation there.

I'm concerned about how flat the curve looks when it should be curved.

Between sitting at a desk all day and years of heavy lifting in the gym, I’ve basically worn myself down to nothing.

What would you do if you were in my shoes? Would you look into physical therapy, chiropractic care, or even surgery?

1. Finish up the current treatment plan.

2. Honestly, stay far away from chiropractors—they might give you some quick relief for a nagging ache, but if they start messing with your cervical spine, you could end up paralyzed from your tongue down.☕
If you just keep moving with the same bad posture and repetitive habits, those symptoms are going to come crawling right back, even if the chiropractor actually manages to fix things temporarily.

3. Once you've finished that initial phase, go see a physiatrist if there’s any reason to believe you need one.

4. After the physiatrist does their thing, get an experienced kinesiology specialist to take a look at your training routine and tweak it accordingly.

5. Avoid neck surgery for as long as humanly possible—basically, don't even think about it until you lose the ability to move your hands or can't sleep through the night because of the pain.

Is it truly possible to end up paralyzed like that? I only went once, and she didn't touch my neck because I hadn't had any imaging done yet (which seems fair). A few of my friends have tried this too; they dealt with even more severe issues and were satisfied with results lasting years. For me, she worked from my lower back up to my neck, and it felt like a heavy weight was finally lifted from my lumbar region.

I’ve noticed many UFC fighters swear by it, so I figured I’d try this route before considering surgery.

Alright, I'll finish processing this. Should I take these findings to an orthopedic surgeon or a physiatrist next? I'm a bit worried my doctor will just give me the usual "it's fine" response, which isn't exactly helpful.

Regarding the neck, surgery is a non-starter for me. However, my knees and shoulder will likely need medical attention, as there's simply no other way to fix them.

My doctor handed me two referrals: one for a physical therapist regarding my neck, and another for nuclear medicine.

What’s your take? Is this the right move? Also, can a physical therapist actually fix neck alignment? She mentioned that the loss of curvature in my spine is the most concerning part...

nimblemoose2 said:Is it actually possible to end up paralyzed from that? I’ve only gone once, but she didn't even touch my cervical spine since I hadn't had any imaging done yet (which is fair enough), and a few of my friends who have had sessions—some with much more severe issues—were quite satisfied with results that lasted for years. In my case, she worked from my lower back up to my neck, and there was this noticeable sense of relief, almost as if a heavy stone had been lifted from my lower back.
I’ve also noticed that many UFC fighters swear by it, so I figured I might try this route before considering surgery.
Anyway, I will finish processing everything. Should I take these findings to an orthopedic surgeon or a physiatrist next? I am concerned that my doctor will just give me the usual "it's fine" response, which isn't particularly helpful.
Regarding surgery for my neck: absolutely not. However, my knees and shoulder will likely need medical attention, as there really isn't much else that can be done there.

It is entirely possible to suffer paralysis or even a stroke. One should stay far away from chiropractors or unlicensed practitioners who perform improper manipulations and cause irreversible damage to patients.👎
This situation calls for high-quality physical therapy and targeted exercises that must be performed consistently. Additionally, lifestyle changes are essential.

Grace Davis77 said:It is absolutely possible to suffer paralysis or even a stroke. Getting away from chiropractors and unlicensed practitioners who perform improper manipulations can prevent irreparable damage to patients. 👎
This is a situation that requires high-quality physical therapy and consistent, targeted exercises. A lifestyle change is also necessary.

Thanks for the reply; I wasn't aware of those risks.

My first physical therapy appointment is set for October 25th at 3:00 PM. My issue is that I start my new job in a week, and it looks like I'll be working the second shift from 3:00 PM to 11:00 PM for the first few months.

When you mention a lifestyle change, what specifically do you mean? Less sitting, or perhaps more movement throughout the day that isn't necessarily structured sports?

nimblemoose2 said:Thanks for the reply. I had absolutely no clue about that.
...

Well, you can't claim ignorance anymore. We all told you to steer clear of chiropractors—hopefully, that finally sinks in.

Now that you actually have some free time, head over to the clinic for that physical therapy appointment. Use a little charm and negotiate a slot that doesn't mess with your work schedule. If you play your cards right, they’ll almost certainly work with you.

steelwalker26 said:You can't claim ignorance anymore. We all warned you to steer clear of chiropractors; hopefully, that lesson finally sticks.

Next time you have an appointment at the physical therapist's office, try being charming. Ask them to adjust your schedule so it doesn't clash with work. They will almost certainly accommodate you.

Well, okay. I went once and that was it. Luckily, they didn't perform any neck manipulations, so everything turned out fine. I went once, and I won't be going back.

Unbelievable. I could barely manage to book that one. My only option is finding a private specialist, but here in Indianapolis, there are hardly any available, and the wait times are even longer.

nimblemoose2 said:Unbelievable...

I’ve already got one person at home who reacts to everything I ask just like you do. Then, when it turns out it actually *was* possible, they just mumble some vague nonsense and learn absolutely nothing—only to do the exact same thing next time. A perpetual pessimist who just wants to dodge everything. 😵Are you telling me you prepared ahead of time to skip your appointment?

When you're physically sitting in the clinic, the nurse can flip through your files, you listen to the mandatory whining about how overworked they are, and you might manage to nudge your appointment time. Or you take a few hours off or grab a sick day and call it a day. Especially when you aren't even sure what your schedule is going to look like yet.
Don't bother with private doctors; you won't be able to bill those frequent check-ups and tests through insurance. Excuse me if we don't have a passion for throwing money down the drain.

So, about six months ago, I started dealing with this weird throat pain—pain when swallowing, dryness, a constant feeling like there’s a lump stuck in my throat, some clicking sounds, and even trouble breathing depending on how I was sitting. At first, I just figured it was a nasty cold or a sore throat that wouldn't quit, but since it never actually got worse, I just kind of got used to it. Finally, after half a year of this, I made an appointment with my doctor. His first thought was diabetes, so he ran some tests, but that came back clear. Then he sent me to an ENT for a deep dive into my throat and over to endocrinology to check my thyroid hormones. The ENT looked everything over and told me my throat looks absolutely perfect—which is wild considering I've been in pain for six months straight—and my thyroid levels are fine too. He just shrugged his shoulders; honestly, it felt like he thought I was pulling his leg. He did suggest I get a neck ultrasound and a few other things done. But once he mentioned the ultrasound, something clicked. I remembered that just a couple of days before the symptoms started, I ate something spoiled and spent the entire night vomiting like my life depended on it—probably twenty times. I’ve never pushed myself that hard in my life, and I spent most of the next day hiccuping uncontrollably. Is it possible that from all that strain, something in my neck shifted or snapped and is pressing against my throat, making it feel like the issue is actually in my throat?