Anybody got a shoulder? I'm a bit freaked out. (sorta long)

[LeftyMom]

I've had problems with my neck for the past few weeks, I thought at first I had just slept wrong but my hands have started going numb and there's an obvious bulge at the base of my neck. My mother has degenerative disk disease and had to have a steel rod put in her neck, my late maternal grandmother had a rare desease called torticolis that effects the neck. (Dont' worry if you haven't heard of it, it's pretty rare, here's a link. http://www.torticollis.org/ My grandmother had the rotational variety and her head stayed turned to one side unless she used her hands to turn it.)

I showed my mother my neck today and she gasped. When I mentioned my hands going numb (this was the first sign of my mother's problems) she started crying. I was trying to treat this like no big deal, as if I just need to see a chiropractor for a few adjustments and work on my posture. My mom thinks I'm going to wind up crippled like she is. Secretly, I'm afraid she's right.

That's the other reason I'm freaked out today. My mother isn't quite fifty but she's got a lot of health problems. mostly autoimmune stuff. When she opened her door today she had a blanket wrapped around her like a shawl, and her hair was so thin you could see through it. She looked like a cancer patient or an escapee from a concentration camp. I'm really scared for her long term.

My mother looks like she's dying and I'm afraid I'm following in her footsteps.

edited to fix spelling and add a link

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. Suggestion:

Go. See. A. Doctor.

Stop freaking yourself out, unnecessarily, on suppositions.

For your own sake.

[BlackVelvetElvis]

2. I agree.

Don't diagnose yourself. Go to a doctor.
Get mom to go too.
Let us know.

[LeftyMom]

6. Mom *lives* at the doctor

She's at the point now where she has several different specialists she sees for different problems in addition to her primary doctor.

[LeftyMom]

4. I'm calling in the morning nt

[qanda]

3. Here's my shoulder

I don't have any advice, but I hear it your post that you're very afraid. I will keep you in my thoughts and my prayers. :hug:

[Briarius]

5. I agree, get thee to a doctor post haste!

Worrying won't help you get better, it will only make things worse.

[StaggerLee]

7. Try not to panic

Get some rest and go see that doctor as others have already mentioned.

Keep us posted.

sL-

[serryjw]

8. Two separate issue.

You first need to find out what is wrong with you? When it comes to anything spine related get several opinions.
As for you mom., what is wrong with her. There is a lot of alternative stuff on the market to boast the immune system. As a Breast Cancer survivor with arthritis and asthma, I will not take meds. They solve one problem and create 3 others. I believe the body will heal if you give it what it needs, meds is not it.

[LeftyMom]

15. I really don't want to violate Mom's privacy.

DU is searchable via Google and I don't want to list all of her diagnosies since she's still trying to work and may need to conceal the extent of her medical problems to get a job or insurance in the future.

I can mention the spinal problem since the surgical scars show so there's no point in trying to hide that.

[serryjw]

18. Understand...Good luck and let me know if I can help

[man4allcats]

9. Don't make yourself crazy.

Just see your physician (your M.D. - not your chiropractor). You'll make yourself sick with worry until you do. If you really are seriously ill - and you don't know that - then the sooner you start treatment the better. If you're not so seriously ill - and you might well not be - then the sooner you find that out the happier you will be. Above all, don't let denial get in the way. Whatever it is, you need to deal with it now!

[n2mark]

10. Go see a doctor

I am the last person in the world to tell you but do it!

[shance]

11. Im glad you shared.

I wish I had some sage advice, other than my support.

Unfortunately I don't know anything about torticollis, but I do know what it's like to be worried and upset over the unknown, which I think many of us can relate to these days.

With so many things being out of balance right now it would make more than enough sense that some stressful symptoms have shown up for you and/or your mom. However, I would imagine and hope that they could likely be more stress related than anything.

With that said, if you can make it to the doctor and/or chiropractor, it would be a very good idea and would probably give you some more information (and relief) about what is occuring which could relieve some of the stress you're carrying around.

Also, I hope you have something or someone in your life that brings you some comfort and joy. I hope your mother has something or someone as well. Heck, DU is a great "something" and as you can see, there are individuals who do care.

Again thank you Leftymom for posting and btw, your post was not long at all.

:)

[DulceDecorum]

12. From this distance

the only concrete thing I can do for you
--other than to tell you that fingers are crossed for you--
is to recommend feng shui and cooking with stainless steel pots
instead of Teflon or aluminum.

[sandnsea]

13. oh you poor thing

Of course you're freaked out. Who wouldn't be! :hug: Maybe there's new treatments to help people in the early stages these days, you never know. I wish you all the best. Tell us what you found out TOMORROW after you see the doctor. :)

[LeftyMom]

14. I won't get to see the doctor tomorrow

I have an HMO, it will probably be weeks before I can see my primary physician and get permission to see a specialist.

[sandnsea]

16. Oh you have to stomp your foot

You have to cry. Go into the office, sit and refuse to move. This is unacceptable. It's pschological abuse! Tell them you will need therapy every single day to cope with the trauma until you get to see the doctor. That's more expensive than a doctor's visit. I hate our medical system.

[undergroundpanther]

17. I had torticollis

before.
I had the numb hands and all.I woke up with it out of the blue one day.I was like 20 years old..I went to the doc and I was given muscle relaxants and something for anxiety that was compatible with the muscle relaxants..It made me pretty tired and out of it for awhile. My head was stuck to the side,bent,so I just held it up on my shoulder,I had no choice because my neck was stuck that way. I could not move it up or turn it without searing pain. So if I wanted to look around I had to rotate my body. It was a pain in the neck and the ass.
It was all stress.It took about 2 weeks to ease up.3 weeks until normal.
But it was weird and scary. I have PSTD so I know I get stress alot.I take better care of stress than I used to.But stress can damage your body and wreck havoc with your emotions too if you are unaware or in denial about it..

[ikojo]

21. This is simply not true. I have worked in the insurance industry for

many years. Call your primary care doctor's office, tell them you would like to see him/her TODAY or ASAP. Get across to them the urgency of your situation and that you are FREAKED OUT.

All doctors leave time for emergency/sudden office visits during the day. You may not get in at a convenient hour but you will get in.

As far as seeing a specialist, yes, that may take awhile unless your primary care doctor knows someone who can get you in this week or next week. It always takes time to see a specialist. Your primary care doctor will handle getting a referral IF ONE IS NEEDED. You must first be diagnosed by your primary care doctor.

[u4ic]

19. I echo all those on the board

and see your doc asap.

Please don't take this as medical advice...but I have a fair amount of problems with my neck since a bout of whiplash and more riding (horse) falls than I care to remember.

I've been seeing chiropractors for a number of years (24 to be exact) and have come to know MY body well. I've had times where a rib was out, or certain parts of my neck, and my arms/hands would be affected. I also have muscles in my shoulders that my SO swears are bones;) , the muscles are so tight and knotty. I hope that yours is just a huge knot, as that's where mine are usually located (and I can definitely feel them).

Best of luck to both you and your mother, and I hope everything will be ok. :hug:

[miss_kitty]

20. you may want to look into acupunture for you and your mom

it's amazing.

That said, see an MD like everyone else has said.

Good luck to you and your mom.

[LeftyMom]

22. I got an appointment with my primary care doctor

I'm not nuts about her, so if she dismisses my concerns today I'll get a new doctor. I'll let everybody know what she says and if I get referred to a spinal specialist, which is all I really want her to do.

[LeftyMom]

23. I'm okay- just a muscle spasm

I got muscle relaxers and something for the pain. The doctor says if I don't feel significantly better in a week of two she'll set me up for physical therapy. I have no signs of nerve damage, but if I don't respond to the muscle relaxers or physical therapy, we'll look into other possible causes. She's pretty sure that's it though.

Mom also had an appointment today, she got a second opinion about a recommended neck surgery (her third) and the doctor she spoke to today thinks she may not need it. She sounds pretty upbeat. I'll find out more later, she was just coming in the door when I called.

Thanks for listening, DU. :)

[u4ic]

24. Glad to hear you're ok : )

And here's hoping your mum will be too.

[livinginphotographs]

25. Catching it early is probably the most important thing.

And watch your mom with those doctors. I had my mother go through so many doctors over the years telling her that the reason she was falling down was needing new glasses, possible multiple sclerosis, all in her head, etc. until they discovered it was a cyst on her optic nerve. One of the many reasons I'm a bit skeptical of doctors.

Sometimes, a second or third or fourth opinion is a good idea.

[BikeWriter]

28. Thanks for the good news! We needed it! :-)

[shesemsmom]

26. I would not hesitate to see a doc

could be delay will make it worse. Your poor MOM> Has she ever had injections at a pain clinic or do they not recommend them for her condition. Last summer I had a stiff neck that lasted 2 weeks and I believed I would die, I understand some of what you are going through. Please see a Doc ASAP!!!!!

[Aristus]

27. My shoulder is always yours, LeftyMom.

:hug: Poor, sweet baby. :hug: