gbear Posted September 19, 2005 Share Posted September 19, 2005 So on my last day in Guam, I started itching like crazy along my collarbone and neck. I thought it was an alergic reaction since I'm alergic to citrus, and everything in the pacific seems to a have a lemon squeezed over it. However, I got home, and it had been a week so I thought i should go see the doc. To make matters worse, it had spread to the right side of my face and tongue, but now it was more alternating pain and numbness. The inconsitancy is really annoying. It's like the dead feeling of numb, but hyper sensitive to pain. even shaving is a painful experience now, but letting the beard grow and touching it when it gets to the itchy point...not a good alternative. The doc said he thought it was either shingles or a pinched nerve. Well, it's been 3 more days (10 total) with no visible rash, so shingles is out. The doc had given me medicine for both, so I stopped taking the shingles stuff. However, instead of a steroid or a muscle relxer, he gave me an antidepresant. I stopped taking that too after 2 days. It made me sleep 16 hours a day, and the warnings on it said I couldn't just stop because it would alter my brain chemistry. I can live with the pinched nerve, it's just annoying, but I can't opperate on the drugs. So I stopped before I could become addicted. What ever happened to vallium (though I liked that experience way too much to trust myself on that drug for any period of time)? Anybody else had a pinched nerve? What did you do, and how long did it take to get better? Physical therapy? Steroids? Right now, I'm just taking advil. If it doesn't get a little better in the next few days, I guess I have to get on a waiting list for a neurologist appointment. Is that correct? The funny part is I go to get a crown today at the dentist. I'm kind of looking forward to being numb. I just wish I was getting a crown on the right side of my face instead of the side whee I feel okay now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyDave Posted September 19, 2005 Share Posted September 19, 2005 Oh pinched nerves Not people who get on my last....... When I was on some of the hard meds I'd get the pain that felt like a needle being jabbed in the lower neck and shoulders and it was said to be pinched nerves and not a liberal with a voodoo doll of me. mine went away when we bought a new bed, I spent less time at the computer and picked up my exercise routine as well as 325 mg of aspirin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbear Posted September 19, 2005 Author Share Posted September 19, 2005 :-) Yeah, I was traveling so it wasn't any one bed unfortuantely. It was probably hauling my bags around...yeah I may have been stupid (and not just by being a liberal). It's just the entire side from the collar up feels like my arm when I sleep on it...dead weight. The only difference is I can still move my face and collar and it's all hyper sensitive to minimally painful stuff. I think it's kind of fun to touch my face and feel with my face skin with my fingers. It's kind of odd to only feel one side of that touch knowing I should feel with the skin on my face as well. That part is kind of neat. I just can't understand how I can feel pain shaving that is much more accute than it normally is and not feel other touches. Glad to hear it just went away for you. Hope I am as lucky. Thanks, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsNut73 Posted September 19, 2005 Share Posted September 19, 2005 I had a pinched nerve in my lower back. Obviously not the same area you are concerned with, but what worked for me was 4 Advil every 4 hours to help with the inflammation. That would ease the pain...but what really helped eliminate it was physical therapy. Twice a week I would go for like 30 minutes and they would work on me, plus I had exercises to do at home. Within 2 weeks there was a very noticeable improvement and by the end of 4 weeks it was gone. Still comes back from time to time now - mostly due to poor posture - but I just do the exercises they gave me and get back to normal rather quickly. Hope you feel better gbear! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buju Posted September 19, 2005 Share Posted September 19, 2005 Very painful to have a pinched nerve as you can attest to. I have one in my neck and a few years ago, after about two weeks of excruciating pain in my neck and left shoulder, I went to an orthapedic surgeon who my family has used in the past. He had already seen me about this issue so he decided to put me on a course of the steroid prednisone, the one where you take 6 pills the first day, five the next, and so on. Basically, if I didn't get any relief from the prednisone, then we'd be looking at a more invasive treatment. Luckily, though, the prednisone helped almost immediately and has been much better since, although I still have to watch how I sleep, exercise, etc. Hope this helps and good luck with whatever treatment you pursue. HTTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chomerics Posted September 19, 2005 Share Posted September 19, 2005 I've had a few of them in my neck and they absolutely suck. The first time it was a prescription of percocet, heat and relaxation. The second time it was percocet and steroids. Neither required physical therapy, but that was the next resort (pain reliever/steroid/therapy) either way, I know what the pain is like, and it comepletely sucks. Good luck with it Gbear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted September 19, 2005 Share Posted September 19, 2005 My brother swears by his chiropractor, I simply take motrin or advil and try to work on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.