Dr. Timothy K. Durnin - 9/13/2007

Question
Hi Dr. Durnin,
I have pain in my mid back, left and right shoulder, shoulder blades,and clavical on the right side. I have pain that radiates down my left arm and also numbness and sometimes my arms and hands get cold. I have had dizzy spells and loss of strength in my left arm. I also have trouble sleeping due to the pain. When I stand or sit I get a feeling of pressure in my mid back and to relieve it I bend at the waist and my back cracks. Minutes later the pressure comes back and I have to bend to relieve it. The only time that my pain is somewhat bearable is when I am lying at an angle. I also have alot of grinding and popping in my shoulders and blades. Even my collar bone pops when the pressure is high. If you could give me any insight as to what I should be asking my doctors to test for or look into, it would be appreciated. Thank You!

Answer
Hi Julie,

Ask for an MRI of the neck and thoracic spine, this will show any suspected herniated discs, The symptoms in your upper extremities lend me to believe that there is a disc problem in the neck. This can cause swelling so the articular surfaces of the joints are unable to ride smoothly in place and they can "pop out" causing a pop sound. The MRI's would be my first start.

Good Luck!

Dr. Timothy Durnin