Question
Hi, I am 32 years old and suffer from one sided (right side )pressure aches. I have a lot of pain in my neck and upper part of the right side of my chest that goes over my shoulder down my arm and to my hand. I sometimes get a numbing feeling as well. Also, on the right side of my head I get a lot pf pressure ( feels like somebody is pinching me and won't stop)and sometimes dizzy and irritable. I recently went to a neurologist and he ordered an MRI cervical Spine W/O Contrast. When I went to his office to get the results he had my picture up on his computer and told me there was nothing wrong and gave me the disk and the radiologist report. Later that day when I got home I read the radiologist report and it said otherwise ( I think) on the interpretation part it says "There is mild straightening of normal cervical lordosis that may reflect patient positioning or myospasm. The cerebellar tonsils are normally positioned above the foramen magnum. The cervical cord shows normal course, contour and caliber without region of abnormal intramedullary signal change. There is no evidence for syrinx or spinal canal mass by this unenhanced study. Heterogeneous dorsal CSF signal change is present in the upper thoracic levels is compatible with flow-related artifact only. No spinal canal masses or collections are evident. C2-3 through C5-6: No disc contour abnormality, spinal canal, or foraminal stenosis is identified. C6-7: Preserved disc height with posterior disc bulge but no focal contour abnormality of major protrusion". Please, Please tell me if this could be causing some or all of my symptoms. I have han an MRI, MRA and angiogram of the brain and they have all come back normal. I don't know what to do anymore it is affecting my life and is getting worse. Thank you in advance for your time.

Answer
Heidi,

Your symptoms suggest a nerve impingement at the C4/C5 level, the result of myospasm (muscle spasm), with possible involvement of the muscles between the ribs and those of the shoulder, where you are feeling the pressure.  Sounds like you have an accident/injury in your history.

If you were my client, I would be checking for muscle spasms in the indicated areas and would begin a course of sessions to retrain your control of involved muscles.  I would expect your symptoms to abate substantially with each session.  This procedure is not a "medical" procedure, but a brain-muscle training procedure.

You may read my article on mysterious pains at somatics.com/page4b.htm.

with regard,
Lawrence Gold