Question
Hi, in my early 20's after daughter born i started having feeling of white hot searing pain in shoulder muscle. on occasion i'd get a stabbing pain of white hot going up the neck & back of head to the crown. oh my gosh how it hurts!
it ususally last for a couple min but the shoulder pain in there continously. i have seen chiro off/on all my life. they say i have no curve in neck. no chiro has ever straightened me out yet. everyday i have some type of back pain. now i have pain in my arm frm armpit to wrist,,,top of shoulder @ rotarcuff. weak grip, arm weakness, sometimes the wrist look like a cyst & sometimes not. Please give me some advice. xray show nothing. should i see an orthopedic or different kind Dr.?
thank you for your advice

Answer
Hi Judy,

Unfortunately most DC's miss the boat when it comes to disc decompression techniques.
The symptoms you describe are consistent with a cervical disc herniation and will not respond to manipulation.
You will need to find a DC that does towel traction and sells home traction units that fit on the top of a door. When the doctor pulls on the rolled up towel under the base of your skull, the pain should go away immediately. This is proof positive the problem is in the neck, not the shoulder.
If the pain stays the same under traction, a cervical and shoulder MRI should be considered. I would lean towards cervical disc.
Call around and find a DC that knows how to do it, there are automated machines that are not covered by insurance that do the same thing, I would avoid them. If this fails, I doubt it will, then an Ortho consult is recommended. My hesitation for doing it now is based on predictive treatment. Epidural, rehab then surgery = permanent disability.
Keep in touch, I will even find a DC for you that is competent if after you try. Save this option only after you try first since I am very busy.

I hope this helps and Good Luck!

Dr. Timothy Durnin