Question
My son has been x-rayed and Dx. with spinal disc deterioration of C 5&6 . His pain has not been relieved with Chiropractic manipulation or antiinflamitories.
It has been suggested that it is not bad enough for surgery ,yet. Is there anything available that could help him? He would like to avoid surgery all together. His work is as a meat cutter and Seafood Manager for a SuperMarket. This work requires a lot of bending and reaching into a show case or cooler, with a lot of neck flexion and arm extention at the same time, this produces severe sharp pain shooting up his neck and into his head even radiating around to the sides of his head.
Your input would be grately appreciated.
Thank you for your help.GM<:(((><

Answer
Dear Gail, thank you for your question.
You are right, it sounds like his job is a major contributor to his pain right now.
I am not surprised that anti-inflammatory meds don't help. They treat the symptoms, but not the problem. Chiropractors try to adjust the spine, forcing the disc back in place, but often times the force is too great or in the wrong direction.
I recommend that your son find a certified McKenzie therapis (Physical Therapist specializing in spine care), to thouroughly evaluate him and design a very specific exercise program. This will allow him to control his pain, slowly correct the problem and eventually eliminate the pain.
Go to http://www.mckenziemdt.org website for the McKenzie Institute. They have a locator site and he can find someone in his area. The American site also has a toll free number.
There is also a great book out, 'Treat your own neck' by Robin McKenzie, you can find it at http://www.optp.com I believe it is $10. It has a lot of great information.
It is immportant that your son gets relief soon, to avoid surgery.
I hope this helps. Good luck, Heidi