Question
I'm a high energy, healthy 47 year old.  I began having numbness in my left index finger and thumb in January after suffering a serious physical jarring impact in December.  I began physiotherapy 3x weekly including ultrasound, electrode stimulation and stretching exercises.  The physio indicated during the assessment that he "could not guarantee resolution of the problem".   He said avoid doing anything that causes the numbness (any physical activity creates the numbness).  After 6 weeks, only small progress on range of motion and no progress on the numbness, I saw my GP who ordered and x-ray and an MRI so I am on a wait-list for MRI. The numbness discomfort now seems small compared with the aching in my left bicep and shoulder.

At the end of March, I went to a local chiropractor with my neck x-rays and she began a series of 3x weekly neck adjustments with a couple of left shoulder blade/rib adjustments as part of the treatments.  After 11 adjustments, aside from some shockingly dramatic shooting pains during the adjustments, I have experienced no reduction in the index finger and thumb numbness...if anything the numbness is more consistently present and the pain in my bicep is at times unbearable.  

The chiro continues to tell me it takes time for the body to heal itself.  As of today, the chiro is suggesting that I begin some form of traction with a neck role pillow to help my body heal itself, but this is a position that only exacerbates the numbness. Before my injury in December, I very frequently slept with a neck roll only for comfort.  

Unchanged from January is the fact that I cannot lie on my stomach on a treatment table for 10 seconds without full left arm numbness and pain forming.  Also, in a reclined position or lying on my back, my head has to be propped forward slightly in order to avoid the numbness.

In addition to significant physical discomfort the numbness and pain are causing, I am suffering from increasing levels of  anxiety regarding the treatment I am experiencing and my prognosis.  

Thoughts?

Answer
Marcia,

I don't know what sort of "jarring impact" injury you sustained.  Nevertheless, your symptom profile is textbook cervical radiculitis, e.g. cervical spine nerve root irritation.    You need MRI to reveal the nature of it.    X-rays are okay for ruling out a fracture, but are pretty useless to diagnosis your condition.     I sure hope one of your doctors checked your reflexes and the strength of your arms (e.g biceps, triceps)  and hand/grip.    Your chiropractor is an idiot.   "Shockingly dramatice shooting pains" during the adjustment means:  STOP DOING THE ADJUSTMENTS!     The physio is only a half-idiot, because he is not a doctor and not licensed to diagnose I'll give him a break, but he should have stopped after two or three weeks when the treatment was proving to be ineffective.     Ask one of your doctors (preferably a clinically sound chiropractor):   1) is this a cervical nerve root problem?    2) if so, then is it just irritation to the nerve from inflammation, for example, or are there signs that the nerve root is compressed in some way?  Signs would include a loss of or diminished reflex, weakness to arm/finger muscles such as biceps or triceps.         At 47, and with you head/neck having to be flexed to avoid upper extremity symptoms, I'm going to guess your x-rays show some degenerative changes, and that your MRI will likely show a combination of bone spur formation and cervical disc bulging against your left exiting nerve root.   [you can google-image cervical spine nerve root or cervical radiculitis to get an idea of what I am talking about].    You must not force your spine to poke against your nerve and cause arm symptoms.   It's just going to make it worse.    Only if very carefully performed will joint manipulation be beneficial, and it depends on the kinesthetic skills of the doctor doing the procedure.   It should be comfortable, not "shockingly" painful.      You ultimately might need to see an orthopedic spine surgeon if your condition does not improve.  Fortunately, if you only have a little disc herniation causing all this havoc, there's a chance it might quite down and improve with time, and if not the surgical procedure for removal, "micro-discectomy," is a breeze for surgeons...like a 45 minute outpatient procedure.    You really need to have a more thorough physical exam and an MRI to know better what is going on.   For sure I can tell you that you do not need more electric stimulation or shocking manipulation....

'Best of luck with this.  

Dr. G