Question
Last week I had some tension in my neck and back and was making stretching movements to relieve it.  While in conversation with a friend I heard a loud popping sound which came from my neck.  It was so loud that my friend heard it from across the room.  I felt no pain when I heard the sound.  About 20-30 mins later while driving I started to feel severe pain in my neck to the point that I had to pull over.  I bought a neck collar that evening but it did not help much.  When I woke up in the morning, my neck felt better until about 2 hours later, the pain returned and got more severe as the day wore on.  I then took some Scutamil a muscle relaxant and pain killer which did not help me much.  The following morning, I woke up with my right palm red, itchy, burning sensation.  The heat from the water in the shower felt excruciating on the red areas.  When I got in my car, I could not manage the heat from the steering wheel, I had to get some cloth to hold in my hand to hold it, my right palm felt like it was on fire.  This finally subsided during the day, but the neck pain was still present.  I started taking Voltaren instead with some Tylex and got some pain relief. (My physician recommended stopping the Scutamil as she thought that I may be allergic to some base in the medication).  Two days later, I started experiencing the same redness, burning, hypersensitivity to heat, in different areas of the same hand, my left hand and finally four days later, in addition the burning sensation in my palms and fingers, my right arm was tingly, burning and also two patches of skin beneath my buttocks were burning and swollen. I should also mention that when the skin is red and burning it is also swollen.  I have been to the orthopaedic surgeon and he thinks I need physiotherapy only for my neck pain, but he does not seem concerned about my skin symptoms.  I suggested to him that it could be some sympathetic nerve irritation, but he says that the level of my neck where I have some pain, there are no sympathetic ganglia present.  C3 is what I believe he said.  I have not been eating any new foods in my diet or using any new skin products. I have no known allergies. Could the pop in my neck have damaged a nerve causing these sensations? If so, which nerve? Do I need to do an MRI?  Thank you for your help, I have been in pain for 1 1/2 weeks.
PAIN IN NECK

Answer

Dr Ron Grassi. Jupiter Hi Nicole: Wow.!  Well, I an very surprised the Ortho did not order an MRI yet. Did he even take Xrays.? Any prior trauma to your neck EVER that you can recall.? The neck "pop" and immediate onset of pain puts you into Traumatically Induced catagory.Your symptoms sound like the Autonomic Nervous System may be involved. Almost like Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy or RSD. I want to rule that out. You may have perused the spinal cord causing a Myelopathy.We need to differentially diagnose Myelopathy from Radiculopathy/Neuropathy. First, go to a Neurologist ,MD.(No Chiro. adjustments yet.!). He will order am MRI and probably do an EMG Nerve test. Let's get this data and move on from there first. Please, no sudden movements of any kind untill MRI results. No exercise. Your case is very interesting. Please keep me in the loop. By the way, I actually treated Bob Marley in Miami back in the early 80's. Dr Ron Grassi,DC.,MS.Jupiter,Florida. www.DrGrassi.com