Question
Hello,

I would like your opinion and have given you as detailed a background as I thought was relevant. I'll be happy to supply more info. if needed.

In my early 20's I was in an auto accident in which our car was stopped at a red light and a pickup truck hit us going about 60 MPH. My seat belt came lose and my head was smashed against the front window bending my neck back. At the time I was treated by a DO who gave me whirl pools, stretched my neck with weights, used tens and hot packs with muscle relaxers. I had no trouble since that time until recently. That was 30+ years ago.

About ten years ago, along with my increased weight, HTN, High CHO, hypothyroidism, polycystic ovaries, and subsequent Hysterectomy. I noticed I was getting a hump on my neck. But it didn't bother me.

3 yrs ago I had another (Very Stupid )accident where I was in a vest with a large rope tied to the front. My children and I were pulling back on the rope while my husband was topping a 60 ft tree. When the tree top fell it caught the rope and jerked my torso forward causing my neck and arms to get thrown back. Initially I felt no pain but after a couple of days of self treatment with motrin and hot baths because I felt stiff, my left arm became numb then was on fire.

I never had such pain in my life. At first it radiated from my neck down the inside of my arm crossed at the elbow and hit the lateral part of my hand. Eventually my whole arm felt like I had it in a blazing fire. My GP put my on muscle relaxers, steroids and eventually Morphine.

Those 2 weeks of my life I don't remember at all. When I came up from the morphine fog the pain was still there but I didn't care. Eventually AMA I weaned my self off until my brain functioned again.

I was sent to an Orthopedist who said I had 4 hurniated disks in my thoracic and lumber regions and stenosis with arthritic changes in my upper cervical area. BUT the herniations were too small for him to bother with. And he left the room. I was crying in pain holding my left arm because by this time it wouldn't move on its own and the fire was back. Granted not as bad as it had been but I was terrified that it would come back full force. He did absolutely nothing.  No script, no referral, nothing. As I left his office I called my GP who set me up with a pain DR.

He was wonderful. He saw me the next day. After seeing all my tests and listening to my story, he explained his plan to me. I received 3 steriod shots in my cervical vertebrae. It was like a miracle. My pain completely went away and hasn't been back since.

I know this was a long story but I think the background is important. 2 months ago I noticed my little finger on my left hand would contract for no reason and stay that way for a few seconds. It doesn't curl up when it contracts but stretches up and lateral. Then last month my thumb  started doing the same thing. Neither did it together nor for very long and they would go back to their original positions on their own.

This week they have gradually both started contracting for almost a minute at different times during the day and I have to use my other hand to get them out of the contraction. They are contracting harder then they had been and it is sore afterwards.

They mostly do it when I'm sitting at the computer or lying down reading. But today they also did it when I bending down at the washer and dryer or doing dishes.
I also must tell you the back of my neck has been sore and since the last accident my dowagers hump has gotten bigger. But I had a bone scan recently and it was perfect.

Any ideas?  What is it and what type of tx should I expect.
Should I be worried? Who should I try to see about this if anyone?

Right now I taking 600mg of motrin every 8 hr. and icing my neck about 15 - 20 min. when it starts to get sore. Both help with the neck soreness but doesn't stop the left hand contractions.

Thank you for your time and input,
Vicki

Answer
Dear Vicki,

WOW...sounds like you have been through the ringer.  Concerning the most recent episodes of muscle contraction in the hands, this is most likely due to the nerve roots in the neck as they supply the sensory and motor function to the fingers, however with your history of spinal stenosis, the actual front part of the spinal cord could be part of the problem.  The other thin we have to take into consideration is the previous diagnosis of disk problems in the neck...this can easily cause problems such as you have identified if the disk material is pressing on the cord or nerve roots.

Now, my best educated guess on treatment with a physical examination would be traction protocols.  This can be performed with either decompression types of traction or more low tech gravitational based traction units.  For decompression, there are multiple units available such as the DRX 9000, Accuspina, Spinal Aid, Lordex, Vax-D, etc... If you choose this route, just make sure that you are not overcharged.  Some doctors charge $5000.00 or more for these protocols, which is ridiculous.  you should pay somewhere between $2500.00-$3000.00 for one of these programs, and everything such as exercise, ice, traction, and stretching should be included in that price.  

Concerning low tech traction, which can be equally effective, First the traction would be light and concentrated on removing gravitational pressure on the structures of the disk, and then I would progress to a directional traction to work on the neck curve. Decompression will not help the neck curve, however directional traction techniques can. This can be performed in numerous ways, and there is a device called the posture pump that you can actually utilize at home to aid the process, but I would suggest a new physical exam process first with new x-rays of the neck before any traction protocol is started.  

Chiropractic physicians are the only doctors who go through these certification processes, and they are also the profession responsible for 90% of the clinical research on the subject.  We often find that radicular complaints such as yours respond very well and pain reductions are noticeable too.  Now, I would further suggest that you do not let just any doctor start you on a traction protocol, but make sure you get one who is certified in structural correction of the neck.  How do you find one?  Check out www.idealspine.com, or www.pettibonsystem.com for doctors certified in structural remodeling, or doctors going through the certification process.

Hope this helps Vicki.

Respectfully,
Dr. J. Shawn Leatherman
www.suncoasthealthare.net