Disc Bulge At C6 / C7 - Injection Or Surgery?


Dec 11, 2015

I have a 'notable' disc bulge at C6 C7, plus a minor bulge above, which is trapping a nerve root and causing impingement on the spinal cord. I have been in extreme pain for over 12 weeks and have been prescribed numerous medications which, apart from OxyContin, have provided little relief. I have had physio but they've said there's nothing more they can do for me. Arm pain is especially bad, pins/needles and thumb & 1st two fingers numb. My urine flow is compromised as it is very slow, esp in the morning / at night. I have now developed 'heavy' legs with pain in the left one (affected side) and occasional bad headaches with visual disturbance. The neck itself has become more painful at late and there is also more noticeable pain in the centre of my back which feels like someone is sticking a knife in. I am generally very tired as the meds affect my sleep - getting no more than 4 hours a night.

Been off work sick for about 8 weeks now but am on an absence monitoring procedure, so if I have any more time off following this long term absence my teaching job is at risk - this is causing much anxiety.

Been referred 'urgently' by my doctor to a consultant and am awaiting an appt any time.

Has anyone had similar symptoms and, if so, What treatment is likely to be recommended?

If injection, it worries me that it may not work for long then I'm off work again and will probably lose it. However, surgery carries it's own risks too.

I just can't go on like this. The pain is really affecting my quality of life now.

Sorry for the long post. I'm a newbie and wanted to provide as much background info as possible in the hope that someone else may have had a similar experience. What treatment was offered and how effective was it please?

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