Stabbing Pain Warrant

[warrantfah]

I am 50 year old female. November 2014 I started having what I thought was right shoulder pain and tingling in my right hand.
I was sent to a neurologist to test for carpal tunnel syndrome. The nerve induction test results came back negative, however my doc stated that I do have carpel tunnel. I asked him why am I having these sharp pains in my right shoulder area. He sent me to X-ray, MRI with and without contrast and the results were negative for shoulder damage.. My pain continues today. I have the stabbing pains on my right side 15- 30 times a day. I do not have to move my body, sit perfectly still and I get the pains. My right arm tingles more so in the morning. I feel my doctor is finally starting to listen, I am scheduled for a cervical spine MRI with contrast looking for "Cervical Radiculopathy" on 18 Sep 2015. Other symptoms are eye pain and depression.

My mother has been diagnosed with MS.

My questions are:

Will the MRI of my cervical spine be enough to detect lesions?

Is the brain MRI a separate MRI or can these MRIs be conducted at the same time?

[ElliotB]

Hi and welcome to TIMS. You should get both areas done and yes, they can be done at the same time.

[Scott1]

Hi,

Yes, get the scans. Also check for impingement in the shoulder. You have three big nerves running from your back down through the shoulder all the way to the hand. (median, Ulnar and Radial) If any of them are trapped they can create great pain and discomfort. Hydro dilation of the shoulder joint may help if the issue is not demyelination.

Regards

[warrantfah]

Thanks for the post. I am sitting here now feeling the stabbing pain. I am trying to stay positive. I am currently on active duty in the Army and I feel this diagnosis process is so slow.

[lyndacarol]

Welcome to ThisIsMS, warrantfah.

Your symptoms are consistent with many conditions; obviously, the more likely causes for your symptoms should be ruled out first, in my opinion.

Since it is estimated that 40% of the American population has suboptimal vitamin B12 levels (and a B12 deficiency is one of the possible causes for your symptoms), I hope that your doctor started his investigation by screening for B12 deficiency. Initial testing should include #1 a serum B12 test (or the newer, more reliable HoloTc test, if it is available in your area); #2 RBC (red blood cell) folate test; #3 a serum homocysteine test; and #4 a methylmalonic acid test. These tests are relatively easy and inexpensive – MUCH less expensive than the neurological testing. (By the way, do not take vitamin B supplements for at least 2 weeks before testing, as doing so will skew the test results and possibly disguise a deficiency.)

Currently, my personal opinion is that most of us are eating food, which has been sprayed with glyphosate, the main ingredient in the herbicide Roundup. Glyphosate strongly binds up many minerals (and also vitamin B12), making them unavailable for use in our body. Have you considered a short-term trial with diet? Perhaps 2 weeks or a month of an organic diet would reveal clues to the cause of your symptoms.

[warrantfah]

lyndacarol

I take a b12 supplement daily and I have been on an organic diet for the last thirty days. Apologize, I failed to mention this in my first post. I am doing my best to maintain my emotional health through the diagnosis process. Yesterday was a good day only had about 6 pains however this morning I am up to 15.

[lyndacarol]

I take a b12 supplement daily and I have been on an organic diet for the last thirty days. Apologize, I failed to mention this in my first post. I am doing my best to maintain my emotional health through the diagnosis process. Yesterday was a good day only had about 6 pains however this morning I am up to 15.

I am so sorry to hear that your pain is worse again this morning.

Please understand that I do not say that your problem is absolutely B12 deficiency, but because B12 problems are more prevalent than MS or some other conditions, I think this area needs to be explored thoroughly. Taking a daily B12 supplement now will make the serum B12 test unreliable (unless you stop and washout before testing).

Beyond the issue of testing… Let's discuss your B12 supplement. The B12 pathway is complicated: there are more than a dozen places along the way where the absorption of B12 in the digestive tract can be disrupted. For this reason, oral (swallowed) supplements are often not effective.

There is a sublingual (under the tongue) form of B12 (a.k.a. cobalamin) that can be absorbed directly into the bloodstream because of its tiny molecules (avoiding the digestive tract entirely). It is important to read the label; the cyanocobalamin form is widely available, but it is not readily absorbed by the body – it must be decyanated first. Methylcobalamin is one of two forms (adenosylcobalamin is the other) that is readily bioavailable. Ideally, you are taking methyl-cobalamin sublinguals. (By the way, as you may know, B12 is water-soluble (excess not used by the body is flushed out in urine); it is non-toxic, it has no side effects.)

Even when B12 makes it to the bloodstream (and it appears there is adequate B12 in the blood), if is not carried on the correct transporter (transcobalamin), it is unable to reach the cells and there can still be a B12 deficiency in the cells/tissues – a functional deficiency.

But even sublingual B12 does not work for everyone – for these people, injections are an option. The organic diet is a good choice, in my opinion. I have been following it too, for about 6 weeks.

Please accept my comments with their good intentions – we all have unanswered questions; there are no definitive answers; we share our ideas.

[warrantfah]

much appreciated, I will keep you updated

[warrantfah]

I was proactive, went to the hospital, retrieved the results. MRI with contrast of cervical spine,
Impression: reversal of usual cervical lordosis with disk space narrowing and discogenic sclerosis at C5-C6and disc bulging with central and right-sided disc herniation producing spinal stenosis and right sided foraminal narrowing. Mild bulging at C4-C5.
C4-C5, broad base disc bulging, narrowing at CSF space.
C5-C6, disk bulging and central disc herniation
My physician took 7 months to order this MRI,in the meantime I have been in pain, numbing and thinking I may have MS.
I immediately requested a full spinal MRI, however he was apprehensive .. I will get the full spinal on 2 October 2015,
Do physicians (neurologist) not hear us?

[lyndacarol]

I was proactive, went to the hospital, retrieved the results. MRI with contrast of cervical spine,
Impression: reversal of usual cervical lordosis with disk space narrowing and discogenic sclerosis at C5-C6and disc bulging with central and right-sided disc herniation producing spinal stenosis and right sided foraminal narrowing. Mild bulging at C4-C5.
C4-C5, broad base disc bulging, narrowing at CSF space.
C5-C6, disk bulging and central disc herniation
My physician took 7 months to order this MRI,in the meantime I have been in pain, numbing and thinking I may have MS.
I immediately requested a full spinal MRI, however he was apprehensive .. I will get the full spinal on 2 October 2015,
Do physicians (neurologist) not hear us?

Be very cautious about attributing your symptoms solely to a herniated cervical disc. This was just one of the incorrect diagnoses I received in the first year of investigating the cause of my symptoms – mine also was C5-C6.

I had a cervical laminectomy, which did NOTHING to improve my situation. In fact, with the anesthesia, stress, and long painful recovery, I now think this surgery probably worsened my situation in the long run.

Be sure, be very sure. Investigate all the possibilities.