Bracing Archives

pain along anterior neck / occipital lobe area / rt.eye

I have pain, sometimes at a level ten that radiates in
the rt. neck up to the occipital lobe region and sharply
contiunes into the rt. eye, sometimes into the right eye.
The pain radiates also into the shoulder at times. I do have
metal inplants in the shoulder also that secure a slap repair.

Now I had two rt. shoulder surgeries within a year prior to this but was advised it is neck related. Had MRI of previous C5C6 surgical area that included allograft and plate for degenerated disks, that was totally remarkable.
This surgery was three years ago and in my opinion extremely successful.

I have gone to a pain management specialist Dr Gosy in
Buffalo and he had treated me with some facet? blocks
and trigger shots. Some rlief for short period of time.

My questions are: could there be an allergic reaction to the metal post in the shoulder since all this ocurred after the shoulder surgery and inplants. Is there any history anywhere you may know of dealing with inplant rejection in the shoulder involving the posts used for slap repairs, or
could it be Occipital Neuralgia, C2 entrapment or is this too complicated to answer??? Hope you can help. Quality of life is a bit poor due to the pain especially when it is in the head. Thanks!!!

Follow Ups:

• Re: pain along anterior neck / occipital lobe area / rt.eye (Archive in bracing Walt Stoll 06:05:40 7/27/03 (0)
• Re: pain along anterior neck / occipital lobe area / rt.eye Happygal 18:55:33 7/26/03 (0)
• Re: pain along... Im in BUffalo, recomnd this doctor for manual medical help... leon cavallo 14:22:30 7/26/03 (0)

In Reply to: pain along anterior neck / occipital lobe area / rt.eye posted by Rick Rydza Buffalo NY on July 26, 2003 at 08:28:20:

HI

sorry to hear of your problems. i feel very bad for u-- any level of consistant pain is BAD, but level ten at times-- wow, very sorry for you.

dr stoll will answer your question im sure with regard to unlikely allergy to surgical grade stainless steel and abot the other materials perhaps.

i am in the Buffalo area and made the rounds for years with a neck injury after high speed car accident. Perhaps you might consider a visit or two with Dr Guan in Amherst. You will not need to become his patient or go on and on seeing him. What he does is to look at "alignment" of small joints and structures about the neck, spine, and other joints. He does this from the point of view of Chinese hands on medicine ("manual medicine," tuina) AND from the point of view of western osteopathic alignment. He learned the chinese medicine back home in china, where is an MD and a docotor if traditional chinese medicine. and he learned the western osteopathic stuff at University of Michigan Medical School twenty five years ago. ALthough his place is called an acupiuncture clinic (presumably for the insurance reimbursement this accords in NY state), he uses hands on medicine, not needles. What he does is to make slight, minor, "re-positionings" of structures out of place. Guans work is DIFFERENT from chiropractic in its ease and soft tai chi-like movements.

You could make an appointment to see him, when he will assess you and tell you if he thinks he can do anything. In most cases, as in mine, this slight re-positioning dramtically and suddenly ends pain and restores function and circulation. I understand that your situation is unique, and far advanced, and then changed, given the surgery and applications, but see if he can help.

this guy is a real resource of unique skill.
good luck
tell him a young Swedish guy with long blond hair sent you

Dr Guan's Acupuncture Clinic
646 N. french rd
West Amherst NY 14228
564 0922

now, might you consider a more holisitc program to remove the pain triggers from your diet
and
improve the health of your digestive system to free up enough healing resources for your body to improve your neck situation ? :) if so, you have stumbled on to exactly the right place

really, good luck

ps when i was in the pain management mode, when i first took a small step away from my regular neck doctor and taking 25 ibuprofin pills a day, i tried Dr Gross's pain management office...didnt see Grosy at that time...Gross has some good things to offer-- pain relief wihout drugs and without a lot of taxxing work or anything.

In Reply to: pain along anterior neck / occipital lobe area / rt.eye posted by Rick Rydza Buffalo NY on July 26, 2003 at 08:28:20:

Hi Rick,

I'm not an expert on post-surgical pain, but what I'm hearing sounds like referred pain from trigger points. Have you had any deep tissue massage in the entire neck, shoulder, back, and head area, including trigger point therapy? You might consider trying this. If it is a factor, you may need to work with a therapist over time.

Skilled relaxation would also be likely to help greatly.

What did your chiropractor say?

Best wishes,
Happygal (Certified Massage Therapist)

In Reply to: pain along anterior neck / occipital lobe area / rt.eye posted by Rick Rydza Buffalo NY on July 26, 2003 at 08:28:20:

Hi, Rick.

This is chronic bracing of the right trapezius muscle. If you look at the anatomy of the nerves of the head, you will understand why the squeeze of the occipital nerve (which pierces the trapezius, so frequently causes eye pain on that side.

Listen to Happygal and Leon.

In the lopng run you must stop the bracing and there are more options in the archives about that. The long term solution is serious SR but short term, Rolfing or Hellerwork and Alexancer technique would help a lot.

Ths chances are that this trapezius muscle bracing was a major cause of why you had the surgeries in the first place. See the spinal archives.

In my opinion, more of the same kind of treatment you have been getting will only lead to a lifetime of pain.

Let us know what you learn and how you do.

Walt