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My neck/shoulder sometimes gets achy and this lasts a few days, I treat it with Icy Hot or Ben Gay lotion. Last Friday I woke up with a sore neck/shoulder and awful shooting pain down the middle and backside muscle of my upper right arm.
I went to an urgent care clinic and the doctor diagnosed this as cervical radiculopathy, cervicalgia neck sprain, strain of muscle, fascia and tendon at neck level, sprain of ligaments of cervical spine.
The doctor referred me to an orthopedic but due to the holiday this week, I haven't been able to go.
The doctor prescribed:
1. Naproxen, doesn't do much.
2. Cyclobenzaprine (muscle relaxer) this doesn't seem to do anything to help.
3. Methylprednisolone Dose Pack (steroids for a week), this might have helped bringing down some of the swelling but I'm still in pain.
What should my next step be? I've got to travel for work on Monday and that has me worried since my right arm is painful to use.
I was going to go back to the urgent care center, maybe they can refill the same 3 prescriptions? Is it dangerous to be on the above drugs for 2 weeks?
Remember, no one can diagnose or offer you treatment here on CD.
Having said that, what worked best for me was at-home cervical traction...a simple device with weights that you use for a period of time...stretches the cervical area to release the "pinch".
You should get that ortho appt asap...urgent care might refill the meds but not likely the steroids...you mights need xrays, MRI etc.
My neck/shoulder sometimes gets achy and this lasts a few days, I treat it with Icy Hot or Ben Gay lotion. Last Friday I woke up with a sore neck/shoulder and awful shooting pain down the middle and backside muscle of my upper right arm.
I went to an urgent care clinic and the doctor diagnosed this as cervical radiculopathy, cervicalgia neck sprain, strain of muscle, fascia and tendon at neck level, sprain of ligaments of cervical spine.
The doctor referred me to an orthopedic but due to the holiday this week, I haven't been able to go.
The doctor prescribed:
1. Naproxen, doesn't do much.
2. Cyclobenzaprine (muscle relaxer) this doesn't seem to do anything to help.
3. Methylprednisolone Dose Pack (steroids for a week), this might have helped bringing down some of the swelling but I'm still in pain.
What should my next step be? I've got to travel for work on Monday and that has me worried since my right arm is painful to use.
I was going to go back to the urgent care center, maybe they can refill the same 3 prescriptions? Is it dangerous to be on the above drugs for 2 weeks?
Thanks,
SB
Urgent Care did what they are supposed to which is essentially triage the condition and get you pointed in the right direction.
You need to see a Spine Specialist Ortho or Neuro.
You stated above that none of the medications prescribed did much for you so what would be the point of going back to Urgent Care to get the same meds refilled??
I'm sorry - I feel your pain! I woke up once with all of my neck/shoulder muscles completely frozen - I couldn't move my head up or down or side to side and the pain was unbearable. I did the same as you with a doc in the box and they gave me drugs that helped slightly but didn't address the problem. I ended up going to a chiropractor but it took a month for the issue to work itself out with the treatment. I would imagine PT would work as well, but it won't be a quick fix.
I will tell you this - when I have back issues, I take anti-inflammatory drugs like naproxen or ibuprofen not so much for the pain relief as for the anti-inflammatory properties and I ice down the sore area. The ice really helps shrink any swelling and relieves the pain better than heat IMO.
I hope you feel better soon! I am just now recovering from a lower back issue from earlier this week and the pain and limitations are frustrating.
You stated above that none of the medications prescribed did much for you so what would be the point of going back to Urgent Care to get the same meds refilled??
Yesterday I felt okay, like I was getting over this for now. I've been awake since about 3am in the most pain since this started a week ago.... It's off to the ER for me.
Thanks for all replies! I know no one can diagnose over the internet. I just feel better knowing I'm not alone in this!
Yesterday I felt okay, like I was getting over this for now. I've been awake since about 3am in the most pain since this started a week ago.... It's off to the ER for me.
Thanks for all replies! I know no one can diagnose over the internet. I just feel better knowing I'm not alone in this!
Yesterday I felt okay, like I was getting over this for now. I've been awake since about 3am in the most pain since this started a week ago.... It's off to the ER for me.
Thanks for all replies! I know no one can diagnose over the internet. I just feel better knowing I'm not alone in this!
I hope your ER trip went better than mine for neck pain. They treated me like I was a drug seeker even though I insisted I didn't want narcotics, I just wanted a CT scan. They told me I should wait to see my primary doctor and I told them I was so nauseous and dizzy I wouldn't be able to drive home. Only then did I get a CT scan
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