Neck and Shoulder Pain
Author
Discussion

BlackR8

Original Poster:

522 posts

106 months

Thursday 14th February 2019
quotequote all
Hi All,

Was wondering if anyone could give a recommendation of a specialist for pretty severe neck and shoulder pain which results in needing painkillers daily and sometime every 4 hours. The NHS route is not proving fruitful, spent years on waiting lists and each time a 15 min appointment to be pushed to another department e.g. physio saying the area is too tender to be able to help so move on to next depart and then same again etc.

Does anyone have any recommendations of specialists in or around London, but willing to travel a bit if it means going to someone trustworthy and with a good track record of helping in this area. Been to a couple of specialists in London and they just seem to want to create loads of appointments without much in the way of commitment to help pinpoint and solve the problem.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Slagathore

6,225 posts

221 months

Thursday 14th February 2019
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I think anyone would need much more information before they could recommend a specialist.

What causes the pain, how long have you had it? Any accidents, sports etc? What pain meds work, Ibuprofen for anti inflammatory etc.

Might be worth paying for an MRI of the area to start with and then work from that.

Kizmiaz

230 posts

117 months

Thursday 14th February 2019
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Black - I feel your pain. I actually started a thread on here regarding 4 years of crippling pain (absoloutely no relief even at night). It brought a 50 year old man to tears more than once. I developed a dependency on Tramadol. I tried accupuncture, reikki (girlfriends suggestion - a bit of a hippy) and spent a fortune with a highly recommended physio (several acually). Nothing was stopping the pain.
I was ready to sell my beloved sportsbike as I could not ride it, everything was a problem and my work was suffering. I would drink heavily at night just to get off to sleep. I considered an overdose as I could see no end to it and I was getting quite frustrated with each and every doctor who failed to help.
I'm just setting the scene as it sounds like you may be experiencing my horror story.
Anyhoo.... when my local surgery got a bit nervous about dishing out more Tramadol some bright spark referred me to a pain specialist (surgeon) near Guildford. I was still very doubtful as I went in for my appointment.
I have just had the last Nerve root block injection in a run of 3. Night and day mate. I could crush a grape.
I have no pain. None at all. i had to take a few days off work but the results are extraordinary.
I rode my bike the other day. I played golf last Sunday.
This is probably the longest post I have ever typed but I want you to do what I did and demand an MRi to locate the cause (mine was C5 an C6 vertebrae).
Do not waste any more time suffering.
Hope this helps. I just wish someone had offered me this advice years ago.
I have PM'd you my number as I don't know that the Doctor will thank me for publishing her details online.

JC

Edited by Kizmiaz on Thursday 14th February 16:40


Edited by Kizmiaz on Thursday 14th February 16:42

p1stonhead

30,217 posts

196 months

Friday 15th February 2019
quotequote all
BlackR8 said:
Hi All,

Was wondering if anyone could give a recommendation of a specialist for pretty severe neck and shoulder pain which results in needing painkillers daily and sometime every 4 hours. The NHS route is not proving fruitful, spent years on waiting lists and each time a 15 min appointment to be pushed to another department e.g. physio saying the area is too tender to be able to help so move on to next depart and then same again etc.

Does anyone have any recommendations of specialists in or around London, but willing to travel a bit if it means going to someone trustworthy and with a good track record of helping in this area. Been to a couple of specialists in London and they just seem to want to create loads of appointments without much in the way of commitment to help pinpoint and solve the problem.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Obviously just one anecdote chiming in here, but I was similar in terms of not back pain, but neck and shoulder as you describe. Turns out my posture was fked and I was 'holding' my head up rather than it 'sitting' on my body. Shoe orthotics sorted me out instantly.

Could be worth a quick check? They analysed my spine in a fancy machine etc (slight scoliosis too) and I ended up with what I ended up with custom insoles.

https://www.londonorthotics.co.uk/