After 4 years, finalyl got a Neck Diagnosis

[InvisibleTwitches]

1st of all, long time no talk to all my BFSers! I have been doing pretty good -- as evident by not having posted since July, my longest streak ever. I do have a very serious question though and I hope some veterans can help ease me through my diagnosis.

Now that I have great health care and all, I went to the Doctor last week and got an X-Ray of my Neck. The results came back: "REVERSAL OF NORMAL NECK CURVATURE" AND "MUSCLE SPASMS."

I've been living with this pain since 2010 -- I imagine, because that was when I was rear ended. Now with the diagnosis I for some reason have become overrun with fear for the first time in months. I did a GOOGLE search of "REVERSAL OF NORMAL NECK CURVATURE" and results popped up about how this can severely affect the SPINAL CORD and NEUROLOGICAL FUNCTIONS. This in turn has me somewhat worried that my living with this with 4 years without any physical therapy has led to some kind of life altering neurological affects, and if I allow myself to go down my old path of anxiety, perhaps it is these kinds of injuries that lead to ALS???

Other than that things have been great. I've had bad neck pain for months, my normal twitches, but until today I had gone months without true panic or fear of ALS. Now 4 years into living with BFS I thought I was in the clear, but today's news has me very worried.

Anyone have any insight? Should I seek a neurologist to see if I, my allowing this to go untreated for so long, am now going to suffer long term affects or if this is the link that leads to NMD?

Any advise would help, I am kinda scared right now. Does "REVERSAL OF NORMAL NECK CURVATURE" lead to ALS?

[InvisibleTwitches]

sorry for the TYPO in the title....


I am really really really freaking out about this. Making me think that all of prior symptoms were wrong, my countless EMG's early in the process back in 2011, my brain MRI, etc.

Why didn't they recommend a NECK MRI or X-Ray earlier? What if this whole time this abnormal neck curvature that affects the spinal cord has been leading to some kind of NMD?


What should I DO?!

[InvisibleTwitches]

My only saving grace here is that, despite all of this neck pain and the onset of my BFS that coincided after the rear-end accident in 2010, and despite all of the DR visits and EMG's and Neuro visits, etc., there was a stretch during this 4 year BFS period where I had never been physically stronger, although that has faded this past year as my neck pain has progressed. I think that may be a sign that points away from this potential spinal injury leading to neuro defects, or at least points away from ALS.

[leaflea]

IT - to me this is a hopeful thing, this is probably what has caused your bfs all along. So don't fear, instead take heart! It is very possibly an ANSWER - something we all want. Good for you!

[MarioMangler]

I got a diagnosis of reversal of neck curvature shortly before my BFS got really bad. I was getting headaches all the time and my x rays showed it was my neck muscles always spasming. So they sent me to physical therapy for my neck and in a couple of weeks the spasms went away. I haven't really had those headaches ever since.

Long story short, this is a pretty minor thing that you can make better with a little exercise and stretching. It's certainly nothing to spend more than two or three seconds worrying about.

[Yuliasir]

Nope you should not be in panic.
Yes reversal neck curvature could affect neurological function severely, but this is only one end of a range of possible consequences. And believe me hardly one could miss that as this implies significant loss of all four limbs strength and it would be seen at neuro exam. In your case in 4 years you seem to have only mild consequences such as chronic muscle strain and therefore pains and spasms. Normally this is corrected by special excersises, chiropractical effects of, in the very worse case, by surgery.

NOPE THIS TYPE OF INJURY DOES NOT LEAD TO ALS. This is purely local issue which does not affect upper brain. Yes people may lost all 4 limbs in case of disruption of spinal cord in the neck region (as all lower motor neurons are located below the atlants (vertebrae directly supporting your skull), and even lost their bowel and bladder control, but this rather happens in case of spine fracture not due to kyphosis. I am not your doctor but as per your report you still do not demonstrate any NEUROLOGICAl issues just muscle pain due to distortion. This still could be corrected as I said above.

Hope this would help a bit.

[InvisibleTwitches]

Thank you for your answers and long time no talk Yuliasir and Mario, each of whom I am forever grateful for your logic, knowledge, and guidance during some of the darkest times of my life.

Long story short, this is a pretty minor thing that you can make better with a little exercise and stretching. It's certainly nothing to spend more than two or three seconds worrying about.

IT - to me this is a hopeful thing, this is probably what has caused your bfs all along. So don't fear, instead take heart! It is very possibly an ANSWER - something we all want. Good for you!

This is purely local issue which does not affect upper brain.

All very very helpful answers, thank you all.

I guess I am fearful that I have lived with this for 4 years and haven't taken action, and afraid of long term effects. Likewise, the past few weeks I have been having less and less control with my hands, maybe as a result of this -- but still scary and I can't be certain. Then again, I do now sit at a desk for 8 hours a day, coupled with this already existing neck injury, so maybe the hand and joint pain makes more sense than my fear is letting on. Lastly, I have been so busy at work I haven't worked out in months, maybe that is my perceived weakness...

[MarioMangler]

Sitting at a desk all day is horrible for you, people that do that for a living and stare at computers all day nearly always wind up with neck issues and posture issues. This is actually pretty normal for somebody like you. Again, nothing to do with ALS, this is just one of the side effects of having a job where you lock your neck in one position all day.

[InvisibleTwitches]

Thank you all so much for the replies and for always being there for me in times of need, panic, and in times of wonder and curiosity regarding my symptoms. What an amazing community with great, altruistic, caring and knowledgeable people. I am amazed at the progression you all have helped me to achieve, and the at-oneness I have almost achieved with my BFS, and with my belief that this is fact WILL NOT LEAD TO ALS!!

Here I am today though, and somewhat worried ...... although far from the panics and feelings of doom I used to get over a NEW SYMPTOM.

The past two weeks, my RIGHT INDEX finger will start to get COLD out of the blue.....like, very COLD. It is unusual to say the least. I will be at my desk, and boom......the top of my right index finger is freezing cold. I am pretty certain ALS does NOT present like this, but I am still concerned and alarmed enough to come back and post after an almost 2 1/2 month absence of peace and acceptance that I only have BFS....BFS and nothing more!

But what do you all think.....I am honestly kind of worried again. As I type, my right index finger is COLD, I can feel it on the top of the index finger. :/