--- In Cervical_Spondylosis@yahoogroups.com, "joekron.rm" <joekron@...> wrote:
>
> the veritibrae pop and crack in your neck? How about the jaw joint... does
it ever feel stiff or crack? When you twist your neck what do you feel if you
have radiculopathy?
>

I've been diagnosed with cervical spondylosis and essential tremor at Toronto
Western hospital, confirmed by a rheumatologist and a 2nd neurologist. I'm a 54
year old female.

As to your questions regarding symptoms, yes, cracking noises in my neck,
referred pain in both shoulders and down through both arms. And all my other
"psychosomatic pain" feet, legs, hips do show signs of osteoarthritis, they do
not explain the inflamations and random pain.

A dentist a few years ago diagnosed me with TMJ, jaw cracking and pain.

Some background. In 95, I took 3 old neck/foot/R/hand Xrays to a rheumatologist.
He looked at the old neck Xray and said that he wasn't surprised I gave myself
whiplash, both sides in an exercise class in my early 20's. He said I was "born
with whiplash waiting to happen" C1 and C2 are congenitally fused.

Fast forward to the present "new neck Xray" and there is a narrowing at C5-6 of
the left neuroforamen,which now in the present explains a lot of my
difficulties. Also I've had noticeable tremors for at least 10 years.

If asked to describe the various symptoms it's difficult because everyday is a
surprise. I've had "pocker hot pain from mid thigh to hip, limping with inflamed
foot, night cramps, agonizing shoulder pain ( several years ago they said I had
frozen shoulder )and I fell May 6/08, missed one step and landed on both palms,
and one elbow. Well that set off pain like I've never experienced, from the tips
of my fingers, up my arms up my neck, and my son called an ambulance less than
48 hours after the incident. That hospital sent me home with Ibuprofin. 2 days
later, my sister took me to Toronto Western Hospital where they gave me a
"spinal stenosis" provisional diagnosis.

C-scan normal, no parkinson's, just benign essential tremor. (( Interestingly my
family doctor just wanted to medicate me with anti depressants for anxiety, etc,
menopause, etc.)) Needless to say I never even bothered filling out the RX's

The question of tremors and osteoarthritis is like which came first, the chicken
or the egg? Kathleen, the moderator of the Yahoo essential tremor groups did
confirm that essential tremor and osteoarthritis seem to be common as a dual
diagnosis. The doctor at Toronto Western also said he didn't have to Xray, he
already knew he'd find osteoarthritis everywhere.

Hope that answers some of your questions. Hindsight is 20/20. Looking back over
the 30 years, I'm actually happy that I didn't know, I worked full time for the
same company, until Feb 29, 2008, at which time I left on a stress leave at
first, sleep deprived, chronic pain in my shoulders primarily, and the "other"
random attack of pain. I call them attacks, because they came on suddenly, they
were excruciating, and I just kept on working.

Now I'm older, more prone to fatigue, and my long term disability insurance
company stated that I qualified, today I followed their request and applied for
Canada disability.

Who knows what my "pain" future is. What I do know, is that I tire more easily,
and my nights reflect what I did during the day. Not to say I'm incapable, just
that my "quality of life" is somewhat compromised. Hopefully my good days/good
years ahead are for me, without the added work related obligations which leave
very little energy left me me and my family.

Good luck and just know that it will make sense eventually to you, and that it
takes time, a few years in fact, like a grieving process, you have a diagnosis
of a "different future" from the one you thought you'd have.

Denise