I got to go to the doctor today.

Over the last couple (twenty) years I have had a nagging little stiffness in the top of my neck. I talked to my doctor about it and he suggested I try a chiropractor for a while to see if that helps it out. I had my appointment with the quackopractor saturday and she was actually giggling with pity when she looked at my Xrays (to be fair she is one of my customers at the VW garage and we have a repore). According to the Xray I have damaged the C1-C4 vertebrae as well as a bunch of arthritis along the front of the spine. She suggested I see my doctor ASAP to get a referral to an orthopedic specialist.

The doctor looked at my Xrays and I have an appointment with the spinal professional in his building later this week.

He said I may or may not require surgery to fix the degradation in the neck but the painful part is the fact that I should not be doing anything that will involve shocking my head or flexing it too far in any one way. I jokingly said "So autocrossing is okay, but rallycross is out, right?" he very sternly looked at me and said "Driving to work may be out."

My appointment with the specialist is thursday PM. Wish me luck.

Good call on the Xrays.

So many chiropractors just adjust away and there are some things the Chiro's not good for. Basically the top or the bottom of the spine. In between is fair game.

The reason my doc suggested THIS chiropractor is the fact that she acts more like a doctor than the typical back breaker. They are all part of the same regional med center so they all have shared customers. I am lucky to have my doctors (and the insurance to pay for them) but it looks like I am not going to be racing any time in the near or medium range future as well.

John Brown wrote: I jokingly said "So autocrossing is okay, but rallycross is out, right?" he very sternly looked at me and said "Driving to work may be out."

I know the feeling. My car is just about ready for the track and, after months of bureaucratic delays, I'm now looking at hand and shoulder surgery.

Good luck.

I have a good chiro too. More of a sports medicine guy. Makes a big difference. Course I've gone to the same practice most of my life. The previous owner of the practice was a parent to one of my hockey teammates. Sure hope everything works out ok. Back/neck pain is no fun.

I had a chiro x-ray show some not related stuff, that I'm very thankful were caught way early.

In 95 I was diagnosed with spinal stenosis @C5-C6. Along with what was characterized as severe arthritis in my neck and back. Surgery took care of the stenosis and the surgeon cleared me to race 6 weeks later. The really scary part was when the anesthesiologist came to see me the night before the surgery and told me I would have to be awake when they intubated me because if they moved my head the wrong way it could paralyze me. I had been racing and playing sports for years with this condition and didn't know it. Listen to the Dr. and take it easy for now, but keep in mind what the surgeon told me when I askeed about being able to race after the surgery. He told me, based on a sucessful outcome there was absolutely no reason I couldn't race again. He did advise me not to take up yoga and stand on my head. Good luck and stay positive!

Man, that sounds like a pain in the neck.

I went to jury duty once. It was a "he slipped on the wet floor at the door of wally world during a torrential rain storm" case, and the lawyer was playing the jury during the selection process. He asked "Who has been to a chiropractor?" I raised my hand. He asked me "What do you think about chiropractors?" I replied "Well, there's good ones and there's bad ones. I'm married to a good one."

I later went on to explain to him that I thought it was reasonable to assume that the floor may be wet near the door during a rain storm, and for some reason, he used one of his "no" votes on me.

Anyway, JB, avoid surgery if you can. No surgeon can put you back together better than (or as well as) God did. The best that can be done is "Well, he isn't a berkeleyed up as he was before."

Werd ^

I see a lot of people after back surgery, and many of them are worse than before, be careful and check on the surgeon's success rate.

That said, I am NOT a Doc.

Gee and I had back surgery and I'm worlds better than before. But then again I didn't do fusing. I had microsurgery and they removed the offending pieces of protruding discs and here it is 12 years later with never even a twinge of trouble again.

my mom had some pretty gnarly spine surgery a about 15 years ago, something about degenerating discs or something. had to fuse part of her neck with bone from her hip. she doesn't have full range of motion, but no more headaches and she isn't slowly becomming paralyzed anymore, which is a plus. the spine is THE place i don't want to screw up. that and the brain.

I had fusion in 2001 and it took me until 2006 to be able to drive a stick. Spine injuries SUCK!!!

"But honey, two naked Japanese women walking on my back is therapy.

Good luck with that.

914Driver wrote: "But honey, two naked Japanese women walking on my back is therapy. Good luck with that.

Here, it's the Korean ladies.

In the midwest it is to out of work GM workers that look like Wally.

sorry to hear it JMFB, thats a rough one. Hopefully your back behind the wheel before you know it!

Talking to my wife last night, if the doc says no racing on a more permanent scale, I suggested building something like a Hot Rod wagon. She wasn't turned off.

Backs suck.

I'm finally getting back in shape after two herniated disks, which are on top of moderate spinal stenosis and a good case of Scheuermann's disease (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scheuermann's_disease) and arthritic changes throughout my spine.

After the disc injury, it took about six months for the discs to retract enough to stop impinging on my sciatic nerve and now I'm pretty much pain free and starting to run again. So..short answer is, just take it easy for a while and see if your body doesn't just take care of itself. Injured discs release proteins that aggravate the nerves in your spinal cord and the surrounding area.

Ugh. Sorry to hear that JB. I've been hurting for 2 months now. I think I finally f'd something up good and proper. Pushing in the clutch on the way to work/getting out of the car occasionally elicits a tear.

man that sux.... hope things go well

Rufledt wrote: my mom had some pretty gnarly spine surgery a about 15 years ago, something about degenerating discs or something. had to fuse part of her neck with bone from her hip. she doesn't have full range of motion, but no more headaches and she isn't slowly becomming paralyzed anymore, which is a plus. the spine is THE place i don't want to screw up. that and the brain.

My father also had that done and after about a year he had recovered almost 100%. Most back and neck surgeries that I've heard of at work have gone well. Do what the doctors and PT's tell you and you should fine.

UPDATE:

We are not operating but helmets, heavy shocks and impacts are out for at least 6 months until we can see if PT helps the "pain issue" If all goes well I can autocross in 2011.

YEAH! BOOO! YEAH!

Still makes me feel like BOO!

Scary. If I had to give up the keys, I don't know what I'd do.

Here's to 2011, JB. Do what the PT folks say, I've heard the good ones can do miracles.

Here's to hoping you can fix it without surgery < clink >

Listen to your physical therapists, even if it hurts.