As I near 56 (and retirement this year - NONhumble brag) I'm having an unwelcome pattern of neck pain which radiates into shoulder, down biceps and into my fingers causing numbness and tingling. LOTS of pain with shoulder and bad tightness of neck. Looking back at earlier health issues (carpal tunnel, biceps tendonitis, shoulder issues) and based on an MRI the cause is sadly clear. I have moderate to sever stenosis from C1-C7 with some other crap in there as well all on the left side. My last flare this summer took nearly 3 months to clear and on Sunday I had the start of another, so far worse, flare.
Started a course of prednisone to get me over the hump until I go in Monday for cervical steroid injections. Will be a first for me.
Has anyone had something similar - including epidural injections for pain relief? Did you get relief?
Has anyone had to have surgery? And did it provide relief?
How have others managed the pain and flare-ups?
One of primary reasons for an early retirement is to enjoy and active retirement (hike, bike, ski, travel) before infirmity sets in and its getting me down thinking I might have to enter the cycle of pain and mobility management.
On the plus side, my wife won't let me have a motorcycle so "hoping" I can get a very sporty Rascal to feed that jones with that sweet, sweet parking pass.