Need some advice about pain and dr.'s?

i've had low back pain since my accident last year. it took since 02/07 to last month to get my dr to order a MRI. actually, my dr. passed away %26amp; my new dr. ordered (at same office) the test. i've also had pain in my neck, head, shoulders arms hands and fingers. the last 12 nights i've woke up screaming in pain feeling like i'm paralyzed at the waist. every few nights i wake up on my back with my shoulders, arms, hands %26amp; fingers tingling, burning %26amp; in pain. it takes about 40 mins for it to begin to calm down. This has occured off and on since the accident. lately (not to be gross) it has been very painful %26amp; almost impossible to move my bowels! feels like i may break my back. i looked @ my MRI on a disk %26amp; i can clearly see a herniated disk L5 to S1. however, the cervical part of my spine looks fine to me. so, i don't understand why i have so much trouble with my neck %26amp; arms etc. Can pain travel up from my lumbar area? i didn't think it could. do you know if a mri can show muscle spasms? my dr who sent me for the mri has refused to give me a medical refferal to a neurosurgeon because he says there's nothing wrong w/my spine. what?? wouldn't you think he would want (he's actually a certified nurse assistant) to send me to someone who specializes in spines? oh but he still wants to inject my spine with steroids. which doesn't make any sense to me. i feel like i'm at my whits end. it's an emotional roller coaster that dr.'s just cannot seem to understand. i have 22 things, most are genetic, that cause me pain. since i was 11 it's been one thing after an other. i guess i just needed to vent. it took so long to get someone to order a mri and now this guy wants to inject my back without me 1st seeing a professional. maybe he didn't look at the lumbar results and he's simply made a mistake. i won't know until Monday. i compared my mri to my boyfriends. he has had back surgery for slipped disks. my disk looks just like his. any ideas? any advice? i'm in too much pain to concentrate. thanx for listening. sorry so long. Need some advice about pain and dr.'s?
';oh but he still wants to inject my spine with steroids. which doesn't make any sense to me.';


Actually steroids are the first course of treatment for pain like you have, but they can also have a rebound effect on you and make you feel like you can do things that you shouldn't be doing and cause more damage. Personally, I know friends who have had the shots for years with no improvement, only to end up with surgery anyway. Steroids aren't nice to your body, but they do work for some people some of the time. You want to avoid surgery until every last avenue has been explored. Now I don't know why you are seeing a certified nurse assistant, but if you are that unhappy, you should get your MRI and a referral to a neurosurgeon pronto. Try not to get anymore flipped out than you are because what you see and compare with your boyfriend's MRI does not mean you have something similar. Leave it to a qualified doctor. There's a lot you don't know about medicine even if you think you do, because you have been dealing with genetic issues you whole life, you just don't. Honey leave it to a professional and listen to your gut and really talk to (I hope) a neurosurgeon. That's why they get the big bucks. Sorry so long. Remember, only you are responsible for your health, so be proactive! Carpe Diem!