I am 12 years out, C-3/4 I recovered pretty much over the years, and never really had any nuro pain. Last week after a hard back workout, I woke up with pins & needles in both arms, top of chest and back, and down both legs to the top of my toes. It almost feels like a bad sunburn. I went to the doc today and had a mri done. no inpingements, compressions or other. They have no clue.
Anyone out there ever have this experiance?
Thanks
Hi Spoda,
Happens to me all the time! During a workout I can feel soreness building. After a workout I feel what I call nuclear pins and needles from the chest down. Sometimes I explain the feeling as if you put a 9 volt battery to your tongue. It feels like that all over, not just where I worked out. For example, after a handbike ride my whole body feels the tingling.
This is what I have learned to accomplish. I know that sounds weird, but it seems to me that when your body is asked to rebuild itself after a workout it senses that there's more to do than just where you worked it. It sure is hard to explain.
I have this theory that I should feel these nuclear pins and needles everyday or I've lost an opportunity to let the bodies own system of rebuilding get to all that is paralyzed.
Pat
Pat,
Thanks so much for your input. This happened a day after a really hard workout, and honestly it scared me. I was thinking about really not doing anything activity related in fear of causing it. Do you just tuff it out. How long does it last, or is it non stop. I need to adopt your positive attitude. Today I notice that I can feel cold almost true to form in my hands and forearms. Thanks again.
Dave
Hi Dave,
I'm curious what you feel the next day after? Usually, I'll feel stiff new feelings and more support in my torso. If it's burning lactic acid I found a little ibuprofen will take the edge off.
It's very strange how the muscle fiber that hurt yesterday feels good but burning today and the next fiber wakes up and burns! It's hard to bellyache at feeling something that you didn't used to. Pat
Pat,
The day after a good workout, I to feel stiff and do realize a bit more strength in the torso. But I cant tell if it is an acid burn, as I dont have very good sensation. Muscles that work feel better, but new return is very painfull. Since I posted, I am really starting to believe that I have better feeling in my hands. I can feel cold water in the sink and it feels pretty close to normal. After 12 years, its easier to believe its a bad thing rather than a good one. I started to take some aleve to take the edge off, and I think it is helping. I havent taken any medications since the injury, so I have no frame of referance. I thought the improvement was over, who knew. Even the docs listen to my assesment with scepticism. I plan on trying a light workout tomorrow. I`ll keep you posted. I hate to get to excited.
Dave
Hi Dave, I think this sounds good on your part. I mean, from my experiences, change has turned out to be good. Although the short term is often uncomfortable. I tough it out because that experience has taught me that the encouragement from new stuff far outweighs the uncomfort.
It's interesting to hear that you may perceieve change as not what you want. I'm afraid the pain or discomfort demotivates folks to keep moving through change. I must be a glutton for punishment, but I use that pain to help me decide where to concentrate. It sounds bass ackwards, but with a SCI the rules have changed!
Pain tells us where to move and concentrate therapy, not to baby the area untill it goes away! Pat
Pat,
After 12 years of sci I thought recovery was over. Then for no apparent reason, I start getting these crazy pins & needles feelings all over. I got scared that maybe something was wrong. As of today, I am sure that I have more sensation in my hands and arms. So it appears that the pain was a prelude to more return. I can stand the pain if it yields to more return. I am just stunned that return continues after so long. I really like your approach to recovery and pain. I have pretty strong pins & needles in my lower back and calves this afternoon, hopefully more return is near. These areas dont have much sensation in them. I am guardedly optimistic.
Dave
does pain means return ?my pain level below my neck c6-c7 is excruciating ,pins,needles ,burning ,spasms=neuro pain.
- Dum spiro, spero.
- Translation: "As long as I breathe, I hope."
Hi AC, I wouldn't say that all pins and needles is return. But I do think we have to think out of the box and try moving and excrcising parts of our bodies that are not working or feeling normally.
So many times I've headed out on a 20 mi hand bike ride and the first 5 miles was tough. It hurt. I felt shear pain between spastic muscles in my torso that were pumping lactic acid 24/7 and voluntary muscle moving next to the spastic muscle. The result felt like I was pounding what muscle I could feel against a cinder brick wall! Oh yeah, I couldn't breath well either. I felt the same pounding when I tried to breath. I had to breath aggressively or I would feel like a knife was stuck in my side if I didn't. Sounds fun!
Like I said before, maybe I'm a glutton for punishment, but after 5 miles things started to change. Maybe it's like a runners high, but it gets easier or at least it feels better if you can grind through it. For years the last few miles felt pretty good.
Anyway, after years now I sit higher due to newly returned muscle and enjoy better breathing. I think it has been a result of working through almost undescribeable uncomfort (re: pain). The point is the body is a supply and demand machine. If you demand it, your body will find a way to supply. In the mean time you can't possibly feel worse, right?
Pat
New return hurts for me too. Pretty much as Pat has described it.
Seems like it hurts longer than sore muscles used to hurt but no doubt it's related to working them.
Consequently I don't turn down any sensatation, I try to feel it and get into it, and break it down to specific locations or areas on my body. Almost like using the sensatition (pain) like a carrier wave. Often I can increase the sensation (pain) in parts of my leg by sending contraction signals to that area.
At times it seems almost imaginary but the results over the long haul have been real.
Sure sometimes it just hurts to the point where I can't do much more than lie around and stretch but those days seem to be coming less frequently.
It's cool that things are changing after 12 years. Guarded optimism is a good thing.
Jeff
Doh!
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