I have been having some neck problems off and on for a few months, the pain intensified and started radiating down into my left arm about 2 weeks ago. I saw my doctor this week, he scheduled an MRI for next Tuesday and told me he thought I had "a disc problem".......but didn't say exactly what he thought it was? I'm guessing he suspects a herniated disc???

I shoot a 416 Rigby, a 376 Steyr, a 50 BMG and, just last week, before seeing the doctor, I sent funds for a 375 H&H that I haven't even received yet. I sure would hate to give up shooting my toys!

My question.......if it is a herniated disc, what are the chances that I'll be able to shoot my big bore rifles after this is resolved??? I'll be asking my doctor this question but thought I'd see if there was any experience here too.

Better than even.

No more no how off the bench however.

Do your rehab.
Do your rehab.
Do your rehab.

Then get serious about rehab.

Some of these resolve over a few weeks to a few months - for a while.

After your neck is strong again you can start out slowly (with a .22 rimfire) and work back up - slowly. Did I mention slowly.

The docs will usually say "no more big bores". Use your judgement over time.

If it needs surgery, only have a good neurosurgeon do the procedure. That is one of their bread and butter surgeries. Practice makes for better outcomes.

lawndart

It is simply not worth the risk of exacerbating serious physical injury to shoot big bores. If I had a ruptured disc in my neck, I would switch to 9.3 x 62 for DG hunting. It kicks on par with a 30-06.

This is a topic I know a little about. I operate on them every week, and I have a disk problem myself. You probably have bone spurs or a ruptured disk. The symptoms and treatment are the same. In many patients the pain spontaneously disappears. If there is spinal cord compression, surgery is mandatory. Otherwise, have surgery if the pain is agonizing enough to justify it. My pain reappears occassionally for a few weeks. One day I'll get it done(surgery). I'm shooting a 416 Rigby today, but I woundn't if my MRI showed spinal cord compression.

I only deal on the Anesthesia side of the equasion, however, it sounds like a pinched nerve at either C3-4 or C4-5. We do this surgery 8-10 times a week. The operation itself is one of the nicest ones we do as no muscles are cut(read less post op pain), the decompression is done and the nerve impingement is releived, and if the disk is compressing the nerve root outflow, then we do a fusion which includes bone graft and plate and screws. The nice thing is that if it really is a pinched nerve, you will wake up with no pain in the arm/shoulder and only a 1.5" scar to show for it. The rehabilitation is(if no severe nerve damage from letting the condition go too long) give it a rest and allow the bone graft to heal, wear the C- collar all of the time until it heals. Exercise the affected limb to build strength and start slowly up the scale to the big bores. Once it is truely fixed it is fixed - usually. Some will tell you to cut back on the big bores but after you are healed and rehabilitated you should be good to go.

In 2003, I had cervical fusion that fused together C5,C6,C7 and T1. My symptoms started out much as yours, and once the pain hit I had surgery quickly. I spent one night in the hospital, and after two weeks was up to walking three miles a day. My surgery was in July, and by October when our deer season opens in Georgia, I was good to go. I am back to running and lifting weights, and have shot rifles up to and including a 470, with no problems. I will be 57 in May, and aside from a little stiffness in my neck occasionally, I have no problems. If you need surgery, the longer you put if off, the worse your nerve damage will be. Good luck, and don't worry about the surgery. I almost forget to mention, that I went to Africa in May/June of 2004, and took eight animals including a Buffalo with a 375. No neck or shoulder problems at all. Hope this helps.

You may want to shoot a 9.3x62, it has considerable less recoil and is quit capable of killing anything in Africa with a proper bullet...I have several older fellows that have chronic bursitas in there neck and shoulders that shoot the 9.3x62..The 10.75 x 68 is another option...

I have chronic neck and sholder problems, but I shoot the big stuff anyway and it does not effect me one way or the other, it always hurts regardless of what I shoot or don't shoot.....Mine is Bursitis, and an enlarged Neck Knuckle caused by shooting big bore rifles and hard work or a combination of both, in my younger years I am told by my sawbone friends that hunt with me...

Ray,
I guess that being thrown by the trick Zebra sidewinder bronco, and slamming your head on the ground, might have had something to do with your "neck knuckle."

GonHuntin,
Get an MRI and if that doesn't prove the C-spine nerve or spinal cord impingement by disc herniation or bone spur, then get an EMG/NCV to check for thoracic outlet syndrome/cervical rib, etc. Over developed muscles in the shoulder can pinch nerves too, and more likely if you have a rudimentary extra rib on the C-7 vertebra, a not so rare congenital anomaly.

If you have a surgical neck problem, then the neurosurgeon is the only one to talk to about indications for surgery, whether discectomy/laminectomy/fusion etc., and then get a second opinion if you can. Getting cut on should be a last resort, and not rushed into.

Stay away from manipulators whether ostepath or chiropractor. A massage and a hot shower with female hands will do you more good than any neck cracking, which is known to cause strokes with predictable 1 in a million frequency.

You will probably be fine for shooting .375 H&H and .404 Jeffery. Any more than that is just chest beating puffery anyway.

At the risk of being accused of practicing medicine without a license, I'll throw in my experience with a stiff neck and pain the arm. I finally cured the problem by changing the way I sleep. I used to use a bunched up pillow that raised my head high and slept on my side with my lower arm stretched above my head and under the pillow. I switched to a smaller pillow and kept it low and never sleep with my arms above my head. Like magic, my stiff neck and arm pain disappeared and hasn't returned. It also worked for my dad. Have a great hunt!

465H&H

RIP is correct in his summation of the diagnostic procedures, and the possible diagnosis. You should be seeing a neurosurgeon that specializes in spinal surgery or a Fellowship trained spinal orthopaedic surgeon.
RIP is incorrect in his statement about manipulation. If you have not developed muscle weakness and the diagnosis turns out to be a disc herniation, you should pursue conservative treatment. One of the most succesful non-surgical treatments for a disc herniation is a combination of epidural steroid injections, manipulation and a strengthening program.

As usual, you are not answering his question.
BTT
He asked if he has a herniated disk will he be able to shoot his new 375 after his problem is resolved. The answer is yes and whether he has surgery or the steroid injections(which I do) or manipulation or what ever gets him over the problem, once the rehab is done the 375 is still a good option. He is already on track with the MRI and a potential diagnosis the results of which we know nothting about.

I work in the spinal field. If it comes down to it talk to your Neuro about Minimally invasive procedures. Medtronic Sofamor Danek and other companies have minimally invasive cervical approaches.

You may want to talk to more than one Neuro if you are in a large area, some older ones get very set in their ways and don't take advantage of the newer technology.

If you are anywhere in the south I would recommend Dr. Kevin Foley of Memphis TN. He is one of the top 10 Neuros in the world for cervical disk work.

There are several clinical trials right now for artificial disc replacement; I wouldn't be surprised to see a cervical disc replacement approved in late 05 / early 06.

Yep, epidural injections can do wonders, traction and other physical therapy can help in some cases, but no neck cracking manipulation is to be recommended.

I don't think anybody knows what is going on with that hocus pocus. If it feels good, crack it your self.

The strokes that come from cervical manipulation occur when plague breaks off in the carotid or vertebral arteries with vigorous neck crackers.

I will now butt out and let the specialists take over.

Buff were few and far between on the concession I was hunting in Zambia and my PH encouraged me to take a shot on a moving buff at 100 yards. We followed it up into some thick stuff and found it down about 50 yards away. I fired and the rifle, a 470, doubled. I assumed that both barrels had missed and quickly reloaded and fired two more shots into the buff while my PH covered the buffs mate who had appeared.

After the excitement, photos and congratulations I noticed I had a dull pain in my left arm - turned out that I had a disc rupture and press on the nerve. I put up with it on the safari and for 9 months but started to get week in the arm so had the operation. Best thing I ever did - pain was gone immediately and most, but not all of the weakness resolved.

I still shoot my 470 and 458WM and plink each week with either a 375H&H or 9.3x74R and just accept that's it's a risk it will happen again. I had a 'smith deepen the sear engagement for the rear trigger on my 470 to reduce the risk of it happenning again.

One problem with double rifles is that when they double you get hit with four times the recoil energy (rather than two times, as you would think) because the recoil velocity is doubled and energy is proportional to the square of the velocity.

mike

I have 3 plates and 10 screws holding my spine in position and I definitley will shoot larger bores again one day. Will even touch off a few in .505! SHould be sky diving in June. You cna plat defensive line in the NFL with a two level fusion, if that gives you an indication of the impacts your body can take after getting fixed up.

Your .375 should be fine AFTER you are 100% healed. Just take it easy until you are released to play at full speed

Thanks to everyone who posted here and sent e-mails!

Do read Dr John Sarno's book 'Healing Back Pain' www.healingbackpain.com

I have two friends who were advised surgery, both of them benefitted a lot from this book. They both are fighting fit now without the surgery. They are regular with their yoga.

I have a problem with a pinched nerve. I do exercises that were recomended to me by a chiropractor and the problem is mostly eliminated. The chiropractor didn't do any manipulations but said that if the therapy didn't work surgery would probably be the only likely option. I would recommend some regimen of therapy before surgery based on my own experience.