Anyone Have Steriod Shot Or Cerivical Problems? Safe With Pots?

[Joann]

So, I have been told I have POTS, possibly hyper (still waiting on testing), but I also have cervical stenosis, degenerative discs and spurs, at c5-c6 and a little at c4-c3. A while back ago, a doctor suggested a steroid shot to help this.

At the time, I declined, as the idea of putting a steroid in my body, especially when they were searching for a pheo, seemed like a unsafe idea. Well,now they are "pretty sure" I don't have pheo or carcinoid tumor, probably "just" Pots.

I have asked if these cerivical problems could be contributing to POTS problems and told no. But I am currently having a bad flare, and it starts with pain/pressure/throbbing in the back of neck and head to the left of spine and my jaw, I have also been diagnosed with TMJ and usually it doesn't bother me, but with this flare it is really bad. It is locking and popping (the popping grosses out my daughter and she likes to show me off to her friends), so jaw hurts too. I get nauseous and my heart rate goes up and bp too. Of course, it is much worse with change of position.

I tried doing some light hand weights this week cause I was actually feeling pretty good, and am wondering if I moved something in my neck and if it is now rubbing on a nerve. And am wondering if I did get a steroid shot if this would help it? Or do steriods mess up people with POTS, in particular ones that have bp increases not decreases?

I am always afraid to try medications, I react to them quickly and they can either really really help or really mess me up.I looked up older posts and only saw one where someone said steroids helped someone because it thickened the blood? I have a reason for having a healthy fear of medications, but also don't want to miss out on something that may help.

Anyone have a steroid shot or any ideas about getting them? Thanks for your help

[HopeSprings]

I have similar issues - degeneration, loss of curve and disc herniations at c5-6 and c6-7. I've told this story before, I'll try to be brief. I was having chiropractic adjustments because of longstanding dizziness and thought I'd try this in case it was stemming from my neck. After one of these adjustments, I immediately felt my heart start to race. Things went downhill from there over the next week/months - a bunch of crazy new symptoms, plus horrible pain in the back of my head and neck. Had an MRI which showed these herniations - to my knowledge (and based on a previous MRI) they were not there before. So I can't prove it, but have suspected this neck injury contributed to my problems.

I have seen several neuro-surgeons and all have said this would not cause POTS. I sent MRIs of my brain, neck and back (also have a bulging disk and spondylythesis) and a letter with my history and symptoms to the Chiari Institute. I figured if anyone would know, they would. I was really surprised and excited when they called me to come in for an appointment. I went in January and was so disappointed. The Doctor was not familiar with my case even though they called me to come in and I had to start from scratch with the whole explanation. He reviewed my MRI and said my neck problem would NOT cause dysautonomia, only neck pain and symptoms in my arm. He said POTS problems would stem from much higher in the neck, closer to the head. Hmm, but I'm still suspicious.

You have stenosis though and I think that can be associated with POTS. I think it even talks about this on the DINET causes of POTS page? I've been offered steroid injections, but declined (out of fear) so I can't comment on how it might affect the POTS. Maybe others will have experience with this.

[Joann]

Naomi,

I actually saw one post where you had commented and mentioned your problems with C5-c6 and I actually pm you today!

I used to have tons of adjustments, about 6 months before the onset, I had what they thought was a pinched nerve in my neck that was causing numbness in left arm, it was after an adjustment and they were working on that, I didn't connect that I also started to have pain in jaw about two months after that. Both had gone away when all the wonderful other symptoms began occurring, so I didn't even think about them at that time.

But I am wondering if the adjustments did do something. After one or two adjustment, I sat up and told him that I was feeling some discomfort in my upper chest from the adjustment, I wasn't concerned because after adjustments sometimes you are sore. He acted like it had nothing to do with the adjustment, I also started having throbbing on the sides of my neck, I kept saying it felt like the arteries or veins. They said maybe TMJ was causing it.

The neurologist in my hometown said the same thing to me that it wouldn't cause anything but pain in neck and arm, she had me do some PT and highly suggested shot. I don't think she does anything about dysautonomia, she did not want to look into at all. I recently went to Cleveland Clinic am going to call the neurologist there to see if he has reviewed the mri I left with him. I think you are right there is something in that area that is causing at least some of it. One of my friends suggested the place you mentioned. I will maybe research it, but I am so in debt right now. CC just sent me a bill for the first visit and my tests are to be in April, I shudder thinking how much they will be.

Thanks for your input