congenital malformations cervical vertebrae

[capittm]

I have two vertebrae in my neck that are fused: c3 &c4. My neck was hyperextented at birth, and due to the trauma, they have fused. After being involved in 3 car accdients, they are pretty messed up. They cause me some problems, but I've found diving to be a great activity for me!
The vertebrae pinch a nerve that runs down the left side of my neck and my left arm frequently goes numb.. shoulder down. I can still move it (with effort) but it feels like it's asleep. I also get what feel like electrical shocks from that nerve being pinched. But that's when it really flares up.
I've learned to put my full rig in water first then jump in and slide into my rig. That way it's not such a load on my neck getting into the water with full gear on. I have a great hubby who helps me carry most of my gear down to the dive site if he knows I'm having problems.
I do have a great backpack for all my gear which evenly distributes the weight over my back not causing nearly as much strain as say a duffle bag or something like that. I have to carry my tank down to the site right handed b/c I can't always trust my left. I tend to be a bit clumsy and drop things.. lol.
Diving is a really great activity for me because I'm weightless which helps out a lot with my neck problem. And also, because I don't have to do a ton of swimming with my arms.
I lift leg weights (extentions and curls) and do some military presses everyday to help build my strength and so far it seems to have done wonders for my diving.

Just wanted to post about my experience to see if any other divers have a similar problem and what tips, tricks, or training they've found helpful for them. BTW, my doc is aware that I dive and has given me the go ahead so long as I'm not having too bad of a day with my neck. Basically just use common sense.. just like every other diver.

 

[Darin]

Wow, and here I thought I was the only one…

I have the same diagnosis. But I only found out about it about two years ago. I was thinking it was an old football injury that never really healed right.

I don’t have the same symptoms as you, but it does flair up every now and then, usually if I keep my head in a certain position for too long. It hasn’t ever stopped me from doing anything, just an annoyance. I spent 8 years in the Army (armor) and did about 5 years as a firefighter/EMT-I and have a very active lifestyle, it never affected any of that. I have no loss of ROM or any nerves affected to your degree.

You probably got the same info I did….Not much we can do about it and it will probably get worse as you get older…

Anyway, I’m glad the diving helps. Maybe it will help me too. Come to thing of it, maybe I can use this to my advantage….

“Hey honey? Yeah, um, my neck is really bothering me, I gotta go diving…”

On second thought, maybe not….

 

[Sideshow Rick]

Carol,

Good luck with the diving. I'm just a newbie to this, and a diver in training, passed third confined water dive and test last sat, but I'm a paraplegic t12 and had vertabrea fused. My biggest prob was sitting in a wheelchair & pressure sores so I spend most of my time on a prone cart.

In the water my instructor floats my unit in the water as I put on neoprene, socks, etc... laying by the side of the pool on a mat. I enter the water putting one leg in first then a slow roll and the other one follows as I'm hanging onto the side. Then put the unit on once in the water. It's working good that way & minimizes alot of spinal compression and wear and tear on my butt.

The thing were trying to work out now is exposure suits. wetsuits are just too hard to struggle into and I'd like to go dry but will need to experiment.

Hang in there,

Rick

 

[Darin]

Hey Rick,

Just wanted to let you know that I admire your spirit.

:thumbs_up: I'd dive with ya anytime...We need more people like you in this world to stop feeling sorry for themselves and just go do it.

Darin

 

[Bob3]

I use a Saunders Hometrac cervical traction gizmo, it gets my arm useable to some extent.
Check with your doc or the PT folks to see if you'd be a candidate.