Basically the diagnosis is that I have aggravated my cervical strain and have to start all over again.
I had two doctors examine me, actually, my treating orthopaedic doctor and one of his partners. They pushed and pulled me in a bunch of directions, asking me to push and pull as well. All of those tests were good. They felt all along my spine, neck, and shoulders, and then took several x-rays of my neck and back and looked at those.
Apparently there is no skeletal damage, and they detected no neurological damage either. They think that from carrying heavy stuff, sitting in the same position while traveling, too much hunched over typing at work, carrying court bags/luggage on my shoulders, etc., that I exacerbated the underlying strain along the trapezius. This is why I have been so dizzy and all crumpled up in pain the past week. They were surprised I managed to last as long as I did without treatment. They found the remnants of the lump that my family doctor at home had injected with cortisone, and said it was going away very well, but that if it started coming back that I should go back and they would reinject it.
So they have put me in a cervical collar, which I have to wear for at least a week, preferably two, but not all the time. If I wear it at work, I have to take it off at home (and not sleep in it.) I will have to gradually use it less and less or I will become dependent on it. I can keep taking Aleve for the time being.
If I am not better in a few weeks, or if I start getting bad again, I should call them right away and come back. If everything goes okay, they want me to follow up in a month before I try going back to any kind of regular activities or exercise so I don’t injure myself again. I just have to finish off the muscle relaxers now, and if I need more they will give me more. They also prescribed physical therapy, so I will have to see if my insurance will cover that.
It is a big relief to know I will be okay. I just need to try and take it easy and ask for help for the next couple of weeks, and I should go back to normal. This was just a big setback.
Thanks to all of you for your prayers and support, I am really grateful. I am glad that I was not crazy in thinking something was very wrong, but also glad that this is something that can be treated conservatively over time.