Hi, I never said anything about the problems coming from L5/S1 (that's the segment that I had surgery on last year) My GP thought my arm problems were coming from a disc in my NECK.

Anyway, have been for Physio twice. First time she thinks my neck is fine and the pain/numbness is due to shoulder instability, causing muscle imbalance/spasm and that is irritating nerves. Second time, she has changed her mind and thinks it's coming from the Wikipedia reference-linkFacet Joints in my neck.

Now, after doing neck stretches for the past few weeks, my neck feels brilliant! Really loose and no aches and the numbness in my fingers is much more intermittant (just a few times a week, as opposed to a few times a day) but the pain in my shoulder feels worse. It feels like it's not sitting correctly, like something is pulling it forward and there is burning all around the back of the scapular area. It feels like it would be great if someone could pull my scapula off and place it back an inch or so, then it would feel more comfy.

Regarding the elbow pain on the opposite arm. Physio thinks this is seperate to the stuff going on in neck/shoulder (which is what I suspected as it doesn't feel connected) Moving my neck in various ways does nothing to the pain in my elbow. She says it's classic Wikipedia reference-linkTennis Elbow and I was given stretches for that too and a brace to wear when I'm rock climbing. The brace is fantastic! Really, really helps and I feel the stretches are helping. The pain is getting better.

I'm still concerned over my shoulder/neck though.