Numbness post-op c-5 c-6 cervical spine surgery

Nennie · Newbie Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 2

Hi Everyone, I had posterior cervical spine surgery (C-5, C-6) on 7/12/06. The only thing that had to be done was a piece of bone taken off that was putting pressure on my spinal cord causeing spinal stenosis and compromised blood flow. After the surgery I had weakness (which is much better) and numbness (a little better) on my entire right side. My NS says this was due to increased blood flow which has caused swelling and inflammation. I'm also stiff in my muscles at times on my right side. Has anyone had these symptoms and how long did they last? My NS says he is confident I will be back 100% but can't really say how long. maybe another month. Any info would be appreciated. Thank You, Diane Mr. Green

m1chae12 · Newbie Joined: 27 Aug 2006 Posts: 2

lejester · Newbie Joined: 05 Sep 2006 Posts: 6

Hello. I'm a newbie too and am experiencing similar symptoms down both arms (in addition to others) that you describe. At times during the day, and depending on activity, which still isn't too much (surgery was 8/11/06), my arms (bicepts, deltoids and forearms) ache as if I have worked them out with weights for hours. I can bearly get them to move and then start to experience trembling/twitching in one or both hands. I am anxious to hear a response from one of the 'listening' medical professionals on this one.... Shocked

EC4474 · Newbie Joined: 12 Sep 2006 Posts: 1

I also have had this complaint but only right side and spasam like a palsey in the hand arm and shoulder, getting more involved every day I had muilty level c-2 thru t-1. started 2 months ago and no explanation. Doc says it not a result of the surgery. So what do I do now? had the surgery 3 months ago and was great for the first 5 weeks.

painstaken · Newbie Joined: 19 Oct 2006 Posts: 13

Hey guys,
Im glad I found this site. I had a total disk replacement of c-5 and c-6 on June 2 2006. I can relate to all of your pain. My pain is so bad that I cry myself to sleep at night. The pain in my arms and neck is very intense. I have severe spasms in my right arm that just wont quit. I returned to work a month ago and I pay dearly for it every day. I participated in an FDA study and recieved a cervicore disk, which did help the mobility in my neck, but not the pain. Now I feel like Ive been put out on a limb to fend for myself.
Ive been in close contact with my NS and He doesnt seem to care about the problems Im having. When I wake up in the mornings, I cannot move my arms or hands. The joints in my elbows, shoulders and hands are extremely stiff and painful to move. The day of my surgery, my right arm swelled and turned ashen grey/black. The swelling was extremely severe and every since, the pain has been terrible. My left arm is very painful as well, but not to the extreme as my right arm and hand.
I feel that these doctors should listen to us a little more than they do. No body should have to live like this. Its very debilitating.
This pain is very unbearable. Theres no way to really describe the intensity of it, nor the way it feels. My muscles and joints feel like they are fighting against each other. I know that sounds strange, but thats how I sum it up.
Oh and the head aches.. They are bad too. Do you guys have a problem with that?

I just dont know what to do now. I dont know where to turn. Ive been to my regular doctor and he doesnt want to treat me or investigate the problem due to the fact that Im an FDA guinea pig. Now, Im stuck with this terrible pain and my job really aggrivates it. Im a machinist, which involves alot of heavy lifting and walking on a concrete floor for 8 hours.
Some of you guys mentioned the fact that it feels like you just got done with a work out and your muscles aches/hurt. Is there anything that you do that helps that? If so, please share. What about your shoulders, elbows and wrists .. any problems there?

Hopefully, someone one will come along and read our posts, who can shed some light on this for all of us.

painstaken · Newbie Joined: 19 Oct 2006 Posts: 13

EC4474,

When did your spasms start?
I was having the spasms before the surgery, They told me that the spasms were caused from Radial Nerve Damage and that they woud deminish after the surgery, but instead, they have gotten terribly worse. Now, Have new spasms starting.. in the back of my upper arm. Originally, the spasms were localized in my forearm. My hand would draw up and pull inward (like the palsy). Now, the new thing has started. When I move my fingers, it caused the back of my upper arm to spasm and jump. Its strange,, I called my dr about it 2 days ago and still havent heard nothing back from him. Anyways, just wanted to ask about yours.
Thanks Donna

Guest · Guest

well thanks for your reply, and yes this continues to get worse. I have finally gone to Cleveland Clinic. They have done an EMG abd NCV testing. But are now waiting for an MRI. They feel this is coming from spinal cord involment and have put me on total bed rest. No cars or chance of slip and fall.

painstaken · Newbie Joined: 19 Oct 2006 Posts: 13

Hey,
I hope your tests come out good, but hopefully they will find the problem.
My regular doctor is sending me for another nerve conduction test and an MRI as soon as my insurance will allow me to go. So now its just the wait and see thing. The pain is so bad that im losing alot of sleep and it does hender my job performance. I was having the spasms before the surgery, but I never thought that they would get worse.
Anyway, If you dont mind, will you please let us know what the tests showed? And GOOD LUCK to you.

painstaken · Newbie Joined: 19 Oct 2006 Posts: 13

Hi All,
Just wanted to share something that I think that everyone will be interested in.

The topic of our discussion has been the pain and numbness in our arms and so forth after surgery RIGHT?

Well Please take it from me,,,,, DEMAND your doctor to order another MRI. Dont play around with it.. Something may have gone wrong, as it has with me..

For the past 6 months, Ive complained constantly to my surgeon about this awful radiating pain in my neck, shoulders, arms, elbows, back, and legs. Well my dr. just keeps ordering more pain killers instead of more tests to see whats wrong. I finally went back to my regular MD and I was in tears.. I could hardly move my arms at all. The pain is that intense, well my physician felt that I should go for a second opinon, because he feels that I may have gotten a bum deal with my disk replacement. In order to go get a second opinion, you have to have an up to date MRI. So I went friday , I waited for the film , ( have to take it with me for the second opinion), . Well Heres the shocker,, this MRI showed extensive spinal cord compression, at c-3 /c-4 and c-5/c-6. The compression is 90 percent worse than it was before the surgery. Before surgery, I had a 25 -35 percent spinal cord compression. Now, My spinal cord is almost complety compressed. It only lacks 10 percent, before im totally paralyzed, or disfunctional. I have to wait for another week to pass before I go for the second opinion and im terrorfied to do anything. I have a very strenous job, that requires alot of heavy lifting, walking on cement floors, the use of an air wrench and so forth and Im so scared to even go to work. It wouldnt take much for this compressing of the spinal cord to progress further into the spinal canal.

So if any or all of you are having any weakenss of the muscles (arms or legs), pain "like you just got done with a work out", shooting stabbing, burning or dull pain (thats kind of like a tooth ache), in your neck, arms, back, or legs, strange head aches, arm spasms or trouble swollowing, Dont hesitate to go back and talk to your doctor and dont take no for an answer. Its your body and its your life and your quality of life thats priority. DEMAND more tests or you may end up like me,, . I had a doctor friend of mine to look at the mri film and he was speachless. Told me that they would have to do surgery again because the compression was too bad to ignore. Ive been so upset for the last few days. REally upset with my surgeon because he would not listen to me or wouldnt do another mri that ive requested everytime ive been back for a check up.. It looks like he left a clamp or a retractor in one of my disk spaces. That is something that is not supposed to be there.
Any way I will keep posting as i find out more. I just hope that no one else has to go thru this. Good luck to all.
Donna

wrong surgery · Newbie Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Posts: 2

Hi, I know you're pain. I've been bounced around from doctor to doctor for almost 2 years. Until, an Orth. Doc agreed to do surgery after a discogram. The surgery was 8/02/06. It was a fusion. The surgeon operated from the disocgram report. I recently got a copy of that report and there was a MAJOR typo on the report. It said C4-5 was fine. C5-6 was hernieated and C6-7 was hernieated. Then at the bottom it said,
"Concordant pain at C4-5 and C5-6. I then got my surgery report he operated on C4-5 and C5-6....covered it with a plate and 6 screws. During my return visits I've told him I still have the pre-op pain...he says...hmmmm...see me in 6 month. To me he should of left C4-5 alone and done C5-6 and C6-7. If I can read this why couldn't he? I haven't said anything...I never want to go thru that surgery AGAIN. Does anyone know what I should do?

Numbness post-op c-5 c-6 cervical spine surgery

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