Arm pain after cervical fusion surgery

I had anterior cervical surgery last April thought it was going to help me they did my C5-C7 after the surgery I was in a necklace for 4 months. The surgery actually made me be in worse pain than I was already in. I ended up having to have a second surgery on C4-C7 this time they did posterior I had it done March 12th I'm still struggling with pain in my shoulder blades and horrible headaches they say I'm getting better but there's a chance the headaches will never go away. Seems like the worse choice I ever made was having surgery they say it's a 50/50 chance of the surgery working guess I got the bad chance. I'm now disabled and can lift more than 5 pounds and will never work again at 40years old. But I've known other people that had the same surgery and lead totally normal lives. I can only suggest you get as much information from as many people as possible before you decide if the surgery is worth it. Hopefully you heal better than I have good luck

I too had this same surgery June 11th. On the third week, the pain started in the left side of the neck down the arm. It is also very weak. The dr. seems to think it is inflammation. I was put on a steroid pack for a week. Pain and weakness is still there but not as bad. Waiting to see what to do next. I have a hard neck brace that I wore for 3 weeks, but now just wear it some during the day. After 4 weeks, I finally drove to the store. Not too bad.

I had c5-c6 fusion 3months ago and have left arm,shoulder and neck pain tingling and numbness in my hand and finger tips. I had a hard collar on for 1wk and then soft collar for three weeks I also have used the bone stimulater. regretting surgery

I also have 2 young babies and the pain feels the same as before the surgery. It has been almost 3 weeks after surgery and the pain started coming back about a week ago. I am so scared this will not work. My biggest sadness is my children.

i had a c s[pine surgery in march because my riht arm was not able to raise and the nerve was pinched so back in my neck was doing great and now this month my fingers started to tingle and are always tingly and numb! I am beginning to think I am sorry I did this because I don't see much change I still can not raise my arm and I am beginning to think I will never be abe to raise it straight up my deltoid muscles are so weak! best advice I can give is I don't let it stop me it does change things for me but I got to modify so much or hange up how I do things I still get things done it is just differently then before!

Hello Scared in MI, I had c-5, c-6 neck diskectomy, fusion (bi level) with the cage, bone graft taken from my hip. I had surgery on 4-30-12. I am now having some type of nerve/muscular problems. I am dropping more things from my right hand. Car keys, small items just fall when I reach for them and try picking them up. I am going back to the dr this month. I hoping for the best. I am not going to have anymore surgery, Im done with that.

I had C-3 4 5 6 7 decompression and fusion with laminectomy, I spent 17 days in the hospital, after 6 months, I have trouble walking and the nerve pain in my hands and arms is exreme, I am taking 2400 mg gabapentin daily. The pain in my shoulder is from chronic tendenosis, it may take 18 mos for the tendons to heal if ever, the thing that caused that was working while the nerve in the arm ws being pinched from the cervical radiculopathy prior to diagnosis and surgery.

I had surgery for my c5-c6 and I feel a lot better. Especially if it is compressing a nerve you should have surgery to release the compression before it causes permanent damage

I hope this helps, it's not meant to scare anyone. Had to dig out old med records to recall. In 1986 I had  lumbar laminectomy/disksectomy. returned to work (construction) and considered it a success and lived my life. Since then I had cervical fusion c-4/c-5 in 1990 and c-5/c-6 with titanium plate in1999 . Im really hard headed so to this day I still work as a electrician. I have always felt I been very lucky though my right arm is pretty much for show, severely atrophying prior to second cervical surgery it never came back. For the most part I did pretty goof after all of my surgeries, some pain lots of numbness in arms and legs but dealt with it stretching, hot baths and showers helped for years. The last ten years or so the pain and numbness has become constant from sun up to sun down, but I can still function, with the help of pain meds. in 2011 they injected my nerves in my neck it helped for awhile, surgeon talked about another fusion, taking out the plate and putting in a spacer? Didn't like the sound of it, so after living with this stuff for thirty years I'm not in a wheel chair yet. But you need to take care of your head, don't let the insurance companies, doctors, and the pain get you down.

I had an injury Nov 2011, was follwed by a shoulder specialist for 10 months, and I finally told HIM that i felt we should try another specialist as injections to shoulder and PT shoulder was doing nothing. Was sent to a shoulder surgeon, and HE sent me (after an MRI of shoulder and neck) to a neck specialist and a surgeon. I was followed for CESI's and I attempted PT but could not continue as it made things even worse(I couldnt even walk), all this time from Nov 2011 to Nov 2013 my right arm has gone from bad to worse, nearly unuasble. I cannot use computer mouse, unload dishwasher, HOLD things like hairdyer or coffee cup, eat with right hand, etc. In Sept 2013, I had three cervical discs fused, 6 wks post op, NO difference with arm issues. Another CESI and medrol dose pack...i am literally at my wits end. Any suggestions as to where to turn to get my arm use back and functioning? I am TWO years and 7 weeks without a job or a paycheck or any medical assistance, I need to get back to work and back to LIVING. I can rarely leave the house except for an occasional dr appt due to pain, discomfort, and literally have one working arm for 2 years. I know alot of people have things a lot worse than me, so I try to stay positive and know I am blessed. I guess I wouldnt have gone through this "Triple spinal fusion" if I knew I would be the same and not able to use my arm afterwards. 

Hi, I've had exactly the same problem as you, i could have written to same comment. I'm going back to the surgeon to see if anything else can be done. Definately a big problem sleeping, I have to sleep face down with two pillows under my chest with my arms stretched out at right angles

I feel your pain, I also had a 3 level fusion and this was the second surgery. For me, it's been 16 months and although I am able to move around, it's short-lived. I can't sit for long periods of time at all, still have trouble with my left arm but it's not as bad as it was. This surgery takes time to heal, so as hard and frustrating it is, you have a long way to go yet. I was cut this last surgery in the front and back of my neck, now I have a huge piece of my bone that protrudes out of the back of my neck. They tell me because I'm thin this happens, it's so tight and hurts. I have been dealing with a bad neck for 11 years and it will never be 100%, I have come to terms with that, but it is a never ending problem for me. Still going to pain management to figure out what's next. I've had injections, X-rays, tests and still have gotten no where. No more injections because I have way to much hardware in there now. Hang in there, you are not alone!!

I just had a spinal fusion on my cervical spine and also diagnosis of spinal stenosis. Lots of pain in my left sholder and arm especially when I use it. I wish I get this all fixed up so I can get my old life back. My surgery was done September 25. 2013. C6 and C7. I don't have the neck
pain any more so I'm grreatful for that but not sure how long I will be able to tolerate the arm and shoulder pain, Very hard to drive but I manage.

I have the same procedure on November 12. Like you I came out with successful operation yet I have to stay in the hospital the next two days because of the severe pain in my arms. the MRI showed inflamed nerve. staying hydrated tend to ease the pain a bit. I also have numbness extending down to my thumb. yesterday I started noticing tingling in the back of my neck. I will say the pain overall is not as great, but I am wishing to get right quickly. the only other complication is constipation.

I had a neck fusion on 5&6 last November.. after going back to work pushing , pulling and just holding my neck up causes pain. Going for MRI next week.