Arm pain after cervical fusion surgery

Hello Deb
Thanks for letting me know what surgery procedure was performed on you. Sorry to hear that you have a tear in your rotorcuff.
I have recently been sent to a Nurologist, and in Aug they will do a nerve testing.
And in the mean time I am living on meds. I hope that you like the rest of us can have a pain free life.
paynecj01

hi deb, 2 weeks since my surg. anterior corpectomy with fusion at c3-4 and c6-7. worse neck, shoulder and both arm pain than before the surgery. the pain is severe. should i insist on an mri because the surgeon doesn't seem too concerned. anyway i know what you're going thru. this whole ordeal one big nightmare bye

I had a double fusion 3 months ago. I would have to say that the surgery was a success because I regained almost full strength immediately following my surgery. My recovery has been somewhat uncomfortable but I would have to say that I am very functional minus any type of lifting. I only needed to wear my hard collar for 2 weeks according to my dr but I still wear it occasionally when my neck gets tired per my physical therapist.
Would I suggest this surgery to someone with the same problem as me? I would have to say yes but I really liked the dr who performed my surgery. I can't say that I am 100 percent pain free but I am much better then I was and I am turning 40.
Good luck to all of you who are considering this surgery. I believe the key to success in a situation such as this is to have a very good surgeon.

I had C5 - C7 fused back in 2001. It was the best decision I ever made. I have been pain free since then until now I have the same problem in the disc above the surgery and now am faced with doing it again. I did some research and found places that do less invasive surgery. I would suggest that altough it is expensive and unless your insurance covers out of network you will have to pay for it up front.

I had artificial disc replacement in Sept 08(C6-C7).
I had arm pain only when throwing a cricket ball and a little neck pain now and again.
The surgeon told me I could be paralysed from neck down if I continued playing cricket.
He told me that by having this operation he would 100% remove my arm pain and I could continue with my sports within a couple of months.
nearly 10 months on, I can not do any of my sport due to severe arm pain 24/7 even when sitting watching TV.
He wanted to operate on above level but a second surgeon told me that my spine was no different to any other 40 year old and I did not need operation now or before.
I was on no medication before my op but now take a number of nerve pain tablets and strong pain killers daily.
I have deep depresion and have experience panic attacks.
This surgeon had ruined my life.
The day before my op I ran 5K and rowed for 25 minutes and did 50 press ups.
I can do none of these things now.
This guy needs locking up, as I know that he has also frightened other people into having premature ops.

I had c6-c7 disc removal, bone spur removal and fusion w/titanium plate. I was told I would need to stay in the hospital for up to four days, but they kicked me out the next morning. All pain and numbness is gone from my left arm, and I'm in terrific shape. I stopped taking the Vicodan for 1/2 day, and decided that wasn't a great idea - as my rear neck and shoulders are still sore (slight spasms). I'm wearing an aspen collar more often than not out of paranoia. My doc had told me 3 weeks minimum with the collar, but after the surgery said I could ditch it in a few days. Only difficulty is in sleeping in that I'm wearing the collar and sleeping on an incline for fear of screwing up what was just done.

:'( Hellp others i had the same surjury disc 5 and 6 its only been almost a month and i feel like alot of these others the pain has not changed actually its worsen. I first thouht it was carpal tunnel the pain i was having from work and the type of work i did. I used alot of hand tool power tools and more. but of course they say its not work related. but i was told it had to be done or be paralized. wow now more pain and bigger bills.

I am so glad to hear that I am not the only one.
I had a 2 level anterior cervical fusion with iliac crest in Sept 2008 (C5/6 and C6/7). These were due to a fall in Aug 2007 - I went through a year of excruciating pain, and all the symptoms that you have all described (the burning, numbness, tingling, pain in shoulders, neck, etc) - the surgery went well and for some unknown reason my neurosurgeon declared me "pain free" directly after surgery (must have been the pain meds) - anyhow almost a year later and I am back in the same position pain-wise. (I also had herniated my C4 and my T7, but they weren't "bad" enough to fix at the time).
Now I have the same pains that I originally had, cannot sleep due to be woken up by the pain - but as an extra added bonus, I have horrible pain from the harvest site (iliac crest) (the neurosurgeon said I should not have pain at that site at all other than a little bit of a creak or twinge now and then). the pain is that electrical impulse between the shoulder blades, the heat sensation down the centre of my back, numbness in my index, ring and pinky on my left hand, numbness in both elbows, pain in the shoulder blade, neck and bottom left of my skull, as well as horrid, horrid headaches, numbness in my left leg, and S/I and sciatica pain (which I didn't have prior to surgery). I've always had pain after the surgery but lately (within the past two weeks) it has gotten to the point where I was before the fusion.
I'm afraid to go back to the doctor and start this process over again (it took me a year to convince them that there was indeed enough pain to warrant doing something). I don't want to have to start the percocets again (I was on them for over a year, and watched as the dose had to get higher and higher, luckily I would only take them at night in order to get enough relief to sleep but started at 1/2 of a tab and by surgery was up to 4 x 325mg tablets just to get enough relief to dose off for a few hours) - I don't want to go there again.
I have tried homeopathy, massage therapy, chiro, etc and do not know what else to do.

Hi guys
I am 35 and have compressed nerves in my c-spine 4,5,6,7 are herniated. surgeon wants to do a spinal fusion and said it would help me and i would be fine in a week. haven't made a decision yet, very scared. have pain in the neck and numbness in the pointer finger on my right hand. have sever pain once in a while but take pain meds to stop it. went to pt but no help. does anybody have any suggestions don't really want to do this surgery but can't stay this way forever. serious answers only please

It is comforting to read all the experiences that everyone has had as I relate to all of them. I have DDD that began in my lumbar region (3 sugeries, instrumentation and removal, fusion, etc). After this I developed left sided chest pain, shoulder pain and a very bad headache, numbness in my arm and fingers. The docs thought I was a nut case, but referred me to a neurologist. Immediately he ordered an MRI and thought I ruptured many discs in my neck. My C3-C6 all have issues but the initial doc thought they were mild and wanted to re-do my lumbar region that has not fused. After pushing to fix my neck, surprise, the surgeon discovered during the surgery that it was more severe with limited spinal cord signal that was not detected by MRI. My neck will be written up in a journal - famous neck - lol. I encourage all of you to go with your gut feelings and you know your body and symptoms. I am happy that I pushed for this repair, but the neurosurgeon told me I would be great in 4-6 weeks, it will be more like 4-6 months. Medicine is a science and getting several opinions is optimal and I strongly encourage you to look at academic universities where you can get a few opinions. My fingers are better but my arms and shoulders ache and I know it will get better each day (hydrocodone helps too!!!)

I had a surgery similar to yours....mine C5,6 exactly 1year and 5 months ago. I had the same pain in my shoulder, arm and in my hand too. Being an artist and primarily a right handed individual, the pain and numbness was to say the least, miserable. I was told that the surgery would "make everything better"... yeah, right. One year to the day of my surgery I saw a neurologist.... had a bone density test done...and wouldn't you know it....the results of the bone density test left this new doctor at a loss for words. It showed that there was very little healing taking place...after a year mind you. The radiologist was dumbfounded I was told. %-) Well, long story short...it looks as if I will have to undergo yet another surgery to hopefully fix the first procedure...oh joy... :'( Oh and like you...I have the pain, numbness and all the other fun stuff that goes along with this kind of problem.

Wow. While it pains me to read these posts, I do find comfort in the the fact I'm not alone.

Had my first anterior fusion C-5/C-6 in 2001. Was experiencing such neck and head pain, I'd throw up. When it got so bad I was throwing up 2 days a week, and lost strength in my left hand and arm, I had the surgery using a cadaver bone and titanium plate. (I don't smoke and exercise regularly). Went through rehab, and the pain in the neck and head were still there. Found out I had a non union and needed additional surgery. Went back in 2004 and had C5-C7 fused this time using my hip bone. After a couple of years, I still had headaches (only throwing up every few months), but started developing pain in my arms and tingling in both hands. Found that fusion didn't take either. At my wits end at this point. Pain in the head and neck are severe for weeks at a time. Arms and hands hurt and are numb lots of time. Still work, still do everything I always did, but pay for it hours or days later. For the last 3 years I've been getting botox injections to lessen the pain. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. The last series didn't work. The one before that, I actually had days that I thought I had died, as I had no pain. I'm convinced pain is God's way of letting me know I'm alive. I'm thankful I can still do a lot and I have a good attitude, but the pain is getting old. Last time I went to the neurosurgeon, he gave me a 50-50 chance it would work if we went through the back of the neck. Those aren't good enough odds to try it again. Love my doc. One of the best in the midwest, but think it might be time for a second opinion. Any suggestions?

Good luck to all of you. I feel your pain.

I had surgery back in April, C6,C7. Found out that the plate did not fuse, my doctor states it was my fault, because I smoke. Now the original pain in my right shoulder and arm, hand, with numbmess is in my left shoulder,arm, hand. And he wants to do another surgery >:(

In March '09 I had a triple cervical fusion C4-7. Here it is almost 1 yr. later and I'm experiencing more pain in my arm, fingers, neck and back than I had prior to surgery. I have attempted to return to work 3 times at part-time last year, and returned full-time in Nov. Now again I am off work due to the increased pain and fatigue I am experiencing. New x-rays just taken and a possible MRI forthcoming. PT didn't do much but once/monthly massage therapy is a big help. (I would have it weekly if I could afford it.) I was recovering pretty good until returning to work last fall...now I feel as if I'm regressing in healing....ugh.

I had the same surgery July 09. I am still having pain in left shoulder/arm/hand. Had another MRI and CT scan which showed the fusion did not take. I am using my bone stimulator again for 3 months to possibly get it to fuse. The main question I have is: Does anyone have complications from the bone stimulator? I have extreme pain in my whole body while using it. Feels like someone jabbing me with a needle all over. I am also having some chest discomfort. Is anyone else having similar problems?