cervical spine surgery C4, C5, C6, C7

I'm three months from cervical fusion of my c-4-5 c-5-6 and not been able to eat solid food since done everything from swallow video to endoscope which showed a stricture on the esophagus now they think it's the hardware rubbing against it not allowing me to swallow feels like a sharp knife in my throat told them 2 months ago that's what I thought it was now I will have to have more surgery to have it removed I should have lived with the pain

the numbness will subside i have had c5,c6,c7 fusion and it saved my life but i also had spinal compression and have severe pain but i can feel my hand and legs again and can walk i have limited mobility of my neck but am grateful that i had the surgery it works.

My husband had similar probs. For many yrs debilitating pain Android. Headaches w no answers the only thing that was a blessing was botox of didnt fix him but gave enough relief he can now work of time Android much less pain but it might. take convincing insurance to pay theyusually give in of u insist enough good. Luck

Just a little FYI on the paxil. I had taken it for four years and what they don't tell you is that it is addicting. Not one of 13 doctors would take me off and it took me 3&1/2 months of solid buzzing in my head before the addiction was gone.When talking to my feedback therapist about this she commented that she also was on it for a brief time and had the same issue. It works great for an anti depressant, but i gained a massive amount of weight which is why I wanted off of it. Hope this helps.

hi there,iam due to have some plates and pins and fusion to my c4 c5 iam worried about this opp, is there any other way? my neck isnt always painfull,but my r,arm tricep is numb and my arm feels always heavy,some numbness in my hand,what do you think?

I have had surgery on my cervical neck 3 times. Just had the 3rd on on disl C3 and C4. You will never be the same. Since the this surgery I keep headaches and dizzy all the time. Pain will be your friend from her on out.

of course you can have surgery..i had 2 of them..and i feel great..have it done in boston..think you neurosurgeon is crazy..

i need cervical spine fusion soon due to nerve compression... can you tell me the best neurosurgeon in boston? please

I had c6 c7 surgery Oct 3 2012, I had been on public trans when the  bus driver slammed on their brakes & I went on the floor causing a pinched nerve & a bulging disc, had numerous tests & between the accident & the surgery (it was a 2 month time frame) I had lost use of my right arm. I have that back since the surgery however I have had continual pain, so much so that most nights I don't sleep at all, I live my life with epilepsy so that makes things worse & I started having nocturnal seizures when I was sleeping.   I am filing for disability because even though I was given the ok by my dr numerous times to go back to work with limitations, my employer will not allow  me to until I am 100%, he doesn't seem to understand that with a cadaver bone & titanium Iam never again going to be 100% again. I had the best neurosurgeon in my town, but I am still suffering pain everyday. & all I really want to do is work, though I fear I won't be able to do my job again because it's very physical   even my physical therapist who had the same surgery told me I will never have full range of motion in my neck again & I will never ba able to lift what my employer wants me to lift. 

There is help, but you must be willing to try alternative therapies. Cranio Sacral massage, Reiki (energy healing) and yoga.

I have been suffering with a pretty bad herniated disc c6 and c7 since 11/2012.  I have tried physical therapy, and although the pain is different from the therapy, I do still have pain.  I am contemplating surgery to releive the pressue off of the nerve, but I am scared to death.  My surgeon is one of the top surgeons in the country and was even recognized in US news.  I do trust in his abilities, however, the idea of this surgery scares me.   My pain is burning between my shoulder blades, and into my left arm past my elbow.  He tells me that if I continue to wait, the nerve may become permanently damaged.  I would love to hear from those that have had the surgery and experienced similar issues. 

Thanks

MW

I chose to reply to your post because I too had pain shooting down my shoulder blade - specifically my right shoulder blade. In fact I had no idea I had a neck problem until my shoulder pain was so bad that I went to see my Dr. then an x-ray than an MRI and 2 days later I was in a neurosurgeon's office with him telling me I was a sneeze away from being paralyzed from my neck down. I had over 98% spinal compression and I have a spinal cord injury. I was never in an accident, never sustained an injury... So I had surgery the very next day, they fused C4-5, 5-6, 6-7 and they had to do a lamination (cutting back - shaving down) of the coordinating vertebrae. That was 6 months ago. Since then I have gone to having occasional TERRIBLE pain down my right shoulder blade, to having constant pain in my neck, right arm, right elbow and my right chest every day. The pain in my chest gets so bad I feel like I have been shot. It hurts to hold my head up. My surgeon just completely doesn't give a care - he cut me up and threw me out. I was sent home with instructions and restrictions for someone who had lumbar surgery. It has been a complete nightmare, I am on antidepressants now. If I could go back I would have gotten a 2nd and 3rd and 4th opinion before I had this surgery again. It feel that is has basically ruined my life.

Sorry I don't know anything about the Precision plus Spinal Cord Stimulation but I do know that M.R.I.'s can be wrong when they come back negative. I had an M.R.I. on my neck showing that nothing was wrong, so other test were done with different shot treatments and no possitive results. I then had an Discogram showing C4,C5,C6,C7 were blown out and surgery was preformed. If you have had no results from your xrays or treatments then I would suggest seeing a known Chiropractor. Most insurances will cover most of the cost if you have a Doctor's referal. Just something to think about.

Boy do I know how you feel. I fell on the jub and needed a c-4/c-7 cervical laminoplasty. 4 titanium plates giving support to my bruised spinal cord with just a small stream of fluid gettung through. I am in my 6th year of hell, forgot what a normal? life is like, and could not run to save my life if I had to. I am just having awful right arm pain, like I walked into a wall to get to the bathroom in the wee am hours, but clearly did nothing of the sort as I bruise easy enough to know had that beed the case. I just saw an urgent care DR for another reason, and he said to get into my pain management DR ASAP, as any arm pain and numbness is related to that cervical spine condition. Right now it feels best held close to my body, and would be great if I had a sling right now. I feel for you. Stay strong and also give heat and herbs and herbal oils, message and acupuncture a try. They have been my saving grace. Keep the faith!

Hi there I have an old injury call tenosynovitus in my right which is a worse case of RSI had this for years but 28 months ago I injured my shoulder local hospital told me just bruising yah yah yah got tranfered to proper hospital and had had a camera into my should, steriods injections, cortazone (cant spell it) physio, nerve condutrion tests you name it ive had it .MRI scan showed a disc out on the C7 with these the my symptons got worse carpel tunnel in left hand lose of feeling in little finger pins and needles all the time in right hand shoulder constantly on fire adn so sore cant wear a bra with straps, pain rash all over my body when its bad, right hand swells u changes colour and if i sit on a plastic chair for more than 20 mins I get pins and needles and usually fall over not to mention 2 -3 hours sleep a night cant open stuff do buttons etc etc my painkillers may aswell be polo mints anyway to the Hospital i go today to see the Orthopedic Surgeon a very very nice man Ive been seeing along with the physion man again a lovely man only to be told i need to see the Spinal Surgeon as a matter of urgency or ill be paralysed so sorry but no one else to turn to im devasted rang DWP only to be told by her to find another line of WORK and she wont send out a claim form >>>>> any advice as ill have to quit my job as its sitting and lifting stuff all day