Headaches after cerivcal neck fusion

In April 2008 after an accident and having severe neck pain and loss of feeling in my arm I had a cervical neck fusion with titanium plate. Immediately after the surgery I had no pain and the feeling in my right arm returned. As the days went on the muscle spasms were so severe even with pain medication and Robaxin(muscle relaxer). I was sent for physical therapy and it was a God send, the spasms and pain were relieved. Nine  months later I fell down 16 stairs when it was icy and my neck pain was back. The doctor said all the hardware was OK. After suffering pain for years and losing feeling again in my arm I had a myelogram in 2012 and 2 of the screws in the plate were coming out. July 2012 I went through the surgery again and a smaller plate was put in. Once I got past the muscle spasms again with Robaxin the severe pain was gone, but I have headaches almost on a daily basis. The headaches are either at the base of my neck or across my forehead. I have massages periodically which helps and I routinely take nortriptyline for the pain. Occasionally I have to take the Robaxin for the spasms and excedrin, but for the most part I can live with the headaches because the severe pain is gone. I do get relief from the headaches so I thank God for that, so I guess it's a trade-off. I wish I had some better answers for those of you who are suffering severe headaches. I just take it one day at a time and do what I'm able to do that day. I'm thankful I'm not in a wheelchair and can still work.

Same thing for both me and my husband. For his headache he applies pressure on the top of his head in the "softspot" and it immediately takes the pain away. Except you have to keep applying pressure. Very dissatisfied w our surgery. Both c5/c6. My headaches are full on all over pain that starts from the back and comes over the top to my eyes. Nothing works except mess and massage and even then I suffer for days before it goes away. Our advice.. don't have the surgery unless ANSOLUTELY necessary.

HI IM GETTING HEADACHES AFTER 2 WEEKS AFTER MY SURGURY.I HAD C/5 AND C/6 DISKS REMOVED AND FUISED.

I have had 9 cervical sugeries i am having bad headaches they are numbing and pain.I also have nerve tingleing in my arm and legs . the dr think i am crazy and are no help. I dont give up because of the grace of god and family.

I have had cervical neck fusion and also a second surgery that left me with rods in the back of my neck.  I deal with headaches on a daily basis that athe just above the neck area on The back of my head.  Have had pain management injections and such with no relief.  If anyone knows of anything I can try I would be open to suggestions.

I had four disc removed and fused from C3 to C7 due to an accident back in august 2012, surgery in october 2012 , every form of injection pain management can come up with, nerves cauterized on each side of the fusion, nerve blocks to the occipital nerve , the last was botox injections still wake every day with severe to moderate headache and stiff neck. wrap my head in a heating pad after taking my pain meds, 1- 8 milligram dilaudid time release and a fioricet till the pain is bearable enough to get up and get ready for work, then follow up with a 2 milligram dilaudid an a fioricet about 10 or 11 am depending on how severe my headache was when I got up in the morning . thats what I do to get by

I had a fusion c5-6 years ago...I have almost daily headaches. I can tell when I wake up if it will turn into a migraine. I was told I had permanent nerve damage because there were pieces of the disk lodged in the nerve. My forearm is always numb. I'm so so tired of it. I work full time and still have 6 out of ten kids at home to raise. I take fioracet with codeine and Tylenol 3. I was recently "flagged for intervention" at the pharmacy I think because of the amount of acetaminophen. My doc switched me to fiorinal which has asprin instead of acetaminophen. I'm tired of hurting and tired of feeling like I'm being treated like an addict. I don't know what to do. Good luck

I have had three levels fused.  Headaches get very bad.  Every since being put on Meloxicam (15 mg once a day) taken at night, the headaches are gone,  unless I do something very strenuous.  I believe there is arthritis above/below the fusion, causing the muscles to spasm causing the headaches.  I have dealt with this for many years.  When in the shower, try and move your neck around gently to stretch the muscles.  Try the Meloxicam.

5yrs ago neck fusion 2 areas head aches daily stiff in neck often times pain feels like u have a pain necklace on neck hot aching. i heat and ice all day every day goes to bed with ice pack on neck and lower back. i have gotton a neck injection at ann arbor, felt better short time and neck still hurts and head pressure frt if head middle if skull left side of neck behind the ear. for a year now both ears have pain and non stop pressure been on ear drops for pain seen 3 ent drs no one has answers

I AM 3 MONTHS POST C6-C7 FUSION AND I HAD HEAD ACHS BEFORE THE FUSION/I WAS TOLD IT WAS MY NECK CAUSING THE HEAD ACHS I DIDNT HAVE A HEAD ACH FOR A MONTH AFTER THE SURGURY I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD MOVE TO GET THE FUSION NOW I AM GETTING HEAD ACHS EVERY DAY IF NOT EVERY OTHER DAY SOMETIMES THEY LAST A WEEK AT A TIME.IVE BEEN TO THE HOSPITAL A FEW TIMES SINCE THE SURGURY BECAUSE THE PAIN IS SO BAD IN MY HEAD BUT CT SCAN AND EVERY THING ELSE SAYS MY BRAin is fine.I STARTED TAKING EXSEDREN BUT THEY DONT EVEN HELP ANYMORE NORCO 10-325 ONE OF THE STRONGEST NARCOTICS OUT THERE AND THEY DONT HELP THE HEAD ACHS.IM 38 YEARS OLD AND THIS IS JUST HORABLE!

I had C5-6-7 fused in 2004, and then re-done in 2007. After the first one I experienced excruciating headaches. Eventually saw a Pain Specialist (an M.D.) and he diagnosed it as "cervicogenic headaches, not uncommon following neck surgery. He prescribed Botox injections in muscles near surgery site - did not help and made matters much worse. However, eventually I began a course of Muscle Relaxants and Pain Meds and the headaches stopped. They still occur every now and then, but I can deal with them, even though it may take a week or two.

Reading some of the posts here and I know I am in good company.  I had C6, C7, and T1 spinal fusion a little more than a year ago.  At first all was fine as I was in great pain prior to surgery, Within the past six months I have developed severe headaches that start at the base of my neck and work toward the front (Sound familiar).  My headache and all associated pain is mostly on the right backside of my neck where my neck is extremely tender to the touch.  Just for info, my surgery (incision) was to the front left side of my neck.  

I have tried numerous pain over the counter medications and none work.  The only thing that has worked is a percocet tablet at the high point of the pain.  Trying to take as little as I can but sometimes you have to do what you can to get through the pain.  

I agree fully with at least one post here that there is NO WAY another surgery is in order.  I am going back to the doctor to see if anything else can be done without surgery. 

I had my c6/c7 fused in Oct. 2013 and have the same headaches. My primary doctor put me on 20mg of Nortriptyline HCL at bed time. I have been on it since Dec. 2013 and the headache frequency has been greatly reduced and the length of time they last.

I had a C4/C5 acdf on 1/13/14. I have never in my life had headaches like this! Right across the forehead into the neck. Moving or blinking your eyes hurts. You look for the darkest coolest places in your home and stay there for up to 3 days at a time. My NS wouldn't even address the issue in my 6 week post op check up. All he said was the fusion worked and see you bye. So I am left with this debilitating pain. I have had this going on nearly everyday since surgery. I am still on pain meds, muscule relaxers and have now gone on Toradol. This surgery was the worst thing I could have ever done. This was so not worth the pain I am in now

I have had a total of 4 cervical fusions. My head kills me every single day. My shoulders and neck are in constant pain. I hatetaking percocet and imitrex to function "enough". I can no longer enjoy or plan anything. I'm not physically paralyzed but I feel trapped in my bed. Cervical surgeries are so life altering and debilitating.