Headaches after cerivcal neck fusion

i never had headaches before my surgery. Now I have them all the time and just experience my first full blown migraine a few days ago. I wouldn't wish a migraine on my worst enemy. Anyway, I had no choice but to have my surgery so I guess headaches are par for the course. My surgery was different than what you need. I had a 4 level anterior corpectomy. I'm almost 5 months into my recovery.

I didn't have cervical headaches until after my fusion. Good luck with your surgery!

I am experiencing the same issues. I had surgery on April 23, 2015 C 4-5 and C 5-6. After the surgery I felt better for about three months also. Since then it has been a nightmare with headaches. It doesn't matter which way I sleep I still wake up from them and go to bed with them. I have talked to the dr. about it and all he says is I can refer you for some shots in your neck. I've been down that road before I had the surgery they didn't help why would them help now. And when I turn my head I can hear all kinds of crackling in my neck. The fusion has taken in C 5-6 but not C 4-5 and it will be a year in April. Any suggestion would really be appreciated.

I had the same thing. I am almost 10 years out from having my cervical fusion. In 2008, I started getting headaches. The injections helped. For the last couple of years, I would get headaches that weren't too bad and they would go away when my necked popped really good. This month I started getting them again and they don't want to go away, so I am headed back to see what is going on. I started getting nausea right after the surgery and still get it today, even thought the gastrointestinal doctor says everything is alright. I think the compression of nerves has something to do with it. I also get little dizzy spells on occasion. It is crazy and I would like to find some way for it to stop. Maybe a laminectomy?

I was on 'Gaba-pentin' for years and years to help with my pinched nerve in my neck. It definitely help ease my headaches. Any one else try it and have results?

Your description of your headaches sounds very familiar. I had a fusion at C3/4 in August 2013. The headaches I had prior to surgery returned awhile after the surgery, and have gotten worse since. I was finally diagnosed (by a Neurologist) with Occipital Neuralgia. I've had lots of procedures to treat it- nerve blocks in my head, ablasions, steroid lidocaine shots, and more. I get a weekly massage which helps relax up the shoulder muscles (mine get very tight). The muscles connect to the C-spine and neck, so keeping them stretched and relaxed helps. I also started acupuncture; too soon to tell if it'll help long term. I'm waiting for my insurance to approve Botox injections (for shoulder and neck muscles) and hopefully I'll get relief. Look up some info about Occipital Neuralgia...I hope you don't have it but you may find info about controlling pain in the Occipital region (lower back of neck just above the spine).

I posted this reply to you but it showed up in a later thread...Anyway, Your description of your headaches sounds very familiar. I had a fusion at C3/4 in August 2013. The headaches I had prior to surgery returned awhile after the surgery, and have gotten worse since. I was finally diagnosed (by a Neurologist) with Occipital Neuralgia. I've had lots of procedures to treat it- nerve blocks in my head, ablasions, steroid lidocaine shots, and more. I get a weekly massage which helps relax up the shoulder muscles (mine get very tight). The muscles connect to the C-spine and neck, so keeping them stretched and relaxed helps. I also started acupuncture; too soon to tell if it'll help long term. I'm waiting for my insurance to approve Botox injections (for shoulder and neck muscles) and hopefully I'll get relief. Look up some info about Occipital Neuralgia...I hope you don't have it but you may find info about controlling pain in the Occipital region (lower back of neck just above the spine).

I had cervical neck fusion almost two years ago. Before i had it, i had major migraines and threw up alot. After surgery headaches went away. Now im getting them again. Why? Will i have to have surgery again?

My Daughter has these headaches often she has to go in for injections at lease twice a yr for any relief her Dr has now perscribed her Sumatriptan 100 mg for migranes.she just took off work from a federal Building to go home and take her meds ?

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Yes. Absolutely. I had a failed cervical fusion 13 years ago. My headaches are getting worse and more frequent. I also get nerve pain across the top of my head in addition to headaches over my eyebrows. Good luck.

Have the same problem,just right side headache and because of allergies can only take tylenol 1 3td but get some relief also neck gets very tired after sitting long periods, thought the fusion would help,came with its own set of trouble

Sorry to hear that. I've been dealing with the same problem for ten years. Just gets worse after multiple surgeries, for me. Hopefully not for you and you find a way to manage your pain.

I had 3 fusions - the first one in 2007 ACDF C5-6, worked OK (still had some issues with pain and tingling) so I went back to work. Started having increasing pain in both arms, headaches, dizziness, numbness, tingling and nausea in 2013. It was so bad I had to quit work as a paramedic and concentrate on trying to get better. Did the pain management, massages, and PT - neither afforded any relief. I went to ENT because "dizziness was not due to spine" per neurosurgeon and goiter. ENT said if not having problems breathing or swallowing don't mess with goiter and the dizziness was not related to ears. Right before the ACDF of C4-7 the doctor found I have a C7 rib (after numerous Xrays, cat scans and MRIs all of a sudden we find this rib???) and I possibly have TOS (thoratic outlet syndrome) - this maybe causing my symptoms but have to travel 9 hours to find out and surgery is very tramatic. So ACDF C4-7 with mesh and screws; doctor came in and said that my spine was not stable I needed rods to the back of neck immediately. Now I start having problems swallowing ( found out later to do the fusion the doctor had to loosen my esophagus from the 1st fusion plate which caused my esophagus and trachea to shift) 4 days later I had rods to the posterior from C4-T1. When I woke up was in pain so severe that it was burning and I have not been pain free in the year and 8 months since the last surgery. I have constant neck pain that goes into my left shoulder down the arm into the hand, it also goes into my head. I am still dizzy all the time besides the headaches. The only thing that really helps is tylenol and heating pads. 10 months after fusions I have the goiter removed due to problems swallowing even 1 pill - lost 35 pounds. Did the balance tests - dizziness still not in the inner ears; ENT states she has seen a lot of patients with multiple neck surgeries have dizziness. Myleogram caused spinal headache so had to have a blood patch. Concentrated on PT exercises with no improvement. Massages no help anymore. Now Neuro wants to take out the rods because I might be having hardware pain(?) I still haven't went to Dallas. I am tired of being cut open and told that this will fix the pain. GP did not like amount of tylenol I was taking so he wanted me to try tramadol - sleepy and it doesn't work well. So now I can't work and have all of the problems plus. Finances limited so I will wait til the first of next year to try anything else. I may go to Dallas to have rods removed and see what is said about the TOS. So if your Dr says spine unstable and need rods - ask if any other options - I had to wear neck brace for over 2 months and the way the PA hinted that I could have wore the brace for about 6 months and the spine would have stabilized. So even though the dr thinks that I cannot have the problems from the surgeries - after reading all of these I am sure that my neck-shoulder-head pain, dizziness, increasing tingling and numbness is all from damage and the resulting surgeries that have not helped anything! Thank you for letting me know I am not a hypochondriac or and not alone

I am having the same problems I had my fusion at c5.6.7 i am going on 4 post i am calling my Dr in the morning

My husband is suffering just as you are. He had neck surgery. I saw news on this a week ago. Find a way to get better blood circulation.

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