From some of your postings, I feel as if I am reading my own story. I remember the day I discovered something was very wrong in my neck because the pain was beyond description. What I thought was a shoulder problem obviously wasn't. After seeing a NS and having an MRI, c6 c7 herniation was discovered and PT recommended since I wasn't ready to get in to surgery. PT was tough and I understand the debilitating effects of trying to work while recovering. I could barely sit for more than 30 min. In fact, within a month of diagnosis, I was in a job interview, on pain meds just to get through it and could barely handle the pain then. While the pain has diminished, the radial nerve problems so frequently described here haven't in the three years since onset. Having just been in a rear end collision, those symptoms have increased, including the shoulder blade pain and numbness in the thumb and fingers 1 and 2. My neck cracks all the time and it feels like it is "caught" up. The horror stories of disc replacement have me even more gun shy at this point about even considering surgery. Are there any success stories out there? I'm in northern IL, can anyone recommend a NS?
hello, I had lower fusion surgery, and had simular symptoms, well I was diagnosed with Cauda Equina Syndrome. I am not sure if that is possible with the cervical area, but it does sound like you have some nerve damage. Diana
I had surgery in Sept of 06. I still have hand numbness, arm pin along with neck pain. I also have trouble walking. My knees give out all the time. I has fusion of discs c-4,5,6,7. an emg shows nerve damage at c-8. My ns says juts wait and see, I am so frustrated... constantly drop things and can't sleep.. I am so strung out on pills I don't know what day it is.
Hi Diane,
My son had the same thing only with more complications. He was completely paralized on his left side. It took him about 3 years to recover. He kept working with exercise equipment and a lot of prayers. The doctors said he would never regain his strength and the numbness would always be there. They were wrong. Within 6 months after having the halo removed he was back to work and after 3 years has fully regained everything. Hang in there.
My son had the same thing only with more complications. He was completely paralized on his left side. It took him about 3 years to recover. He kept working with exercise equipment and a lot of prayers. The doctors said he would never regain his strength and the numbness would always be there. They were wrong. Within 6 months after having the halo removed he was back to work and after 3 years has fully regained everything. Hang in there.
Hi. I've posted several times to this site and don't seem to find any answers I'm looking for. This is my last time so if any of you that has had ACDF surgery and had more complications after surgery have you ever gotten any answers to what may be the cause?
My surgery was in Sept 2005. C-5, C-6 disc replacement/fusion. I am still in pain and agony. My neck hurts all of the time. I do not have full use of my neck meaning I can't look up or far to my left...even after physical therapy twice. I have pain in my jaw, shoulder, wrist and hands. I can't bend over for any legnth of time and I can't lift anything. My arms grow weak and heavy.
I tried to paint a 30" door last week (half glass) I couldn't finish and the next day I was in excruciating pain from it.
Doctors have suggested Myofascial Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and a failed surgery (even though MRI's look good).
So if any of you out there have been through or are going through this after ACDF will you please answer to what has helped, if anything, and what the doctors are telling you is wrong?
I keep searching for answers...thinking I'm going to find something doctors have overlooked...so far I'm still stuck in "pain land" and sick of it. I'm 47 yrs old...too young too feel this old...so if anyone has any sugestions please help.
Thanks.
My surgery was in Sept 2005. C-5, C-6 disc replacement/fusion. I am still in pain and agony. My neck hurts all of the time. I do not have full use of my neck meaning I can't look up or far to my left...even after physical therapy twice. I have pain in my jaw, shoulder, wrist and hands. I can't bend over for any legnth of time and I can't lift anything. My arms grow weak and heavy.
I tried to paint a 30" door last week (half glass) I couldn't finish and the next day I was in excruciating pain from it.
Doctors have suggested Myofascial Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and a failed surgery (even though MRI's look good).
So if any of you out there have been through or are going through this after ACDF will you please answer to what has helped, if anything, and what the doctors are telling you is wrong?
I keep searching for answers...thinking I'm going to find something doctors have overlooked...so far I'm still stuck in "pain land" and sick of it. I'm 47 yrs old...too young too feel this old...so if anyone has any sugestions please help.
Thanks.
I'm 26 and have the same issues. 4 weeks post-op, my neck clicks when i take a deep breath, shooting pain down my right arm, all the tingling and weakness issues, shoulder kills, neck hurts....although sometimes when my neck hurts my shoulder doesnt. My doctor will not prescribe me anything except an anti-depressant (nor will my surgeon). I don't know what to tell you because I feel so lost myself. My name is Khris. My email is navz22 at hot mail dot com. I look forward to hearing from you maybe learn something from each other.
My name is Lana and my husbands name is Kris, he is 32 and a Police officer. He has been having horrible pain in his neck and back. Last year in November he fell while hunting and injured his neck. We went to have an MRI and he was diagnosed with Degenerative Disc Disease. He began to hurt again in about May, so we went back to the doctor. MD ordered another MRI and this time the MRI results said he had a tear at C-4 and C-5. We are now referred to a Neurosurgeon. I am a nurse and have heard so many bad things about surgery. I would appreciate anybody's input on this topic.
I just want to say do not do a fusion no matter what i had one in 2000 at the age of 30 I feel it was unneccessary. Do physical therapy do accupuncture walk stay strong and pray I read Luke chapter 18 it reminds me he is still listening. The best neurosurgeon is Dr. Joseph Cauthen in gainesville Florida i promise he's the best he will tell you straight and not rush into anything until you are ready he did surgery on my lower back in June 2007 wish i would have known him before I had my neck fused. Whole lot of things happen when mobility is lost i had a fusion of 5,6,7, It haunts me daily and I am a hygienist. DONT RUSH INTO SURGERY also there is the Laser spine Clinic in FLorida have seen some miracle cases from there.
A good Neurosurgeon will always recommend conservative treatment first and surgery as a last resort. I am a 45 yr. old Police Officer who was involved in a motor vehicle accident in November of 2006. To add insult to injury, we were struck by another unmarked squad car responding to a call. I was initially diagnosed with a labral tear of the left shoulder which was surgically repaired in April of 2007 after PT failed to provide any relief. During PT for the shoulder, I suffered from terrible headaches, nausea and eventually the headaches actually caused vomitting. These symtpoms progressed to tingling up and down my head as well as in my right arm and right foot, followed by numbness in the toes and foot. Eventually, I felt like someone tied concrete blocks to both of my feet. I had an MRI of my brain, saw an opthamologist and finally a podiatrist who told me that I had neck and back issues. I finally had an MRI of my cervical and lumbar spine which revealed that C4-5, C5-6 were herniated, C7 was bulging and this was causing spinal cord compression and edema of the spinal cord. I never had any real nack pain ! I had a fusion performed less than a week later because a simple slip and fall could leave me a quad in a wheelchair. I had the surgery on October 5, 2007 and have screws, cadaver bone and a titanium plate. The headaches are gone as is the nausea and there is some permanent nerve damage as a result of the compression. I do not have any knee reflexes and the toes in my right foot are still a problem but I can tell you that if you wait until these discs cause compression, it can lead to serious problems. The hardest part of the fusion is the 5 weeks in the hard collar but it still wasn't as bad as the chrnoic headaches, nausea and vomitting. Any surgery is serious, especially this type where it effects your motor skills and can lead to paralysis but without it, I wouldn't be walking. I'd be lying if I didn't say that I was terrified going in to surgery and the first thing I did when I woke up was move my toes! My work status is still up in the air and I know that putting on riot gear and a helmet won't be an option for awhile or maybe never but I am greatful that I can walk and still turn my head! It takes time to recover from this type of surgery because it's been almost 4 months and I'm still exhausted much of the time and require at least 9 hours of sleep. It's funny because anyone who is a police officer and works a rotating schedule knows that you've never been able to get that much sleep! Good luck and even though there aren't any guarantees with any surgery you could be worse off and making your condition worse if you wait too long.
ksf,
It sounds like I have a similar situation. On 08/08/06 I had a cervical fusion on c4/5. I still have some pain. My neurologist has me doing MRI every 6 months. I have 3 other levels 3/4, 5/6 and 6/7 that are bad. I have some nerve pain and numbness down my right arm. Eventually I will probably have more surgery. So scary, I have no words. I spent 17 days in the hospital after the first surgery with complications. Anyway, you asked for anything that has helped. I am currently on Neurontin. It is sometimes perscribed for nerve pain in the neck and it also helps with neck muscle relaxation. It was originally a medication for epilepsy. Which is kind of scary. But the great news about it is it in non-narcotic, it does not go through your liver. It does not interfere with other meds. I was on 2x100 ml 3 times a day and now am on 3x100 3times a day. Which is considered a low dose. There are no side effects for me other than feeling sleepy for the first few days or so. I cannot stress enough that this medication has been AMAZING for my neck nerve pain and muscle spasm. I could not live with out it. I have asked my neuro, over and over about long term effects and he has assured me its all good. I still have "flair ups" and need massage therapy but this has really helped me have a more normal life. Hope that helps.
It sounds like I have a similar situation. On 08/08/06 I had a cervical fusion on c4/5. I still have some pain. My neurologist has me doing MRI every 6 months. I have 3 other levels 3/4, 5/6 and 6/7 that are bad. I have some nerve pain and numbness down my right arm. Eventually I will probably have more surgery. So scary, I have no words. I spent 17 days in the hospital after the first surgery with complications. Anyway, you asked for anything that has helped. I am currently on Neurontin. It is sometimes perscribed for nerve pain in the neck and it also helps with neck muscle relaxation. It was originally a medication for epilepsy. Which is kind of scary. But the great news about it is it in non-narcotic, it does not go through your liver. It does not interfere with other meds. I was on 2x100 ml 3 times a day and now am on 3x100 3times a day. Which is considered a low dose. There are no side effects for me other than feeling sleepy for the first few days or so. I cannot stress enough that this medication has been AMAZING for my neck nerve pain and muscle spasm. I could not live with out it. I have asked my neuro, over and over about long term effects and he has assured me its all good. I still have "flair ups" and need massage therapy but this has really helped me have a more normal life. Hope that helps.
I am so sorry that you are in all this pain. I too have the same symptons. It's very depressing, to the point of not wanting to live sometimes. I have not had the neck surgery yet, and am trying not to ever have it, but I hurt so bad I almost don't see how it could get worse. I did have the L5 fusion. That helped some but believe it's no miracle cure. I actually feel like I am plugged into an outlet 95% of the time. I feel like I am frying. All I can say is that I feel for you and pray that God will help you deal with this, one way or another.
Best wishes and God bless.
Rhonda
Best wishes and God bless.
Rhonda
hi there, I am a newbie here also, I surely feel for you all with the pain and numbness and other symptoms, I agree with one posting here that says "Demand" and that is what you have to do today as a person knows what they are feeling and know the symptoms and are trying to deal with them, some doctors today just do not listen but you should demand very firmly!! I broke my back 8 years ago in car accident and had back surgery which was very serious and he took a bone from my thigh and put it in my spine as well as two rods and eight screws, I am thankful that I learnt to walk again and today am able to do a lot of things but cannot bend to get anything, I get a numbness from the donor site where they took the bone and although its numb it also feels like stinging bees there. I now have a swelling just below the operation site of the spine and x-rays show the rods are fine and not damaged but since i dont have a doctor right now they left it at that, I am going to demand to see a specialist as there must be some reason for the swelling, anyone else have any problems such as that, thank you all.
I also am new to this type of blog but am not new to the neck pain! I've been dealing, conservatively, since 1-07 when I fell while working as a Home Health nurse.
I've tried everything from constant chiro care (manipulation, US, EMS, myofacial release, stretching, wts., etc...) from Feb 07 thru the present while combining yoga and walking on my own, and still have MUCH pain - the burning is the biggest problem especially in the c5-6 neck area to the rt. shoulder/arm/hand/fingers/head-migraine/etc....
I have c5-6 fusion scheduled this month and am SO hopeful (tho frigthened!) that I can be rid of most of this pain.
Any tips would be appreciated!!
kg
I've tried everything from constant chiro care (manipulation, US, EMS, myofacial release, stretching, wts., etc...) from Feb 07 thru the present while combining yoga and walking on my own, and still have MUCH pain - the burning is the biggest problem especially in the c5-6 neck area to the rt. shoulder/arm/hand/fingers/head-migraine/etc....
I have c5-6 fusion scheduled this month and am SO hopeful (tho frigthened!) that I can be rid of most of this pain.
Any tips would be appreciated!!
kg
I too am a nurse and my neck injuries came from lifting patients every day at work.
I just had the surgery C5-6 fusion last week after trying PT, acupuncture, myofascial release and epidural injections for the last 8 months.
for themost part I think that my problem is fixed, I still have a little bit of transient weakness in my right arm. I would recommend the surgery to anyone.Minewas performed by a orthopedic spine specialist. Good luck in your decision. I know that I could not live with the pain and weakness anymore that is why I had the surgery.
I just had the surgery C5-6 fusion last week after trying PT, acupuncture, myofascial release and epidural injections for the last 8 months.
for themost part I think that my problem is fixed, I still have a little bit of transient weakness in my right arm. I would recommend the surgery to anyone.Minewas performed by a orthopedic spine specialist. Good luck in your decision. I know that I could not live with the pain and weakness anymore that is why I had the surgery.
I was having the same pain that KSF was having for 20 months, it lead to the break up of my marriage, heck he did not deserve me anyway. I started a series of botox injections by a very talented and older neurologist. He is one of the original Dr.'s who studied botox and it's potential use in medicine. After 6 months of once a month injections I am almost completely headache free. I still have some pain but I attribute that to the 2 remaining herniated cervical disks and 3 lumbar. Granted, insurance did not pay for this but if you have to beg borrow and steal get the money and see someone. I was a 2-4 times a month ER visitor because the pain was over an 8. The nuerontin and acupuncture help but I believe it was the botox that worked. the injections were given along several different nerve pathways on the face, scalp and down the front and back of the neck and traps. My occipital nerves were allowed to heal and I started to train the correct muscle groups. if anyone has questions please feel free to email me directly at bluh2ogrl at gmail dot com. good luck to you all
Pax Vobiscum
Pax Vobiscum