Pain after anterior cervical diskectomy with fusion (ACDF)

I had two level ACDF 10 days ago: C-6-7, C5-6 to resolve pain in my left shoulder, bicep, forearm, and numbness in my left hand. I am a retired fighter pilot. All of my cervical discs have degenerated from years of g-loads, heavy helmets with goggles, etc, C 6-7 was the worst. Arthritis is also present. Unfortunately, while the pain in my left arm is totally resolved, I woke up with severe pain in my right shoulder 1 week after the surgery. At first I thought I had a muscle ache, but it is radicular, creeping around my upper arm and shoulder. I have had shoulder joint pain before--this new pain is a dead ringer for labrum pain at times. It comes on during the night after I fall asleep for about 4 hours, it builds to level 8 or 9, and I have to get up. After I take a walk, about 30 inures, it goes away, almost totally. I see the surgeon day after tomorrow (2 weeks after surgery). I'm bracing for: just give it time.....here are some more (new) meds.....let's do C4-5...... I had been very active before and after the symptoms leading to surgery, I walked, swam, and did Pilates mat program vigorously on a daily basis up until the day before surgery. I am concerned those days are gone, even if pain free on one side. Thank you for this site.

Hi my question due to my office work as an receptionist doing quite some typing my neck give me so much discomfort through out the day I was wondering should I just clam disability and to take care of my self the pain allow so much headache through out each week, what would your advise.

I am 11 days out of surgery at c5,6,7, fusion with plate and screws. I am a 46 yr old woman. Pretty active . Went in to PC dr. For pain in my shoulder and numbness in my left hand. PC did a few strength tests sent me to ortho who took 1 look at my MRI Sent me to neuro surgeon who wanted to do surgery the following week. I had the surgery it seemed to have gone well . But now i have tremendous pain and weakness in my left arm . My tricep is so bad i can't even straighten my arm. I called Dr. he says its all normal since my nerves and spinal cord were compressed and it would seem worse before it got better ??? I am miserable, eating pain killers like they aretic tacs and cant sleep no matter what. :( i am so unhappy and uncomfortable i wonder if i should not have had it done. Has anyone else felt like this???

You have to go to the right doctor!

I just have a question how did you as you said blow the fusion? I am 3 weeks post C4artifiical disc replaced c4/5/6/7 triple fusion it's been strange see Dr next week...feel very snarky, weaker than the last two weeks..not taking narcotics because just want to be off of them..never given PT, maybe after 4 weeks...how did you know that something wasent right? Thanks

I am two weeks out from c5/6 and c6/7 ACDF with Dr Groff at B&W. I was in the hospital for one night, then home. No collar, full function other than lifting. I could drive after a week as I was off pain meds. When I awoke from surgery the numbness in my left arm and hand was gone, and all other symptoms that I had had before surgery (including permanent headaches) have resolved. Surgery was required due to stenosis and resulting myelopathy (I was losing function in my left arm and hand, as well as both legs).

I do have some severe nerve pain in my shoulders that starts in the evening, but otherwise feel fine. I've had a previous fusion in my lumbar spine which was a much more difficult surgery, and a much longer and more painful recovery, so my perspective is different than most.

I had C5 -7 ACDF 6 weeks ago.  I went to neuro when I was starting to be unable to walk and had numbness all over.  The MRI showed a critical issues.  Once they had the results I had the surgery in 3 days. 

I woke up able to walk 100% and since then my numbness is gone except for the very bottom of my feet and the tips of my fingers.  Dr. says that will even get better.

My only issues have been some soreness in my neck at the end of the day.  I returned to work after 4 weeks and I am very careful of what I do.  I was in such bad shape and scare I was not going to be able to walk that I am good with these minor issues.

I would do it again.

Help?  I had a fusion in 2002 for c4/5/6 and a plate put in. For 5 years all was well.  Then gradually I went from neck pain to right arm pain, tingling numbness in the right shoulder and now pain in both upper arms.  It appears I have compression to 7mm in two places in the nerves and bone spurs.  Has anybody had anything similar?  I have trouble putting on a shirt and taking it off.  Also legs go numb a couple times a week now.  Any ideas on relief while I wait for referrals etc

I will say a prayer for you. I have the exact symptoms now and I have been told I needed cervical disectomy with a fusion on C-4,5 C5,6 ,C6,7 and there is not a day im not in pain.

(Hi I'm in UK going into week three post acdf I was in agony before the op now some discomfort but much better it's my walking I'm struggling with and I love walking I'm 70 but always very fit till this disc think level 3 n4 any advice would be helpful also we never have collars for this op in UK

C7/C8 is an impossible surgery considering it doesn't exist

Hi - I had ACDF 3/4 in August last year. As a musician my hands were losing dexterity and my whole being had slowed down, lethargic bowels and weak bladder. The immediate result was resumption almost 100% of manual dexterity, there was hardley any pain, all I took post-op was about 5 doses of Paracetamol.  I resumed professional playing on October 1st last year and I think I am as dextrous as I was before.  About 2/3 months post-surgery I did get and am still getting pains in either side of my neck and intermittently a crunching in my neck when I excercise back to front and side to side. My legs haven't fully recovered the nerve messages and are still a little weak but considerably improved on pre-op. My surgeon, a really great man, did forecast that all might not return to pre-condition status, but he is very pleased with the result to date. I am not in constant painonly when sustaining  lengthy sessions at my PC  or long concerts, I am a woodwind player and the air pressure build up may create neck muscle discomfort. I have employed a particular kind of instrument harness that distributes the instrument weight on my shoulders and not on my neck. The big one is today, I am going to take my bicycle to a quiet area of The New Forest and take a few nervous yards to see if my balance is sufficiently recovered to start riding again. I too have been getting what i feel is tendonitis in my right arm with intermittent pins and needles. I think I have located the source, my upper bicep, and I am controlling this with Ibuprofen gel - seems to be effective. I haven't had a post op x-ray but if the discomfort doesn't reslove i think I may request one.  I really hope your situation resloves too, I would be interested to hear of your progress.

I am 54 yr old female and I am 1 week post op c3&4 c4&5 . I was thinking it was going to be a breeze a few days ago but have taken a turn fort he worst . Every time I walk it jars my neck and is very painful . My dr said I didn't have to wear a collar which I got a soft collar anyway. Pain is excruciating worse than before . Mr dr against pain med said also

I sit here in a lot of pain reading all of your comments and there is a whole lot that I think everyone needs to take into consideration before and/or after surgery. I've had 3 spine surgeries in the last 7 years. Not everyone is going to have the same outcome. The first and foremost thing you have to do before surgery is be 100 % clear and honest with your doctor about your signs and symptoms. The best guage to decipher what needs to be done to repair problems is us. The Doctors use collective information to write our plans of care. I'm 7 years post op for a multiple level cervical fusion and discectomy c2 thru c6 are fused. I also had a lumbar laminectomy and fusion about a yr n half ago.  And I'm 2 weeks post op from having a ACDF with I can't recall the exact wording but another discectomy and fusion.Not smoking will greatly speed up your healing process. Also following  the dr exact orders and don't overdo it physically. You will get frustrated and depressed and discouraged, but remember you had a goal when you went for surgery. Be positive and continue in your care plan in a positive fashion. To have surgery or not to have surgery.. I think that my quality of life because of the pain and disruption my health was causing before surgery was much worse than having and recovering from some surgeries. I';m not satisfied with my lumbar surgery, but I also did too much...fell off some stairs 2 weeks after surgery... and am terrible about going to PT. Bottom line I guess is this..... If you're contemplating surgery... Do what the dr says and heal. Give yourself time and take care of yourself. If you were honest with the DR, and you have chosen a good surgeon, I believe the chance of improving someones quality of life so the y don't live in pain everyday (possibly) It's worth it.

I too came to this site today because i"m experiencing a lot of pain in between my shoulder blades and down my right arm. I did not have this pain that I recall after my first surgery. I am a smoker and as I see some of you have mentioned a much longer recovery and fusion time if you smoke. This is true. It took about a yr n half to really heal from the first surgery. I'm fused in teh lumbar region now after a yr n half but i suffer worse pain than before the surgery.

You need a second opinion because to the best of my knowledge you are supposed to wear at least a soft cervical collar for at least 3 weeks, and it's normal for patients to have some degree of pain that usually needs to be managed with pain medications at least for a little while. I'd definitely get a second opinion asap.