What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

Welcome to Our Forums. Once you've registered and logged in, you're primed to talk football, among other topics, with the sharpest and most experienced fantasy players on the internet.

Back/neck nerve issues - talk to me (1 Viewer)

shuke

shuke

Black Ice Skeptic
Back in 2014 I have a lot of pain in my neck/shoulder/arm.  Saw an orthopedic doc, he said I had some nerve pinching in my neck as well as some rotator cuff issues.  I got a steroid shot in my shoulder and went through a lot of physical therapy to get my range of motion and strength back.  

I've instituted a lot of the stretches and exercises into my daily routine.  Everything has been doing great.  Until this past November.  Horrific pain.  Couldn't lay down, couldn't lift anything.  For about 6 weeks, a cough or sneeze would have me close to tears.  I went back to that same practice but the guy I saw previously wasn't there any more.  New guy felt this was all in my neck so sent me to a chiropractor.  Did 6 or so visits there, they gave me some exercises, and with that and rest I started feeling better.  

As part of my pre-op appointment with my primary doctor in December before my foot surgery, I told him I had some lingering pain so he referred me to a physical med MD in his practice after I had my surgery.  I saw her last week and she ordered an MRI.  Upon review she said this was something she didn't think she could treat so referred me to the preeminent spine practice in town.  

Saw the guy there today.  He said he expected me to be a lot worse than I presented based on my MRI.  Says I have three bulging discs and narrowing around my spinal cord.  In two of those levels the disc looks like it has protruded onto the cord.  He says really only thing that will fix this is fusion.  This would be fusion of C4 through C7 and I'm only 47 years old.

He didn't try to pressure me into it or anything, said that I can choose to wait and do it whenever I felt.  He said the only risk with waiting, is if something progressed quickly and damaged my spinal cord, that the healing can take a while.  

Anyone have cervical fusion?  My limited research today says these lower levels would reduce range of motion about 20% flexion/extension and only 15% side-to-side.  

This was a complete shock to me.  Joint fusion scares me because of accelerated wear in adjacent joints.  Plus the reduced lack of motion at my age.  

 
Sorry I can't offer any info but can empathize. A recent MRI revealed bulging discs in the same area. Been doing PT for a few weeks w/o real improvement and I'm scheduled for my 1st steroid shot on March 8th. Plan is for up to 3 shots and then surgery if no improvement.

Good luck!

 
brun said:
Sorry I can't offer any info but can empathize. A recent MRI revealed bulging discs in the same area. Been doing PT for a few weeks w/o real improvement and I'm scheduled for my 1st steroid shot on March 8th. Plan is for up to 3 shots and then surgery if no improvement.

Good luck!
Click to expand...
Thanks.  I don't know why he didn't bring up an epidural as an option.  I was totally in shock from the fusion discussion I forgot to ask.

 
That sucks. I’ve had sciatica and it was the worst thing I’ve ever experienced. Nobody understands how debilitating these conditions are until you’ve had them. Always in pain. Any position. Can’t walk. Can’t sleep. Hang in there man. If fusion is the fix I’d do it. But of course surgery is always a last resort. 

 
shuke said:
Back in 2014 I have a lot of pain in my neck/shoulder/arm.  Saw an orthopedic doc, he said I had some nerve pinching in my neck as well as some rotator cuff issues.  I got a steroid shot in my shoulder and went through a lot of physical therapy to get my range of motion and strength back.  

I've instituted a lot of the stretches and exercises into my daily routine.  Everything has been doing great.  Until this past November.  Horrific pain.  Couldn't lay down, couldn't lift anything.  For about 6 weeks, a cough or sneeze would have me close to tears.  I went back to that same practice but the guy I saw previously wasn't there any more.  New guy felt this was all in my neck so sent me to a chiropractor.  Did 6 or so visits there, they gave me some exercises, and with that and rest I started feeling better.  

As part of my pre-op appointment with my primary doctor in December before my foot surgery, I told him I had some lingering pain so he referred me to a physical med MD in his practice after I had my surgery.  I saw her last week and she ordered an MRI.  Upon review she said this was something she didn't think she could treat so referred me to the preeminent spine practice in town.  

Saw the guy there today.  He said he expected me to be a lot worse than I presented based on my MRI.  Says I have three bulging discs and narrowing around my spinal cord.  In two of those levels the disc looks like it has protruded onto the cord.  He says really only thing that will fix this is fusion.  This would be fusion of C4 through C7 and I'm only 47 years old.

He didn't try to pressure me into it or anything, said that I can choose to wait and do it whenever I felt.  He said the only risk with waiting, is if something progressed quickly and damaged my spinal cord, that the healing can take a while.  

Anyone have cervical fusion?  My limited research today says these lower levels would reduce range of motion about 20% flexion/extension and only 15% side-to-side.  

This was a complete shock to me.  Joint fusion scares me because of accelerated wear in adjacent joints.  Plus the reduced lack of motion at my age.  
Click to expand...
Sorry to hear of your pain.. 
Back in 1995, at 27, I ended up needing back fusion of the bottom 3 disc's due to a combination of work I was doing and Degenerative Disc disease.

My Fusion was a "Solid Fusion" in that my L5 was fused to my Pelvis bone so lost a lot of motion.
Had to give up golf (had a 5 handicap at the time), and anything that you'd consider "High Impact" like Down hill skiing, etc. 

But it was worth it!
At the time of the surgery, sitting down caused radiating pain down my legs and within a minute I'd lose feeling in my left leg. 26 years later and everything is still going great ( knock on wood).

My dad had a a similar fusion that you are looking at which he stated has never given him any issues since.
I also have a friend that ended up needing C1 - C4 fused.. Always feel for him as in order to look left or right he basically has to twist his whole upper body. But he says it was well worth it.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do. :thumbup:  

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Maybe helpful...

In 2007, I slipped on a wood stair while carrying a load of laundry. I slipped from an upper stair to a lower stair, and landed flat on my feet. All joints were locked, and my neck absorbed most of the shock from the sudden weight transfer. That day, my neck was sore. Three days later, I was in bed, barely able to move. I had pain in my neck and severe "tingling" radiating down my arms to my fingertips. I recall I could find only one position, slightly angled upward, where the pain was minimized. Went to doctor, got pain medication. Advil, Tylenol, Vicodin. None of it worked. Got an MRI, showed I have degenerative disc disease. Specialist prescribed me percocet. Pain was gone. That stuff is effective (and i understand the oxy epidemic). I could actually function, walk, stand. I returned to work, i could sleep, and my body healed. Nerves regenerate/heal at an incredibly slow rate. Something like 1/16th of an inch/month. 

I got better just in time to get married half-way around the world. Took about two months. 

I still have numbness in my fingertips, and my neck needs stretching here and there. I also had one weekend, late 2008, where I went to a friend's wedding. Danced all night like a crazy person. Too much booze to care about caution. Three days later, I was back in bed. Total relapse. Refilled a prescription and a while later I was good to go.

Now I am careful, but I'm still active. I ride the F out of a Peloton, do a little upper body weights. I do a lot of work around the house, crawl around in tight places (remodeling an attic and doing much of it myself). I also picked up snowboarding 5 years ago. I have taken some hard tumbles, so I've eased up a bit on pushing limits. I don't need to go 45 mph on a snowboard or catch air off of side hits. I'll just watch my kids go down the mountain. Every bit as rewarding.

Good luck GB.

 
shuke said:
I assumed from bad posture and being overweight.  But doctor said these can happen just due to age, and said that years of smoking probably played a role.
Click to expand...
Can be anything really but my spine surgeon told me that, outside of a traumatic incident, you're either going to have them or not. And your discs are like jelly donuts, once the jelly squirts out (herniation) it's over. Bulging may not mean herniation so things like epidural steroid and PT may be very beneficial.

Personally, I had a fairly significant herniation in L5/S1(right above the pelvis). Tons of left sciatic nerve impact and no relief from the epidural or PT so I had a discectomy.

 
In our practices, the injections are mostly done by the PMR docs, so if your PMR doc sent you to the surgeon without recommending one, he would have to be pretty sure the surgeon would see it the same way. BOL GB.

 
Had C5-C7 disc replacement and fusion done 2 years ago. Best thing I could have done. Went through the typical BS pre op motions. i.e. Chiropractor, therapy, epidural...some short term relief but not the solution. Had complete numbness or shocking pain through my arms and neck. When I finally decided to go ahead and have them fused I was nervous to say the least. I was most worried about losing motion in my neck. One overnight stay and 3 weeks sleeping in a recliner and haven't looked back. It sounds more intimidating than it is. Also had a really good surgeon that nailed it. The bone that replaced my discs and the screws that hold them all together have caused no issues. Good luck.

 
kevzilla said:
In our practices, the injections are mostly done by the PMR docs, so if your PMR doc sent you to the surgeon without recommending one, he would have to be pretty sure the surgeon would see it the same way. BOL GB.
Click to expand...
Do the PMR docs do the actual injections?  I thought that had to be done under flouro by some type of other specialist. 

 
Betterbelieveit said:
Had C5-C7 disc replacement and fusion done 2 years ago. Best thing I could have done. Went through the typical BS pre op motions. i.e. Chiropractor, therapy, epidural...some short term relief but not the solution. Had complete numbness or shocking pain through my arms and neck. When I finally decided to go ahead and have them fused I was nervous to say the least. I was most worried about losing motion in my neck. One overnight stay and 3 weeks sleeping in a recliner and haven't looked back. It sounds more intimidating than it is. Also had a really good surgeon that nailed it. The bone that replaced my discs and the screws that hold them all together have caused no issues. Good luck.
Click to expand...
That's great to hear.  Any adjustments you've had to make, like turning your body more to make up for lack of motion?

How long did you have symptoms before you decided to go ahead?

This is my biggest concern.  I feel like this is a drastic procedure for the amount of symptoms I've had.  A 3 month stretch in 2014, followed by a 3 month stretch in 2020.  Granted, I'm not symptom free yet from this last bout, but I think it's because I don't have the mobility to do as much stretching/exercise because I'm on crutches.

 
shuke said:
Do the PMR docs do the actual injections?  I thought that had to be done under flouro by some type of other specialist. 
Click to expand...
Many of ours do, most of the surgeons can't be bothered. We have one practice with a fluoro suite, and the others use other outpatient facilities. 

 
The small range of motion loss is barely noticeable at this point. I've had symptoms for years as I have DDD. Had symptoms come and go until they finally stayed for months and started to change my lifestyle. I'm 52 and decided if I waited any longer to do it the more severe the healing would be. All of the stretching and adjustments were just my way of trying to avoid the surgery. Honestly the best thing for relief was freezing a neck and shoulder microwavable hot and cold pack I got at Walgreens and putting it on my neck. Have to get some of the swelling in the discs and nerves down to get relief.

 
like i’ve said before, make an appointment with a spine and pain place.  let them see your x-ray and discuss symptoms.  i need a c5-7 fusion, but the epidurals alleviated my symptoms a lot and surgery right now won’t do much.  better than hopping in to an invasive surgery immediately.

 
Chemical X said:
like i’ve said before, make an appointment with a spine and pain place.  let them see your x-ray and discuss symptoms.  i need a c5-7 fusion, but the epidurals alleviated my symptoms a lot and surgery right now won’t do much.  better than hopping in to an invasive surgery immediately.
Click to expand...
I'm already on my fourth doctor for this since November.  

I'll get a second opinion before I do anything, just tired to seeing doctors right now.

 
shuke said:
I'm already on my fourth doctor for this since November.  

I'll get a second opinion before I do anything, just tired to seeing doctors right now.
Click to expand...
if you don’t want to see a S & P doctor, then it can’t be too bad right now.  if that’s the case, then why the surgery?

 
shuke said:
Funny you ask.  This last bout of issues really started while I was doing Yoga.

In addition, I've been doing all the stretches, etc. daily since 2014.
Click to expand...
yoga is about as bad for you as anything.  the wrong move or position could really aggravate the issue.  too bad there isn’t an injection that might help.

 
I’ve dealt with bulging discs before, albeit at the other end of the spine(L5-S1). I had pain rocketing down my left leg for the better part of 2 years, starting at only 26 years old(I was pretty out of shape) Got cortisone shots, tons of stretches, had to sleep with my legs elevated, almost everything short of fusion surgery. Eventually it stopped hurting, but I still keep an eye on it just in case.

 
Chemical X said:
if you don’t want to see a S & P doctor, then it can’t be too bad right now.  if that’s the case, then why the surgery?
Click to expand...
Sorry, I haven't decided to have the surgery yet.  I'm just saying what this doctor is telling me I need to do.

 
About 5 years ago while putting up Christmas lights on our tree my back just went out. I caved to the floor and couldn't move for several minutes. Took another half an hour to get back to my feet and a few weeks to get back to normal. 

Anyway- I’m sure you’ve tried everything but just in case- the only thing that works for me is to lay on the hardwood floors and sleep on my back. (You can lay a blanket down) A couple nights of that and I’m good to go. 
 

GL
 

 
Betterbelieveit said:
The small range of motion loss is barely noticeable at this point. I've had symptoms for years as I have DDD. Had symptoms come and go until they finally stayed for months and started to change my lifestyle. I'm 52 and decided if I waited any longer to do it the more severe the healing would be. All of the stretching and adjustments were just my way of trying to avoid the surgery. Honestly the best thing for relief was freezing a neck and shoulder microwavable hot and cold pack I got at Walgreens and putting it on my neck. Have to get some of the swelling in the discs and nerves down to get relief.
Click to expand...
i'm bumping this thread as it seems my epidural is wearing off after 3 years.  i know i need a multi layer fusion, C4-C7, which would entail 3 plates.  I had a rough sleep a couple of nights ago and i lost all feeling in my left arm for about 4 hours.  severe tricep pain and tingling numbness in my hand.  i am going back to my spine & pain guy to discuss another epidural, but i'm likely to revisit my surgeon/doctor too to discuss this again.

the surgery, it's thru the front, how bad is the scar?  how much range of motion did you lose?  i've read the more that's fused the more range you will lose.  though i have heard we don't need full range, as most activities, outside of backing up a vehicle, are covered.  will i be able to move my neck or will i need to spin my body to see things like lurch?  how bad was the downtime.  will i need a note when i pass thru the airport?   curious to see how @shuke progressed on this.  

 
STEADYMOBBIN 22 said:
About 5 years ago while putting up Christmas lights on our tree my back just went out. I caved to the floor and couldn't move for several minutes. Took another half an hour to get back to my feet and a few weeks to get back to normal. 

Anyway- I’m sure you’ve tried everything but just in case- the only thing that works for me is to lay on the hardwood floors and sleep on my back. (You can lay a blanket down) A couple nights of that and I’m good to go. 
 

GL
 
Click to expand...
I have a mattress that is just this side of granite.  (It's a solid core mattress, not an inner spring.)  A place here in Houston called Texas Mattress Makers makes them to order.  If you can find something like this, it might help all the the time.

I hate soft mattresses.

 
shuke said:
Back in 2014 I have a lot of pain in my neck/shoulder/arm.  Saw an orthopedic doc, he said I had some nerve pinching in my neck as well as some rotator cuff issues.  I got a steroid shot in my shoulder and went through a lot of physical therapy to get my range of motion and strength back.  

I've instituted a lot of the stretches and exercises into my daily routine.  Everything has been doing great.  Until this past November.  Horrific pain.  Couldn't lay down, couldn't lift anything.  For about 6 weeks, a cough or sneeze would have me close to tears.  I went back to that same practice but the guy I saw previously wasn't there any more.  New guy felt this was all in my neck so sent me to a chiropractor.  Did 6 or so visits there, they gave me some exercises, and with that and rest I started feeling better.  

As part of my pre-op appointment with my primary doctor in December before my foot surgery, I told him I had some lingering pain so he referred me to a physical med MD in his practice after I had my surgery.  I saw her last week and she ordered an MRI.  Upon review she said this was something she didn't think she could treat so referred me to the preeminent spine practice in town.  

Saw the guy there today.  He said he expected me to be a lot worse than I presented based on my MRI.  Says I have three bulging discs and narrowing around my spinal cord.  In two of those levels the disc looks like it has protruded onto the cord.  He says really only thing that will fix this is fusion.  This would be fusion of C4 through C7 and I'm only 47 years old.

He didn't try to pressure me into it or anything, said that I can choose to wait and do it whenever I felt.  He said the only risk with waiting, is if something progressed quickly and damaged my spinal cord, that the healing can take a while.  

Anyone have cervical fusion?  My limited research today says these lower levels would reduce range of motion about 20% flexion/extension and only 15% side-to-side.  

This was a complete shock to me.  Joint fusion scares me because of accelerated wear in adjacent joints.  Plus the reduced lack of motion at my age.  
Click to expand...
I had spinal surgery on my c4 two years ago.  Pulled the disk and replaced with a cadaver bone.  I’d been thru a year of true agony, constant pain, inability to do basic things like pick up my daughters.  Went the epidural route first which was extremely painful and had no effect.  Became addicted to pain medication, routinely popping percosets morning noon and night to get thru the day.  I was a monster to be around, snapping at my kids and in a bad mood all the time.  

I had no appetite for the surgery, especially considering that they go in thru my throat, past my vocal chords and esophagus.  Just had a lot of trepidation for fear of causing undue harm to my speech.  
 

in the end the pain got so unbearable and my dependence on pain medication was obviously leading down a bad path.  I got the surgery, the recover time was longer than expected-about 4 months.  Went to pt to strengthen my self.  In retrospect I should have pulled the trigger as soon as the doc suggested.  Im 100% better, have no pain and had zero side effects.  

Things will get better.  People don’t understand how debilitating chronic pain can be.  If you have the fortunate opportunity to do something about it, you owe to yourself to do so.  I hope your story ends like mine did.  Good luck!

btw this was a few years ago-I was only 38-39 at the time

 
Chemical X said:
i'm bumping this thread as it seems my epidural is wearing off after 3 years.  i know i need a multi layer fusion, C4-C7, which would entail 3 plates.  I had a rough sleep a couple of nights ago and i lost all feeling in my left arm for about 4 hours.  severe tricep pain and tingling numbness in my hand.  i am going back to my spine & pain guy to discuss another epidural, but i'm likely to revisit my surgeon/doctor too to discuss this again.

the surgery, it's thru the front, how bad is the scar?  how much range of motion did you lose?  i've read the more that's fused the more range you will lose.  though i have heard we don't need full range, as most activities, outside of backing up a vehicle, are covered.  will i be able to move my neck or will i need to spin my body to see things like lurch?  how bad was the downtime.  will i need a note when i pass thru the airport?   curious to see how @shuke progressed on this.  
Click to expand...
My scar is about 1.5” and is noticeable but not grotesque.  Let my neck beard do most of the work in masking it

 
Chemical X said:
so, single level only?  range of motion?
Click to expand...
Its a single line, if thats what you mean.  runs left to right  and is to the left of my adams apple.  Like I said, it's noticable but actually pretty faint.

My range of motion is 100% of what it used to be.  Golf swing unaffected, I can still chop wood, lift heavy objects etc.  I was stiff for quite awhile after, like 6-8 months.  Was concerning at the time, but any lingering effects from the surgery have long since disappeared.  

 
Chemical X said:
i'm bumping this thread as it seems my epidural is wearing off after 3 years.  i know i need a multi layer fusion, C4-C7, which would entail 3 plates.  I had a rough sleep a couple of nights ago and i lost all feeling in my left arm for about 4 hours.  severe tricep pain and tingling numbness in my hand.  i am going back to my spine & pain guy to discuss another epidural, but i'm likely to revisit my surgeon/doctor too to discuss this again.

the surgery, it's thru the front, how bad is the scar?  how much range of motion did you lose?  i've read the more that's fused the more range you will lose.  though i have heard we don't need full range, as most activities, outside of backing up a vehicle, are covered.  will i be able to move my neck or will i need to spin my body to see things like lurch?  how bad was the downtime.  will i need a note when i pass thru the airport?   curious to see how @shuke progressed on this.  
Click to expand...


I have worked through mine.  PT/exercise.  I have a rotator cuff issue at the same time, so sometimes not sure if my pain is from neck or cuff.

I went to about 6 PT sessions and got exercises at home.  I also got this traction device that I was doing regularly.  I've now moved on to doing actual dumbell weight lifting, so really don't do any of the PT or traction, only do some stretches daily.  Feeling good but who knows how long it will last.  Took the kids to an amusement park a few weeks ago, first time since this flared up, and I was super nervous about the rough coasters.

 
I very quickly scanned through some of the stuff in this thread—and the stuff about the back reminded me of a conversation that I had with one of my customers (who happens to be a medical assistant for a very successful back doctor/surgeon).  The assistant was telling me that the doctor he works for recommends that the vast majority of his patients that are overweight that are battling back issues lose 15-20lbs before resorting to surgery.  The assistant was telling me that the vast majority of patients that lose that weight end up seeing massive improvements in their back struggles and don’t end up needing to go to more extreme measures.  As a person that has battled back issues for a big portion of my life—I can truly say that my worst back issues generally occur when I’m out of shape.  

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I battle a few nerve issues here and there.  Mostly when I overdo it lifting something heavy that is far away from me.  Lifted some large luggage the other night and have pain down my left arm and a little bit in my leg.  It scares the crap out of me that this might get worse.  It's still far away from time to think about surgery for me. I hope.

I got this pretty bad one time moving furniture it was like I was getting burned at times, hurt like hell.  A chiropractor and PT helped.  

 
shuke said:
I have worked through mine.  PT/exercise.  I have a rotator cuff issue at the same time, so sometimes not sure if my pain is from neck or cuff.

I went to about 6 PT sessions and got exercises at home.  I also got this traction device that I was doing regularly.  I've now moved on to doing actual dumbell weight lifting, so really don't do any of the PT or traction, only do some stretches daily.  Feeling good but who knows how long it will last.  Took the kids to an amusement park a few weeks ago, first time since this flared up, and I was super nervous about the rough coasters.
Click to expand...
how is the foot thing doing ...or did I get that wrong?

...thought I recall seeing you have some kind of foot/ankle/toe thing going on as well.  

 
Missed this when you originally posted. I am normally a strong proponent of non surgical options for neck issues. The outcomes aren't great. However I think they are often doing unnecessary surgeries. 

That being said, you have a bad MRI. If you do go the surgical route go see a true expert. 

 
My story:     (I have a C4-6 fusion, currently 52yo,      & w/ my C7 is currently herniated 🤬)
23yrs old:    1st injured my neck while trying to slalom water ski.....faceplanted & wrenched my neck.  Also was rear-ended at a stop light about that same time.   Occasional Chiropractor visits for a # of yrs after that.

My 30's:    started experiencing DDD in early 30's.....my back/neck would lock up while doing things.  Finally found an awesome Pain Mgmt doctor that explained my options in a very understandable way. Tried an epidural, but didn't really help.   Then PM Dr suggested doing outpatient RFA injections (see My 2 posts in this FBG thread where i explain).   Those worked like a charm & I was personally able to get 1-1.5 yrs of relief each time.....Eventually, the nerve would re-grow & I could go back & get the RFA procedure performed again.   Did this for almost 10 yrs.

My 40's (FUSION SURGERY):   In my early 40's, my DDD in my neck had progressed where the discs had thinned & as a result, the foramen passageways had narrowed so much that the RFAs weren't effective anymore.  Neck was getting wrenched tight.....and then started to feel numbness down my left arm into my fingers in 2013.  Went to 2 neuro-surgeons & both recommended multi-level fusion surgery (ACDF).   At the time, I was 44 & slightly in shock.  Usually in those neuro offices, you only have less than 5 minutes to digest what they are telling you, & try to ask an intelligent question or 2 before they are whisked off to the next patient.  So, I Had to learn as much as i possibly could about it and recovery.   Found and joined a message board site related to all thing spinal. In the cervical MB, they had a post started for each month of the yr entitled like:  "SEPT Surgery Buddies - check in here".   I posted my story and it also allowed me to read thru others stories, see their concerns.   Also went back a mth or 2 to read the posts of the previous mths where they posted their pre-surgery story AND then those same people would give updates post-surgery.  This gave me peace of mind of what to expect & helped convince me that I needed to get it done now.    So, I had the surgery in 2013 to fuse C4-C6.    Spent 2 nights in the hospital.  
Here's a good Animated ACDF video of the surgery:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks0tYTzHU9w    (if u search make sure you indicate "animated")
+1 month Post-op x-ray:     https://imgur.com/TCy9o0Y    (surgeon didn't use cadaver bone....used a plate, screws, & some kind of "spacer material" instead)

Quick hit topics/comments at this point:

  • Nerve Damage:     Once you start to feel problems down your extremities, you can't ignore it.  Pls act on it.   For me, the feeling in my left arm came back all the way, except that the tips of my index finger & thumb are still numb to this day.   
    @shuke  I do see that in your case, you have spinal column protrusion, which can be even worse than DDD.  
  • Scar:       they went in on my lower right side of my neck.  They did a good job hiding it ....but I still used Moderma Scar Cream in the wks after & now it's barely perceptible unless I stretch my skin or point it out to people.    (BTW:   my surgeon doesn't close his patients.  He had 2 "closers" & apparently, i got the better of the 2)
    +1 month Post-op scar photo:  https://imgur.com/a/ylty15h
    curent photo:    https://imgur.com/a/amb2NbV
  • Mobility:   I was worried about this too.   But most of your neck mobility is in your C1/C2.....so having my C4-6 fused has only affected me a little bit.   I can easily put my chin to my chest if that gives you some comfort.   I'm about 80 degrees when looking L and R.        I still go to a chiropractor & he obviously can't adjust my fusion area, but I do need adjmts above/below and my mid-back.   He has other fusion patients & is amazed at how much movement i can get knowing how much is fused.   I attribute that to daily stretching after my surgery.  For me, I found that using an Iron Gym Pull Up Bar & simply hanging from it for 1-10 secs a day stretched my neck/back (let gravity do the work.....no twisting).  Many times, I would hear my neck or back pop back into alignment right there or the disc tension release.
  • Mobility Part 2:   I was already in my 40's when i had the surgery, but i had to stop playing golf.   I can still swing a club....but a full round is too much torque on my spine & just a matter of time (not smart).     Workouts/Weight training:   You won't be able to do some workouts like before & anything over your head should be severely restricted to a lower weight.  But take it from me, i didn't pay enough attention on my upper back muscles for years.....for fear that it would it cause more pain.    And they atrophied to the point that my back/neck started hurting again (I have herniated my C7).  But a couple of yrs ago, I decided to literally go back to the start and very slowly re-emphasize things like Lat-pull down, etc to strengthen the tiny muscles in my lower neck/upper back.  Took awhile, but it staved off my next surgery for a couple of yrs.
  • Sleep:      Used to sleep on my back & side.   After the surgery, i found that i could only sleep on my back.   Side sleeping would have me wake up in so much pain from the tension & strain all night.  Since the surgery I have found that I am extremely focused  on my sleep posture & getting my 1 pillow that works.
  • Other:   Yrs in the making, i also have these various things at my disposal to prevent or relieve pain:
    Lidocaine Patches &  Bio-freeze:              for pain relief
    E-Stem machine    &   Massage Gun        to relax the muscles
    Thera-cane self trigger point Massager
    Gabapentin        (this is a nerve blocker Rx to calm nerves.   Like it better than taking Rx Pain meds)
    Inversion table
    Foam roller   &   stuffed 2 tennis balls in a sock (to put on the floor)
    Graston Technique Tool / Guasha Tool    (this thing helps to relieve muscle tension)
    (at one point, i did have a neck traction device right before the surgery, but can't use it now)
  • Airports:  Maybe the OP was just joking, but my neck has never set off the TSA scanner.   It's a titanium plate & screws.   I did have my Dr provide enough info to my employer.  This allowed me to get a better chair at work & I can get upgraded on flights > 3 hrs.
Sorry for the long post.  Hope this helps in any way.     AMA if you need to.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
shuke said:
I have a rotator cuff issue at the same time, so sometimes not sure if my pain is from neck or cuff.

I went to about 6 PT sessions & got exercises at home.  I also got this traction device that I was doing regularly.  I've now moved on to doing actual dumbell weight lifting, so really don't do any of the PT or traction, only do some stretches daily.  Feeling good but who knows how long it will last.  Took the kids to an amusement park a few weeks ago, first time since this flared up, & I was super nervous about the rough coasters.
Click to expand...


My Current Situation:   5 yrs ago (2018) , i was having all kinds of problems again.  Pain Mgmt injections weren't working, chiro wasn't helping.  Got Cervical & Thoracic MRIs again.....C4-6 fusion was fine, but neurosurgeon found that I had herniated my C7 & needed another fusion surgery.  He said he would leave the existing C4-C6 alone & merely insert this  Proposed Spacer for Fusion at the C7 level below.
(FYI:    20% of +10yr ACDF patients end up having to have surgery again on the adjacent disc above or below the fusion)

While I was in the process of waiting & trying to schedule the surgery,  I decided to try a new chiropractor to ease the pain.  Went to 1 nearby....nope/didn't help.   Decided to go to another recommended chiro......and this guy made a world of difference.  He was the only one that was able to adjust me and get me feeling better.  I decided to delay the surgery & I focused on developing my upper back muscles via baby steps.  Had to work out my back 2x to 3x a week, but it worked.  My back got stronger & that held my neck / back in check.  Still had flare up every now & then, but now i had the right chiro to fix me when things went wrong.    Got 4 yrs using this routine.

But, last yr, i injured my shoulder working out & despite taking time off, it wasn't healing.   Couldn't work out.....so now my neck/back was starting to have problems.   Then, this past January, I felt pressure in my upper right arm (like wearing a constant blood pressure cuff) for a month straight.   Wasn't that painful but i knew something was wrong.   Went to ortho.  Tried to go thru PT but wasn't able to get thru it consistently b/c of my neck.   Shoulder MRI was inconclusive.  nothing to pinpoint.     Went back to PT 5 mths later.   Little better results.......but then the arm pressure came back for a couple of days (when my neck was flared up).   

At this point, i'm convinced that my neck is the primary problem & I'm ready to get the C7 Surgery.......got thru 4+ yrs of dealing with this, but no more.   
And so, I'm trying to get to the doctor, order MRIs, get MRis, get appts with neuro, get the surgery.     Not easy getting these things in a quick like fashion.   And now I here some surgeries are being delayed due to the recent COVID spikes so I'm sure that will make things better.

Again....sorry for my long story.........but your symptoms sounded a lot like mine.

 
Binky The Doormat said:
how is the foot thing doing ...or did I get that wrong?

...thought I recall seeing you have some kind of foot/ankle/toe thing going on as well.  
Click to expand...
Thanks for asking.  Midfoot fusion mid-January.  Recovery isn't going very well.  Still have pain throughout foot and ankle, and despite extensive PT I haven't fully regained liftoff strength and balance.  One of the staples in my foot is broken and I may have a delayed fusion.  Going for a CT scan tomorrow.  

 
Nemesis said:
My Current Situation:   5 yrs ago (2018) , i was having all kinds of problems again.  Pain Mgmt injections weren't working, chiro wasn't helping.  Got Cervical & Thoracic MRIs again.....C4-6 fusion was fine, but neurosurgeon found that I had herniated my C7 & needed another fusion surgery.  He said he would leave the existing C4-C6 alone & merely insert this  Proposed Spacer for Fusion at the C7 level below.
(FYI:    20% of +10yr ACDF patients end up having to have surgery again on the adjacent disc above or below the fusion)

While I was in the process of waiting & trying to schedule the surgery,  I decided to try a new chiropractor to ease the pain.  Went to 1 nearby....nope/didn't help.   Decided to go to another recommended chiro......and this guy made a world of difference.  He was the only one that was able to adjust me and get me feeling better.  I decided to delay the surgery & I focused on developing my upper back muscles via baby steps.  Had to work out my back 2x to 3x a week, but it worked.  My back got stronger & that held my neck / back in check.  Still had flare up every now & then, but now i had the right chiro to fix me when things went wrong.    Got 4 yrs using this routine.

But, last yr, i injured my shoulder working out & despite taking time off, it wasn't healing.   Couldn't work out.....so now my neck/back was starting to have problems.   Then, this past January, I felt pressure in my upper right arm (like wearing a constant blood pressure cuff) for a month straight.   Wasn't that painful but i knew something was wrong.   Went to ortho.  Tried to go thru PT but wasn't able to get thru it consistently b/c of my neck.   Shoulder MRI was inconclusive.  nothing to pinpoint.     Went back to PT 5 mths later.   Little better results.......but then the arm pressure came back for a couple of days (when my neck was flared up).   

At this point, i'm convinced that my neck is the primary problem & I'm ready to get the C7 Surgery.......got thru 4+ yrs of dealing with this, but no more.   
And so, I'm trying to get to the doctor, order MRIs, get MRis, get appts with neuro, get the surgery.     Not easy getting these things in a quick like fashion.   And now I here some surgeries are being delayed due to the recent COVID spikes so I'm sure that will make things better.

Again....sorry for my long story.........but your symptoms sounded a lot like mine.
Click to expand...


At any time, either before your C4-C6 or in your current situation, did a surgeon talk to you about a disc replacement rather than fusion?

 
shuke said:
At any time, either before your C4-C6 or in your current situation, did a surgeon talk to you about a disc replacement rather than fusion?
Click to expand...
I think I asked this ? of my surgeon. 
ADR (artificial disc replacement) is rarely done for multi level fusion surgery…..doesn’t provide enough stability from what I learned.

multi levels use front plate & screws

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

DJackson10
Work won’t allow me back after being injured because of limitations on a separate issue they had no issue with previously when doing this job
Replies
29
Views
1K
DJackson10
DJackson10
DJackson10
My GF and I are being targeted at work and my store manager is telling us to stop drama despite being the ones bullied
2
Replies
51
Views
2K
Jayrod
Jayrod
Chadstroma
Yet More Proof Women are Impossible to Please
4 5 6
Replies
261
Views
8K
Terminalxylem
Terminalxylem

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Top