pain after my anterior cervical fusion

[heartmender]

I had C4-5 decompression and fusion about 2 years ago. I now am herniated above and below the plate.  I have pain every day characterized by a burning pain and often a stabbing pain in my neck and shoulders.  I have right arm numbness and pain as well as pronounced weakness in my right arm and hand. Sleep eludes me and that is exhausting.  I am so sad and feel that this is something that I will have to learn to live with forever.  I take pain meds but without much relief.  I see a pain specialist who feels that we are just biding our time until I am ready for another surgery... not likely as the first one was not much fun.. swallowing difficulties and pain.  I was not told of this apparently common post op complication.  Any suggestions for me at this point and how common is this re-herniation.  Is there something that I have not done or tried?? I am a very motivated person and single mom of 2 teenage boys.  I love sports and updateing my home.  Now what???

[tornligament]

I went to a well know sports medicine doctor about prp in ligament spine.

Has anyone had any success with having prp in th espinous ligaments.?

It's experimental my pcp told me.

I have chronic neck pain and afraid of surgery.

[tornligament]

Cindee

I have a torn ligament facet joint in neck.  I am looking into Platelet rich plasma rather than surgery but its complicated so far.  The GREAT DOC said he has to numb the area before he can inject it.

Medicare covers diagnostic numbing procedures.

[philnoir]

Of course this pain is normal after such an intense surgery. Didn't your doctor explain exactly what he was going to do in there?  ACDF involves retracting all soft tissue in the front of the neck -- mucles, trachea, esophagus, arteries and veins to access the spine -- and then removing ligament and  bone to get at the disc.

Of course your sore. Please use your pain medicine round the clock as directed, and not just "when needed'. If that's not effective, let them know.

I imagine that you are braced internally, with rods and plates attached to each vertebra to support the fusion, so that you cannot injure the new joints (although jarring will cause pain!)

I also imagine you're wearing a halo ring brace after a two-level fusion. The hard collar is superfluous if you are wearing a halo.

Depending on the degree of foraminal stenosis caused by your disc herniations, your doc may have performed a foraminotomy to open the intra-vertebral space and decompress the nerve roots on either side at these levels.

Ice during these first days to stop bleeding and reduce inflammation, but do not burn the skin. Wrap the icebag in a light towel. Usually 20min on / 40min off is a good schedule.

[Bondered]

I had Anterior Cervical decompression C-5,6,&7 two days ago. Today I'm hurting way worse on both sides of my neck with burning & pain & my pain med or ice pack isn't helping much. My youngest son accidentally ran into me running thru the kitchen today & I braced myself by stopping him with both my arms hoping I haven't hurt myself worse. I'm wearing a foam neck brace the Dr gave me when I was discharged from hospital to & I had to ask for it or he wouldn't gave it to me. I'm wondering if muscles were torn in surgery or if all this burning pain is normal 4 days after surgery. Has anyone had this pain after surgery??

[richmill1]

adjacent joint disease is fairly common..2.8% per year for 10 years according to my surgeon...additional surgery is the only solution..drugs only postpone the inevitable and permanent muscle damage can ensue if you wait too long..good luck

[bev62]

I had ADCF (C5-C7) in Nov 2006.  My pain has only gotten worse since my surgery. My doctor has done every test that he knows to do and everything looks fine.  He thought that the numbness in my last two fingers was caused by my ulnar nerve, so he did surgery and all I got from that was a 9 inch scar on my arm. I got no relief at all.  I am now in pain management trying to take enough drugs to ease the pain, which is not working very well.  Now my left arm and fingers are bothering me.  I had a nerve conduction test this week and they said that it's coming from C8 the disk below my fusion. More than likely I'm looking at another surgery.  I take 2 different anti-depressants to keep from going crazy.  I never realized how bad chronic pain could be. I hate the thoughts of going thru surgery again.  My range of motion is terrible now, I hate to see what it will be like after another surgery.  
I'm not a single mother, but I am the mother of a 7 and 5 year old. And being 45 don't make it any easier.  My husband and I waited late in life to have children and now I can barely care for them.
What kind of pain management are you using?  

[Cindee56]

I'm sorry your surgery didn't go well.  I was told I need a cervical fusion surgery for two herniated discs and spinal stenosis, but I refused.  My pain is moderate, and I have heard stories like yours, so I am waiting until I can't stand it any longer.

Have you gone to another surgeon?  Sometimes another opinion could be helpful.  I went to three doctors about my knees and two rheumatologists about my arthritis.  I also did physical therapy, which was helpful for my neck.  How about acupuncture?