There's no way for me to know if you've damaged your neck.
Spine surgery often leads to more spine surgery. One common neck procedure for ruptured discs is a discectomy and fusion, where the bad disc material is removed, and the two surrounding vertebrae are fused with titanium plates.
Fusion surgery often causes neighboring discs to fail, because they take on the work of the missing disc, so that some people are told they must have surgery every couple of years.
My advice -- seek a non-surgical diagnosis. Look for a spine and pain specialist, an MD or DO with the additional credentials DABPM. These are board certified interventional pain doctors -- an advanced practice of anesthesia, who know much about the spine.
You'll find them by searching, through your state pain society, or at a local teaching hospital with a pain clinic.
They can give you an honest answer about your condition and perhaps offer treatments to reduce the pain and numbness.
I'm sorry to hear that your pain has returned.
Phil has offered you concrete, informative, good suggestions. I second his opinions. Spine surgery frequently leads to more spine surgery. Fusions are serious and should be thee very last choice, at least in my opinion.
I wanted to add that the very best PCP I've had was an Internal Medicine D.O. ((Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine). She performed osteopathic manipulations on my SIJ and other areas. D.O.s are not chiropractors, their Osteopathic Manipulations are safer and more gentle. D.O.s are physicians. They have the same amount of education and training (actually a bit more) as an M.D.
I was deemed "disabled" and told my working days were over. I didn't listen and struggled for eight years to continue my career when I changed physicians. I was about to throw in the towel when this wonderful D.O. changed my life. Her magic hands keep me employed almost ten years longer.
D.O.s have a strongly holistic philosophy and practice osteopathic manipulative medicine - a distinctive system of hands-on diagnosis and treatment which focuses specifically on the musculoskeletal system. I can't say enough good about D.O.s. Yes she also provided Pain Management.
That's my 2 cents worth. I hope something I said was helpful. Please let us know how you are doing.
Take Care,
~Tuck
Hi Williebird!
Is the pain constant?
Have you tried taking some pain killers?