Cervical Discectomy Post Surgery Rehab

[FtWorth]

  I am a 51 year old male who had a anterior cervical discectomy and fusion at c6 & c7 about 2 weeks ago.  Symptoms for 2 months prior to surgery included very significant muscle weakness in right arm along with pain and numbness in right index finger.  Surgery has alievated pain; but no significant return of strength in arm.  Finger is also still numb.  
  What should I expect in terms of %of muscle recovery and over what period of time?
  What can be done to stimulate, increase or speed muscle recovery?
  Same questions re: numbness in finger.
==========================================================================
Thanks for your question.  The recovery of both motor strength and skin
sensation is very much dependent on the degree of spinal cord or nerve
root lesion that was present prior to the surgery.  One should remember
that the primary goal of the surgical intervention is to halt further injury.
In analogy to stroke patients, physical and occupational therapy are quite
helpful in both the recovery of function, and in the task of adaptation to
a possible residual loss of function by designing alternative strategies to
execute the same motor tasks.  One should also expect some further improvement
of function due to the resolution of post-surgical swelling/edema in the
surgical site - usually during the following additional 2 weeks.
I hope this information is helpful.  Best of luck.
This information is provided for general medical education purposes only.
Please consult your doctor regarding diagnostic and treatment options.

[bhima]

A related discussion, avoiding back pain/neck pain was started.