Neck and Shoulder pain after C5-6 fusion.

[Roonie5038]

A little over a year ago, I had C5-6 fused. With a plate and screws inserted. Since then I am having trouble with pain in the neck and shoulder area just below the fusion area. I wake in the morning with a headache then turns to pain in lower neck and shoulders.
I have talked to the neurosurgeon who did the surgery and he shrugged his shoulders and said I have no idea and sent me back to my neurologist. He gave me a series of injections in both shoulders and the pain stopped for a couple days but then came right back. Then we tried massage therapy, it helps but only for a short period.Then I have to go back to the massage therapist again and again, my insurance will not pay for that. And I have tried changing my pillows on my bed and sleeping in different positions and nothing seems to help for long term.
What can I do?
Thanks
Maureen

[cat1953]

Botox shots for migraines gave me my life back I had neck fusion in 2001 Have always had pain since my surgery Now I feel like a new person.

[Spencer7]

I had same exact surgery.One thing that had helped is Frankensis oil on neck and shoulders it takes inflammation out. I also got a posture brace. I know many of us have a head that hangs forward. This helped me greatly for neck and shoulders

[G0707]

I had surgery May 26 ,2016 and am still hurting. I also have stabbing pains in my shoulder's. Neck surgery C5 C6  C 7 my head and neck hurts every day and pains goes down to my back as well .Hurts so bad even when i lay down.My breath seem like it's cutting off sometimes. I have to crushed my medicine up can't swallow it hold.It fills like something is moving in my throat. I gone back to Dr Simpson he said it's going to get better but when. That was the purson having the surgery to get better. Dr.Simpson saying he don't know why he knows why. Please help me to find relief. My arms still hurts every day.Can't sleep due to pain medication wears off goes right back hurting.

[Kerri8876]

The throat problem takes about 5 months to straighten up I would move mine in the direction my pills got stuck it helped it finally straighten up but I still have stinging in my throat I had my surgery march 30 2016 on my c5-c6 and I'm still having neck problems my arms go numb hands and fingers go numb shoulders hurt I go back to my neurosurgeon tomorrow again because of these problems let's see what they say this time they xray and that's it and say it looks good well its my body and it don't feel good I wish now I wouldn't have had the surgery worse thing about it is my ç6-c7 is herniated too and touching my nerves but they said it wasn't as bad as the other one I'm not going back for surgery again they should've fixed it the first time

[Only44]

I had my surgery 12/11/15 acdf 4-7 with a corpectomy #6 vertebra. I still have the left arm pain that I originally went to the dr for but now I have a whole host of new problems. My whole left side of my body has been affected. Left facial pain ,numbness,tingling in both hands and feet. If I got into details I could go on and on. I'm still on pain medication and Muscle relaxers. It helps me to read other testimonies so I know I'm not crazy. My pain management Dr just keeps saying I have had a very big surgery and my surgeon says I'm doing great. I believe he is referring to my fusion. He did say he is not surprised I have suffered permanent nerve damage due to the severity of my injury. I'm not sure I remember him discussing that during my consultation. Anyhow, I have good days and bad days. One day at a time

[MissyMooShel]

I'm 4 weeks post op from a c4 c5 acdf.
My symptoms were gone from the moment I woke in recovery.
Which was fantastic.
Only spent 2 nights in hospital. No neck brace.
Felt great.
That was I felt great for the 1st 3 weeks.
I even started coming off my medications.
Dropped 5mg of my Oxycodone and I'm down to only 150mg of lyrica a day not 300mg a day.
So that's a start.
The last week tho has been hell. The pain.
Across the back of my shoulders.
From one to the other.
Also down my spine to mid of my back.
Almost feels like my ribs are broken.
I have neck pain.
Daily headaches.
Stil having trouble swallowing. Especially my medication. Sometimes if I drink too fast feels like my muscles in my throat tangle up then cramp.
I know it's only early days for me but it was going so well.
I see my surgeon in 2 weeks time for another xray to see if its fusing and to have a chat with him.
I hope he can explain the pain im getting now and if it is going to settle down once I start physio therapy.
I had no choice but to have the fusion.
I was partially paralysed down my left side and bed ridden.
So I can't say I wish I hadn't had the Op.
I hope it gets better.

[Holmes5150]

U just described my pain to a t i had c4 c5 anterior disc fusion 7 years ago and after the surgery withindays both my shoulders hurt so bad that i can barely convince my self to keep going its been 7 years and its getting worse by the minute i feel lost and hopeless..ps i am 39 and have never had pain in shoulders untill surgery plus still have headaches black outs and now tremors and seizers ...ctmm

[crazee55]

yes, I had a cervical fusion c5-c7 on 3/28/2015. I have had relief but still have pain. I was hoping to be normal & be able to enjoy my years. I can't ride my bicycle or lift weights. I am back on pain medication. extremely frustrated and much less active.

[PurpleJaxz]

I just had my c4 and c6 complelty replace. My c5 was ok it was pirching neves though of weight of up and bottom. I feel the same way with the head ackes and the turning into shoulder pain later on in the morning depending what time I get up. I thought I was sleeping the worng was not drinking enough fluids.  What can i say to the Dr to understand me when I tell him this. (I broke my neck raking it was funny but not.)

[toddstrom]

me too the doc said let be the xray and mri show nothing but i have shake and numbness in my right arm and he said theres nothing more he can do for me ,i think all these doctors are quaks

[mingleleo]

can you recommend the surgeon which worked on you?

[Huxgotmebad]

I agree on researching surgeon. You should be able to accessany malipractice cases/ You will want to check those records.  I didn't and I can no longer work and dr lost his license two months after my surgery. He went to practice in Oklahama but my possible lawyer sent him orders but they were sent back signed by sheriff with a note stating He no longer works there and is not welcome back ever.  After my surgery and I realized things were wrong I checked case.net the dr has to pages of lawsuits and I've since learned of 8 others who are past their 2 yrs. to sue but are messed up just as bad and there are I thiink 13 suits waiting

[SaintDubai]

Yes I did, I had my surgery on the 21st of March 2015 and my first encounter with Vertigo was on the 24th of April 2015. Nobody seems to link both at all. I also still suffer after my operation from pain and numbness on the left shoulder and arm. I had a Fusion at C5-6

[SaintDubai]

Yes I did, I had my surgery on the 21st of March 2015 and my first encounter with Vertigo was on the 24th of April 2015. Nobody seems to link both at all. I also still suffer after my operation from pain and numbness on the left shoulder and arm. I had a Fusion at C5-6

[Wrathful]

Ann,
Until I found this site...I thought I was the only one still feeling pain a year after surgery. My surgeon pretty much dismissed me. I have been to every specialist out there, I finally found a pain specialist...still in pain though. My neck, shoulder, scapula, bicep and forearm all spasm to a point where you can SEE it. After it subsides, I feel like I have been beaten! It's just awful. I have numbness in my thumb and index finger, Driving is especially hard If you want to converse....reach me at: ***@**** -- put spine chat in subject so I don't delete it...LOL

[Wrathful]

I have the same pain. It's soooooo frustrating. The lack of sleep makes me so impatient and of course soooo tired and unable to handle the pain. I had a cortisone injection done and now feel like a bolt is going through my upper spine in between my shoulder blades!!!

[AMellen81]

I had Status post open reduction internal fixation, cervical spine, with degenerative disc disease in 2001. I had a fracture dislocation due to a parachuting accident while in the Army.

I am now 12 years removed from service. Pain and stiffness is everyday. Lack of sleep has become the norm. I now have pain radiating down the left side of my neck and in between my shoulder blades. Is this common?

I have seen my VA doctor. An x-ray and muscle relaxers was her fix for my problems. Not working. Soon another VA exam, where my head is wrenched around painfully, and told I am fine. I know my body and it's anything but fine.

[ann11van]

yes, I had the surgery before thanksgiving of 2011, got relief only from headaches, but all the pain stayed and also few were added.  The hands especially right arm is swollen all the time, numbness, pain from the should blades to the fingers.  The horror part is the hand freezing/numbing from the fingers to shoulders, even when I am using the fingers.  Driving is scary as I have the numbness even in the right leg....and I have seen three surgeons.
First surgeon who did the surgery wanted to do more epidural shots.  Second one wanted to implant a stimulator in my cervical....third one wanted to do one more fusion on the upper level (I had c5-6) before.  As I was tired dealing with them, I thought I can go to Mayo clinic.  IT took me 6 months to get an appointment.  The doctor who same me(pain rebab) before I can see the neurosurgeon(policy of the hospital) decided it was Fibromyalgia....I read through various documents regarding FM, except for the pain they talk about and the fatigue, my symptoms are different.  The patients of FM do not deal with numbness and freezing of arms, and inflammation

After the prognosis of FM, the team of doctors who run the pain rehab clinic in Mayo started pushing me to attend a three week rehab program.  Which is costing roughly 36K and they do not accept the insurance have.   My insurance will pay only 150 dollars per day for the program, Mayo clinic Pain rehab team was kind enough to say, that I can pay the remaining as out of pocket. and the best part was they were not ready to tell me the exact out of pocket amount.  They kept pushing me to join the program saying many people who did the rehab were living a pain free life and also went back to work 30 hours a week with no pain.

So conclusion is the pain rebah team is actively procuring people for their profit rehab program so the doctors were too fast to conclude this is FM.  NOT paying attention or caring for my complaints of numbing,  stiffness and swelling.

I am scared one day soon I am going to loose the function of the fingers in my right arm.  I feel them stiff and numbed all the time even while moving them.

I am glad I came across this group as the doctors were making me feel as though I am imaging the pain and I think that is the reason they pushed me into the waste basket of FM(which they say brain makes the pain more after suffering chronic pain after a trauma)

All these things happened after I met with an accident in 2010.  After more than 5 years of accident I am not sure if accident was the trauma or dealing with the doctors and surgeons who do not want to pay attention to our symptoms is a trauma.

Thank you all for sharing the details in the forum.

[ann11van]

Hi
My name is Ann, I had similar surgery end of November 2011.  immediately after the surgery,  my right hand started swelling. The surgeon had no time  to listen to my pains, he wanted me to take couple of epidural shots!!!f.  I am experiencing the same issues like you but my right arm has the problem.  The hand freezes even when I am moving my fingers.  In the night its a different issue.
After seeing many doctors, I went to Mayo clinic.  Doctors at Mayo took an easy route they say its Fibromyalgia. Again none of them are seeing my notes where I complain about arm going to sleep even when I am driving, my right arm and right leg go to sleep when I drive and its very scary.
Did the doctors give you an idea on why this happening?  I feel completely lost and not sure how to proceed

[KZab]

I am two years post-op C5-C6/C6-C7 fusions, and nearly three years since the car accident (yes, it took my GP seven months to okay the MRI - and that wasn't until after the PT refused to work on me without one.  I am still having daily headaches and pain in my neck and between my shoulder blades.  My surgeon basically told me to go away when my insurance benefit was used up.  I don't know what kind of implant he used.  Has anyone else had pain this long post-op?

[Larsenken]

Wow I just found this site and boy is it all too familiar. I am 10 yrs post op for c4 -c6 fusion due to believe it or not a slip and fall. My spinal cord was impinged to the point that if I coughed my arms and legs would go numb. Saw one of the best surgeons and the spinal issues were immediately better, BUT now I have developed some symptoms that I see posted on here. I have three days since surgery that I did not have a headache to some degree. Now i am also noticing the vertigo, shoulder pain, neck pain return and more. Had an MRI a week ago and I guess the one up and one down are shot. To what degree I do not yet know. I really do not want to have more fused but I see no other option. Glad to find this site!

[teeniegirl]

old test, i wouldn't get it. MRI is used more. sorry for your pain. Im still in pain after 3 fusions, now c2-7 after kaiser messed up and left bone spurs on my shoulders which still hurt after another dr removed them, and now neck hurts looking up and down. what do you all think of dry needling? seemed to help first time, but not now.

Also, I can't walk right. I was a fast walker before all this. Saw myelopathy on my chart. So mad at these drs that have ruined me. Started with another malpractice.

Pray everyone gets better. DOn't know what to do. Can't go on lliving like this, how can we work and have productive life in pain/ Yet, can't be alone all day either. Great outcome. Thanks drs for ruining our lives, not all of them, but at least 2 for me. and 1 pt who manipulated my neck and was told in writing not to.

Don't know what to do, and the poverty of disabillity and not being able to work is terrible. Terrible neck and shoulder pain, does anyone , esp women have terrible pain, when have to wear straps on shoulders? Everything is heavy now.

God help us. Take care, S

[Sharke]

I am fused from the Occipit to the T-2.  There is a plate screwed into the back of my head at the base of my skull just above the C-spine and from there down to the T-2 it looks like a ladder of screws, rods, hardware etc.  I can not move my head in any direction.  Well 3 weeks ago today I was rear ended and the impact was pretty intense, in other words he HIT ME REAL HARD, anyway, I am now suffering from severe Whiplash and I am concerned that the hardware may be compromised, what do u think?  Please tell me ur thoughts.........it would be most appreciated.  I have tons of pain, stiffness, spasms, inflammation, etc all the symptoms of whiplash but ten fold as my spine was already in a weakened state, my main concern is the condition of the hardware.  I think if something were wrong I would definitely know it, again ur thoughts, please!!   <3

[suz1catz]

June 2015. In 2012 I had a cervical fusion of C5,c6,c7 discectomy. I have nerve pain in my neck and numbness in my arms and hands and pain. I have headaches and vocal cord damage . The nerves in my neck really fire off when I lay down so I sleep 3 hours a night. I do my PT everyday to strength  my neck muscles. I've been on so many different  medications none help because it the nerve damage from the surgery and they take part of your neck muscles and that tightens up. These nerves are dead and have no where to go. No more steroid shots doesn't work only gives up unwanted weight. The headaches and all this pain really is not a good quality of life. I've been to pain management and other doctors but no help.

[mom4kids4cats]

I am considering disability after 7 surgeries (3 cervical spine, both hands, right shoulder twice, permanent nerve damage), but can't afford to be without money for 6 months.  How will you get by? Any advice or ideas how to  survive?   Good luck and best wishes to you.

[greathope1]

This sounds like my story. But I  can hardly lift my right  arm. I feel very worried and scared that it won't  go away. I can't hardly type. I have been denied disability  twice. No income. Could use some better days.  I am hoping you are better.

[Slingerss]

I was diagnosed with Stenosis with Myelopathy over 2 years ago.  I was starting to lose function in my limbs and also had numbness tingling in all my legs and arms.   A few years earlier I had suffered a traumatic injury while doing utility line work during a wind storm.  I was hit in my bucket truck by a falling tree, and had broken my shoulder, lower back and cervical spine.  
  I got the rotator cuff fixed and it was sort of okay after that, but my degeneration in my spine was giving me a lot of problems.  The Surgeons told me that my spinal cord was starting to bleed and one trip and that would be the end of me.  <<---   He seriously told me that.    I went out and got 5 second opinions by many Spinal Surgeons.  I was about to give up when I went and had a consultation with the 5th surgeon, and I hired him.  
  My first surgery was a spinal fusion from C-3 to C-6, and it was a titanium implant of some sort.  Wish I remembered what it was called.  I know, when I saw it on X-ray I was in complete and utter HORROR at my neck.  However, I felt GREAT afterwards.  I mean really great.   The shooting pains , all over my body were immensely reduced.
  SO,  I then had my lower Lumbar done, 6 months later.  Since I had my deductible met on my insurance, wanted to get it done in the same year, so it would virtually cost me ZERO.   I think that was a disectomy(sp)?.   I had a lot more problems bouncing back from this second surgery than I did the first one.........it was SLOW going for some reason.  
   Now it has been two years since I had my two spine surgery, and 5 years since I had my shoulder fixed.  And, the last few weeks I realized I feel like utter crap.   I believe that my spine was in such terrible jeopardy that I started to lose a lot of feeling in my body.  I have never had or needed to take any pain medication after surgery, or at any other time. But, now my neck is hurting.  I touch my jaw, or my neck at C3 and it is excruciating.  It feels inflamed, and very painful to the touch.   I am getting severe headaches, throbbing in my neck, pain in my neck so severe I can't sleep or get comfortable. I went over to get a cervical pillow today to see if its my pillow.  Also my legs hurt.  I feel like every single bone in my body hurts.  I even have an ear ache, and the bones in my face hurt.  
  I am actually getting pretty worried. Because what happens if this titanium in my neck fails?  
I ended up retiring from my job with 30+ years and they gave me my pension.  They also gave me a 100% disability within 30 days of applying for it at the Social Security Administration.  I think that scared me even more.........because maybe I am actually DYING.  I always hear it took YEARS to get it and I got it in 30 days?  
  At this point, I think I am more afraid to go see a Dr than to just give up and live my life the best that I can while I have the chance to.  I think eventually I will be immobilized and confined to a wheelchair.  I hope not, but I suspect that is where my future is going.  
  

[Slingerss]

You should always get a second opinion.  Always.