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

[Shadowlucky]

Hey Jaz, it is comforting to hear that I am not the only one feeling this way.  The thing is, if I don't do such strenuous work, it doesn't bother me as much.  I tried to take Ibuprofen but unfortunately, three days after taking 800 mg. a day, I did feel better but then I started bleeding at the rectum.  I thought  it might be the ibuprofen so I stopped taking it and no more bleeding.  I am not talking a little blood.  I mean bright red, passing gas and blood squirting out bleeding.  It scared me.  My surgeon told me that he could do no more for me surgically, so things were out of his hands but then he passed on the info about getting the nerve block that is different from the typical cortizone injections.  I'm so tired.  So tired of going through the motions and feeling more pain every time they try something different.  I'm frightened.  Thinking of filing for disability from work and of course everyone is like "oh, why would you not try something else that could help."  Well, after reading up on it, you must be fully awake while they probe for the nerve and when they find the nerve, they burn it and you are supposedly in worse pain then you currently are for about a week and then you get better.  But it might only last 6 mos. to a year.  :(  

[jaz1969]

Please get second opinion I agree burning them is not fixing them!!!!  I HAD Cervical anterior discectomy on c5-c6 that was in Aug.  after surgery I had pain but it progressively got worse.  I went back to dr. and they did an xray - of course that did not show anything so I ask for an MRI well that showed that now the disc below in budging into the spine! so that is why I have that pain again.  and I can tell you that if I do a lot my neck feels like it is on fire and severe pain and it actually feels swollen!  my dr. told me to go to my pain mgt dr to maybe get a shot again.  I know that will be temporary and I am very depressed about this situation.  I thought that once I got the surgery I would be a new woman.. not the case at all... I go to work then home and lay down for a while until it feels ok then I get up and deal with my home life.   this is really horrible.    

[Shadowlucky]

Help!  I had another MRI because I have had so much pain since the ACDF at c5-6.  The plate was put in to hold the cadaver bone.  All has healed and the bone has fused; I am 10 months out.  BUT, and that is a big BUT, the c2-3 and c6-7 is bulging now and slight spinal cord impingement.  I went from one herniated disk full of bone spurs to bulging disks (in my opinion, from the plate).  Now they want to block the nerves by burning them, so I won't feel the pain, but my question is:  if I burn the nerves that cause the pain, is this really the right thing to do?  Pain is there to tell us that something is wrong.  If I stop the pain by burning away the nerves, I won't know if the spinal cord is being further compromised.  I know the surgeon is trying to help me but I am so distrustful of him.  He fixed the c5-6 but in the process, it is caused the other discs to bulge.  I don't know.  Just worried.

[Shadowlucky]

Have another MRI to see if something else is going on.  I had one because I have had so much pain since the ACDF at c5-6.  The plate was put in to hold the cadaver bone.  All has healed and the bone has fused; I am 10 months out.  BUT, and that is a big BUT, the c2-3 and c6-7 is bulging and slight spinal cord impingement.  I went from one herniated disk full of bone spurs to bulging disks (in my opinion, from the plate).  Now they want to block the nerves by burning them, so I won't feel the pain, but my question is:  if I burn the nerves that cause the pain, is this really the right thing to do?  Pain is there to tell us that something is wrong.  If I stop the pain by burning away the nerves, I won't know if the spinal cord is being further compromised.  I know the surgeon is trying to help me but I am so distrustful of him.  He fixed the c5-6 but in the process, it is caused the other discs to bulge.  I don't know.  Just worried

[Mistyluv]

I had surgery on December 10th for fusion of C-5 to C-6 and C-6 to C-7 for spinal stenosis, arthritis and bone spurs. I expected the pain I had post-op, but now, a month later I am experiencing stabbing pain on the right side of my neck either at the surgical site or right below it. I also have pain radiating into my shoulder near my collar bone. My neck still pops and cracks, which also contributes to the stabbing pain I am feeling. I am beginning to believe that my surgery has failed. My surgeon performed an anterior fusion with PEEK. Any thoughts on this?

[Shadowlucky]

No.  Do not have surgery.  When they go in there to fix what is wrong, other nerves are affected and cause numerous pains in different areas that you are not experiencing now.  Please listen.  I know.  If you wish to lead a normal life with moderate pain that is manageable through pain relievers, PT and/or heat and ice.  My life is over.  I live day to day just to get through it.  I have no extra curricular activity that interests me other than rest.  This is your warning.  If you don't listen, you will be begging just to die and put yourself out of misery and the thing is NOBODY CARES.  Your surgeon will tell you, "I don't know," when you ask what is causing the pain and different strange things.  They treat you great before and then after the surgery.  Bye bye.  They've got your money.  THEY DON'T CARE!