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Post cervical fusion - pain in hand/arm.

Have had pain in wrist for 10 months.  Cervical fusion c5-7 with hardware in July.  Hard collar for 2 months.  Still have pain in arm/wrist.  X-rays are negative.  Have had cortisone shots, anti-arthritics, splints.  No very helpful.  There was a "hot spot" on a bone scan in the wrist area.  
Job for the last 20 years involves key-boarding.
An EMG now shows increased SMU (simple motor units) in the right arm.  Could this contribute to arm/wrist pain?  If so, what can be done about it.  THANK YOU!!!!
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Avatar universal
Joe
Glad to hear Mark's success, even a year later.  I had the C4-5 and C5-6 fusion done about a month ago. Experienced right shoulder numbness and tingling as well as in both wrists and thumb areas.   Also EMG's showed carpal tunnel in both wrists and right forearm ulner nerve degeneration.  Thought the fusion would take care of it, but still have the wrist pain and right shoulder numbness.  Not as much as before, but it's still there.  Neurosurgeon said I may also need the carpal tunnel surgery if the pain persists.  After only a month, maybe I'm expecting too much.  Will have to wait and see.  Good Luck to you.
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Avatar universal
I had cervical fusion c5/6 10 years ago...it took about a year
for the pain to subside.  In fact I had a return of pain AFTER
they removed the next brace.  I understand your frustration.
Try and be patient.  to quote my Dr., who was not very helpful
"I've never had a patient where the pain doesn't eventually go away"
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Avatar universal
Dear Crystal:

It is very difficult to tell you what might be causing the arm/wrist pain.  I am sorry that this has been giving you difficulty.  The increase in motor units likely is just recruitment from a peripherial nerve injury induced by the cervical lesion requiring surgery (but I really can't tell over the internet).  If you had carpel tunnel, your hand would have the muscle atrophy and pain/numbness and not just your wrist.  I am not sure what the "hot" stop is indicating.  Increased uptake might be due to many reasons and without history, I can't tell what these may be.  If your arm and wrist pain is due to the cervical lesion (this is a definite possibility) then there should be somesort of nerve distribution in a C5-7-like distribution.  Did the EMG give a suggestion?  My guess is that it has to due with the lesion in the cervical cord.  I would suggest a trial of a neuropathic pain medication such as neurontin but this would only be a guess as to the etiology of the problem.  You need to figure this out.  Maybe a repeat MRI looking at that area of the cervical spine??

Sincerely,

CCF Neuro MD
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