Bump, Lump, Knot.... thing.

[christianirc]

To the right side of my surgery scar, on my neck, I have a lump about the size of a shooter marble.  It isn't painful to touch, but this is the area I've had most of my post surgical pain.  I just noticed it yesterday.  My surgery was 8/15.  I did NOT have duraplasty so a CSF leak is highly unlikely.  It seems to be in the muscle.  Any suggestions on what this might be?

[linnielou232]

I just went to the dr yesterday complaining of the same problem as you and he said it is muscle.  Consider when they did surgery on yu they had to move that muscle in order to get to your skull.  the dr said it is as large as a fifty cent piece so it is a pretty good size muscle.  My dr suggested to me injection's and I am now looking for the right answer to get the shot's or not.  Did it help you at all.  I worry about any one  touching the back of head for any thing anymore

[selmaS]

  I also had a word finding issue which was worse post op...and it could be the healing process  as nerves basically awake...or begin to function again....hopefully that is all it is .

  On occasion I will find it diff to retrieve a word here and there....

And since u r just recently out of surgery, I would imagine u could very well still have swelling....u may want to try diff exercises and avoid those u feel  may trigger symptoms at this point and save those for when u r healed a bit more.

    "selma"

[christianirc]

The pain is at the base of my head, where I think he probably removed the piece of skull and on the left side of my neck.  My neck pain feels like the joint pain I get from lupus so I'm guessing it might be inflammation.  Thinking that I got a steroid shot last week, but it didn't seem to help.  I've had to increase my pain meds and barely stay awake.  They've cut way down on my rehab, except speech.  That's another thing. I now (since surgery) have a speech problem of "word finding" which is like an intense stutter.  Also she said I have a problem in the "organizational" part of speaking.  We are working hard on that.  Doesn't seem to affect typing or writing.  She said that is different parts of the brain.

[selmaS]

  It is not the act of lifting the shoulders, but for this particular exercise  in order for it to be effective u should no lift ur shoulders.

   Where is ur increased pain?

[christianirc]

One of you comments say "and be sure to keep the shoulders from lifting up... " That is one of the exercises they have me do here at the rehab is lift my shoulders as high as I can. Should I not be doing that?  Could that be why I have increased pain? I had to go to the Er for pain on Wednesday.

[selmaS]

  Sure , here is the link to the pic, do read the comments to see which  exercises to do, not all on the chart r suggested for chiarians.

http://www.medhelp.org/user_photos/show/171420?personal_page_id=197028&photo_collection_id=1369

   "selma"

[christianirc]

I can't find those exercises on your page. Could you paste them here?

[selmaS]

  Hi...r u doing ur post op neck exercises?...u have to keep ur neck moving so those muscles do not cramp up and heal the wrong way......if u need exercise ideas, I have some from my dr on my profile page.....

   Hope that is all it is and it goes away soon : )

             "selma"

[christianirc]

Oh, ok.  Thank you.

[sandy629]

  i was told it was muscle  settling on one side