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 message therapy, it helps but only for a short period. 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

[sue50964]

i do im so misarable its taking a toll on me the pain is  un real  i hurt worse before i had the surgery i had 7 plates and screws a 5 bone s replaced  my hands go numb  feel like fire in them i cant sleep in the hot tub  all i do is cry  im so depressed i dont know at to do  the pain meds dont help  steroids  dont either   i need pain manange ment he want do it  trying to ween me off he cant
thanks sue

[Jim7779]

My mother had a C5 and C7 fusion, she is constantly in pain. Most of the pain  coming from her arms, shoulder, b/w shoulder blades, back of head, and neck. Please, I'm begging you, does anyone have any ideas on what to do, even just some advice, I'd really appreciate it.

[earline0188]

Like many of you, I had acdf surgery on C4-5, C5-6 last year due to cervical stenosis, ruptured discs and compression of spinal cord.  Before the surgery I had suffered with the the following:  Numbness, tingling, neck, shoulder and upper back pain, loss of bladder control.  I had migraines that seemed to develop more from muscles spasms, etc. after the mildest of activities.  About a year and half before my surgery,  I developed a "hump" on the back of back of my neck that causes me severe pain and numbness/tingling.  Lifting, reaching, bending, pushing, pulling, knealing, excessived standing, walking, sitting, etc... along with mild activity also causes this hump on my neck to get larger.  Imagine a large grapefruit cut in half and placed on the back of your neck....thats my hump size. The doctors (neuros) say that it's just a mass, nothing cancerous and it shouldn't cause pain.  The docs don't know why the mass (hump) gets larger but with rest and a reclining position...it will  eventually go back down to a smaller size.  Honestly, they don't seem to care.  So I had my surgery and right away I noticed that it helped with my bladder control issues and also the numbness and tingling down my arms, hands and legs had decreased.  After a few months, it has gradually returned  and I continue to have the pain in my neck and shoulder blade area.  I started having pain and pressure, numbness and tingling going down the middle of my back as well as around the hump area.  My neuro surgeon said everything looked good on xrays and that I should give it a few months.  It still hasn't gotten better, its now worse than before the surgery.  2nd Opinion, Mayo, I had to go to a series of doctors...with each one commentiong on the CT scan that I had done there.  I was told that my surgery was a failure by the pain, rheumy and neuro doc.  I requested a copy of the report to see for myself what the findings from the radiolgist were.  Mayo wanted me to make an appt with a neuro-surgeon there...and he asked a lot of questions about what my previous doctor said about xrays after surgery and if I had seen him recently.  He then tells me that he isn't sure why but the radiologist was mistaken about CT scan...that my surgery was a successful fusion.  Still have stenosis but from his view...everything looks good from a surgical standpoint.  My question is .... how could a radiologist have misread a CT scan that badly?  I am still in a lot of pain in my neck and shoulder blade area.    My activites are now limited dramatically because I know if I do most anything...I will suffer from it.  The headaches are unbearable and I have pain in my hands more than ever.  My back is in terrible shape...xrays revealed that I have stenosis and nerve impingement in thoracic and lumbar spine also.  I am a christian and believe that there is a purpose for everything and in God's healing power.  I just wonder what lesson I am suppose to be learning from all of this and how long this will last before I get some relief.  Sick and tired of being sick and tired.  Earline

[yikesmyneck]

Wow. I stumbled upon this site by accident, looking for information of something I caught on TV about defective neck fusions / grafts.  I too have had multiple surgeries, multiple levels, and still experience the same pains and limitation I hear in all of these comments.  It is very sad and discouraging.  Anyone considering a neck fusion, I would try to persuade you to manage it in other methods.  

Regarding the last comment, I too had my last surgery trying to "fix" one that never fused from two prior surgeries.  With this last surgery, they went in from both the front and back of the neck, fused and inserted a substance that is like concrete.  No doubt, it fused.  But I have had severe shoulder pain, shoulder blade area pain, incision pain, clicking, and headaches.

I do not know the answer.  My three surgeries were in two different states, two different doctors, spanning 8 years.  I really did like my last surgeon in NYC, and do feel he advised me down the best path he knew.  But I really do not know if the damage was already done from the prior two.  I still have herniated disks now in the middle of my back, but he does not want to operate on me.  Once you have multiples, you are not a good candidate for further levels.  They simply weaken and weaken.  

Has anyone heard of discoveries of the products being deffective or this material that is like a concrete causing issues with tissue and throat?

Best wishes and prayers to everyone.  I trully feel your pain.

[scole36535]

I have had the same surgery in C5-6-7 fusion thru the front of the neck.  Was in so much pain afterwards that I went thru 3 months of physical theropy. Did not work.  I be I have had over 100 shots in neck, back both arms numb and shooting pains along with the neck/back/shoulder.  Started see a Dr Yearwood in Pascagoula Ms. and they implanted a stimulator in the upper spine area.  Sorta likne a tense  unit but internally.  It made things worse.  I just got home form seeing a Dr at John Hopskins in Baltimore, and now he wants to put in rods to stabalize the neck.  He doesnt think the fusion took and there is too much movement and that is causing all the problems.  only a 50/50 chance it will work, but if the 50% chance works-he said I would be pain free.  Another surgery? What to do?
Don't want to live like this anymore.  Anyone heard of this>

[Whipit01]

Hey everyone, I had a fusion C4 to 7 in 2000 - worst decision of my life. Same as everyone on this blog. Backache, pain in shoulders, neck spasms, migraines, jaw pain, insomnia. I have tried everything and nothing solves the problem. I go for physio once a week, neck and back massage when necessary, anti-inflam tabs daily and pain killers. When the pain is chronic I go for steriod jabs and pethidine when migraines are out of control. That's all we can do, manage the pain as best you can. Only have a fusion when the other option is a wheelchair! Good luck everyone, my heart goes out to you all.