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Severe neck pain & Headaches 7 yrs post op?

Hello all,
I'm 7 yrs post op from having the surgery. About 2 months ago I woke up and heard a pop in my neck while getting out of bed. Since that time I've experience severe neck pain and headaches. My GP originally told me it was probably a strained muscle and provided muscle relaxers. The pain is increasingly getting worse. Has anyone experienced symptoms like this so long after surgery? I'm worried something has happened.
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Avatar universal
I hope they can give you some answers!
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620923 tn?1452915648
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi and welcome to the  Chiari forum.

I agree with  reelman to have a NL take a look at all possibilities,,,,,Chiari comes with other comorbid conditions and many of us have herniated or bulging disks,,,,,so do have someone take a close look ,especially since the muscle relaxers are not helping.
Please keep us posted on how you are doing and what you find out.
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Avatar universal
There are a couple possibilities in my limited experience.  I too have this problem from time to time.  Did they do a laminectomy of one or more vertebrae when they did your surgery?  Did you have an MRI of your cervical spine prior to surgery?  In my case, I had bone spurs in my neck prior to surgery.  After surgery, I was diagnosed with bulging discs, and eventually one of them herniated.  I also have increased arthritis, which is common after surgery on any joint.  You may want to speak with your NL about these possibilities, as the bone spurs can produce a popping sound when the neck moves, and arthritis may be treatable with anti-inflammatory meds.  Wish you the best!
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2 Comments
Thanks. I got an MRI scheduled for tomorrow am. Hopefully it will tell me something.  This is horrible pain.
Ask for a copy of the MRI and report.....you do this when you sign in for the study.....they can give you the disk before you leave, and many ask you to sign a release to mail the report which can take a week or more to arrive, Good luck
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