Any of yall had neck surgery? Part Deux

[Mars]

I'm currently taking a muscle relaxer 3 times a day and so far its the only thing that helps and its not much help. I've tried several types of opiate pain meds and they don't do anything but make me itchy.

I even tried CBD. I could see that being good for anxiety but didn't help with pain.

 

[AceOfTheBase]

I'm one of the fortunate ones that PT eventually resolved nerve pain from pinched/ruptured discs C4,C5,C6. One on left, one on right. PT included strengthening upper back and core muscles as well as neck tension twice a day. I think the neck tension was most helpful. Got the same opinion, from second neurosurgeon to try PT first & glad I did.
That was 2012, ok so far. My initial symptom was radiating pain from neck, shoulder to right finger tips. Couldn't twist neck to check traffic before.

 

[j_seph]

Wife had it, then later on a 2nd surgery cause once 2 are fused together it puts more work on the ones next to them. She has been doing injections for a few years now. This last one has been good for couple years but may be time for another one as she is getting pain in shoulder from it.

 

[BriarPatch99]

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Was not a bad surgery....limits the turn of neck some....

 

[Mars]

I probably have some stuff laying around the shop to make something that.

I heard you had some ankle trouble recently. I hope you have a quick and easy recovery!

 

[BriarPatch99]

I probably have some stuff laying around the shop to make something that.

I heard you had some ankle trouble recently. I hope you have a quick and easy recovery!

Yeah I really messed up a good ankle .... Whole piles of plates , screws pins .... I haven't seen an xray since they pieced it together last Thursday....

The neck was easy ....worse part was the choke coller ....!!

 

[Cmp1]

Yeah I really messed up a good ankle .... Whole piles of plates , screws pins .... I haven't seen an xray since they pieced it together last Thursday....

The neck was easy ....worse part was the choke coller ....!!

Get well soon,,,,

 

[bullgator]

I have lived with a c6-c7 central herniated disc since ‘91. I had tingling and numbness rom my shoulders to my fingers. The surgeon talked about the procedure and any possible restrictions that might come afterwards. He also told me I’d know when it was time for the surgery and to go live my life. Turns out I’ve gotten by fine by using an inexpensive over the door traction unit. I used to use it a lot at first, but only seem to need it about 1-3 times a year now.

 

[Dub]

Didn't read all of the replies but from of those I know that have had back or neck surgery, it will have to be really bad before I would do it. Seems it's a 50-50 chance of helping or making it worse.

Lots of variables.

* Type of injury/malady.

* Length of time it's been that way.....how much damage has been done that can't be corrected

* Skill of surgeon and competency of his staff

* Patient's following post-op instructions and adhering to PT if it's prescribed.



Human nature kicks in....people delay going to doctors. At least, I sure do.


Some folks just go to whoever is local to them vs actually doing some research and getting the best surgeon possible.


The other aspect of human nature that I can't understand.....folks feel compelled to share horror stories with you at the very worst times: "Oh, man....you hurt your back ?....Sorry, man......my mom's boyfriend's cousin just had back surgery and he can't never ride his moped to the store again. He has to to take his new powered chair on beer runs now......don't let 'em cut on you, man"...........I don't know if folks are trying to show empathy or relate to you, but they can pass on the absolute worst information sometimes.

I'll never forget during my wife's high-risk pregnancy with our son and one of my buddies felt compelled to tell me a few horror stories related to childbirth. I did NOT need to hear that crap. Was already on pins and needles. Idiots will idiot.



If you are injured and hurting bad enough....and you hear the words from medical staff who've reviewed your scans "paralysis is imminent" then you get motivated to resolve matters.



Some things we can man-up and handle. Some things will only get much worse. A consult with a solid surgeon can't hurt a thing.

 

[Hooked On Quack]

Got a neck surgery scheduled next week, I ain't gonna lie, I'm worried. Had a co-worker have one 30 yrs ago and he's in a wheel cchair

 

[Head East]

Prayers to Quack and Briar for quick recovery!

 

[BriarPatch99]

Got a neck surgery scheduled next week, I ain't gonna lie, I'm worried. Had a co-worker have one 30 yrs ago and he's in a wheel cchair

Dang Mill ....I had missed the neck part.....

 

[Hooked On Quack]

Dang Mill ....I had missed the neck part.....

That's when they went in to the back of the neck, now they go thru the throat.

 

[1gr8bldr]

I had 3 vertebrae fused in January. For years, off and on, mostly on... I had extreme pain in my right arm. This was discovered to be a pinched nerve from degeneration of disc. After meeting a doctor from breaking my back in November, he said this was his specialty. He said surgery was the only thing that would help me. What a relief. Everyone else sent me to PT. A joke. Surgery went as planned. They said I would be taller due to the extreme compression I had. I was surprised that I had some slight annoying pain, random, here and there. Probably because of the way I slept the night before. My mobility is likely as good as before. For me, it's a must have surgery, if your spacing does not allow the nerves to exit without being pinched. 6 weeks recovery, 6 months total fusion is what I was told. I was very careful that first 6 weeks, but then went back to normal everyday abuse. However, likely that the above and below disc were slightly compressed, slightly damaged. These upper and lower will now be required to take the punishment that was before distributed among those fused. Resulting in exponential damage that can quickly turn into the same problem. So, I gave up dirt bikes. Even with that, the percentages are high that in 20 years, I, and patients will be back in the same boat

 

[Mars]

Got a neck surgery scheduled next week, I ain't gonna lie, I'm worried. Had a co-worker have one 30 yrs ago and he's in a wheel cchair

Let us know how the surgery went when you are feeling up to it. Praying that everything went well.

 

[Hooked On Quack]

Let us know how the surgery went when you are feeling up to it. Praying that everything went well.

Surgery was cancelled, he wanted me to have my carotid arteries checked, waiting on the re=schedule

 

[Mars]

I'm going Thursday for a myelogram and if that confirms what we saw on the MRI, we will schedule surgery.

 

[gobbleinwoods]

Surgery was cancelled, he wanted me to have my carotid arteries checked, waiting on the re=schedule

Waiting on the reschedule date.

 

[Mars]

Surgery is tomorrow! Wish me luck and I'll take all the prayers that you can send my way. Say a few for my wife too if you don't mind. She will have her hands full until I recover.

 

[The Original Rooster]

Surgery is tomorrow! Wish me luck and I'll take all the prayers that you can send my way. Say a few for my wife too if you don't mind. She will have her hands full until I recover.

Prayers sent! You'll be fine just follow your Dr's instructions to the letter. Wear that neck brace and walk your driveway as much as possible. Walking up and down my driveway helped my pain level after surgery more than anything else.