I really haven't had many problems since the surgery, other than my neck being stiff. That is roughly where my pain/stiffness is located (between shoulder blades/thoracic), but Im wondering if the pain is stemming from directly below the fusion site and if that maps to my shoulder blades/rhomboid area. Since the patients in this study clearly demonstrate broad problems array of development of more structured multi-professional rehabilitation models including exercises which improve neck muscle strength, endurance and proprioception need to be introduced. (thoracic/paraspinal and trapezius pain/spasms upper/mid/lower trapezius and paraspinals. The patient's pain did not improve with 6 months of conservative treatment that included physical therapy and epidural injections. See Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulators (TENS) Web3 Months Post ACDF JohnyH. It is usually missed and misunderstood by doctors, so look for a neurologist at a facility that treats TOS as a condition. Epub 2008 Sep 6. I've asked my surgeon if that same procedure can be performed along my shoulder blades, sides of my neck and other shoulder as I have the same symptoms as you describe in these areas. 2007 Apr 1;32(7):772-4; discussion 775. doi: 10.1097/01.brs.0000258846.86537.ad. On Jan 11th 2007 I had ACDF without plate or screws C6/C7 with only a soft collar perscibed. Confusing MRI, cervical disectomy and fusion surgery complications, C4/5 & C5/6 Fusion with TM100 Plate and Screws - Still pain, numbness much improved, Winged scapula (RH side) following C5 C6 Anterior disectomy, longterm pain after anterior cervical fusion, anterior cervical discectomy and fusion C5/6. Neck pain again a year after acdf surgery. The most common post-operative neural disorder is C5 nerve palsy. 2014 Feb 6;15:34. doi: 10.1186/1471-2474-15-34. Some common risks of surgery include: Stroke. Accessibility Web3 Months Post ACDF JohnyH. The best way I have found to do that is horseback riding. Unable to load your collection due to an error, Unable to load your delegates due to an error. Neck pain again a year after acdf surgery. I still have to maintain posture and spine alignment or my TOS will get worse, and I work on my PT exercises at home because I can't go to appointments because of social distancing. The primary goal of surgery is to relieve your symptoms by decompressing, or relieving pressure on, the compressed nerves in your neck. Doing two or more movements together puts the back at high risk for injury so be careful! MY POST OP XRAYS AND MRI LOOK FINE ACCORDING TO MY NEURO AND PAIN DR. The screw can be inserted incorrectly and advanced into a nerve or facet joint causing pain and weakness. Both herniations were central (pushing into the cord, right up the middle) and I never had numbness or tingling, just pain/tightness. The thoracic spinal cord demonstrates normal signal and caliber w/o syrinx. How are you getting along". I really haven't had many problems since the surgery, other than my neck being stiff. WebIn the end, after recovering from anterior cervical fusion surgery, most patients report significant improvements and a decrease in pain. Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 14 total). Doing PT, home exercises and even dry needling, to no avail, it always comes back. DR IS OUT OF SUGGESTIONS. WebWhen symptoms of cervical radiculopathy persist or worsen despite nonsurgical treatment, your doctor may recommend surgery. WHEN I STRETCH, IT FEELS LIKE I AM SEPERATING MY SPINE AND I HAVE INTENSE PAIN WHEN RETRACTING FROM THE STRETCH. When I contacted Mayo 4 years ago, I wrote to a specific surgeon and asked that he review my imaging because I read papers he co-authored and thought his area on interest would be a good match for what I needed. Following surgery the body begins its natural healing process and new bone cells grow around the graft. Acta Neurochir (Wien). Bone healing may take as long as 12 months, but generally, activities are unrestricted after 3-6 months. It causes pain after ACDF surgery because the bone graft and attached muscles change their biomechanics. Questions about background data, pain, numbness, neck specific disability, distress, sick leave, health, symptom satisfaction and effect of and satisfaction with surgery were asked 28 patients 3 years after ACDF. After the procedure, the surgical area will remain inflamed as the body heals itself. No evidence of hardware complication. I have normal range of movement of my head, except that I can't touch my chin to my chest, but it is very close. I am 16 months post surgery now and life is awful. My pain was immediately gone, and my arm feels great. With this new technology, we have the opportunity to advance how we take care of patients with cervical spine disease, Haglund says. WebThe ACDF helps to relieve symptoms such as neck pain, numbness and tingling in the arms, shoulders, or hand, shooting pain in the arms, weakness of hands, or lower extremities. If you see a neurologist who specializes in spine issues or thoracic outlet syndrome, that would be best. After surgery, patients should eat soft foods and liquids until their first follow-up appointment. I don't know if anything (other that waiting until COVID-19 urgency has passed) has changed. The radiology report was very similar. I would certainly prefer a conservative approach of course. I had been turned down 5 times by local surgeons who didn't understand my symptoms and none would help me, but I knew that this Mayo surgeon would understand because of reading about a similar symptom of leg pain that was caused by cervical stenosis. It might. I would highly recommend Mayo and my neurosurgeon, Dr. Jeremy Fogelson. WebIt is not uncommon to have pain in the neck following fusion surgery which slowly gets better over 12 to 18 months. These usually get better over the next few weeks. In reply to @jenniferhunter. I don't have pain. Measurements have earlier been obtained before and 6 and 12 months after ACDF. Some patients can to return to their daily activities within a week after the ACDF surgery. On Jan 11th 2007 I had ACDF without plate or screws C6/C7 with only a soft collar perscibed. THE LORD IS GIVING ME THE ONLY STRENGHTH I HAVE. Hello, I am currently 6 months out from a two level ACDF (c4-c6). The last couple of weeks, by neck has started hurting pretty bad. -Left long head of the biceps tendon is intact. Something pops when I breathe in I feel like my back needs to pop all day long. I had acdf at C5-C6. I know i have arthritis and have had it since 16. Case Description:A 45-year-old male initially underwent a C3-4 and C5-6 anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF).At age 49, 4 years later, he presented with worsening dysphagia accompanied by neck and right upper extremity pain. Take any medications that your doctor prescribes for pain and constipation. Has anyone experience consistent sore throat and sleep apnea? Rejection of a graft or other structures. WebIt is not uncommon to have pain in the neck following fusion surgery which slowly gets better over 12 to 18 months. The T8-T9 dessication I knew about from a MRI 2 years ago, although that was the only issue and was causing me no pain at the time. Connect with thousands of patients and caregivers for support and answers. Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a type of spine surgery used for the treatment of neck or arm pain caused by cervical radiculopathy. I wear a helmet and make sure I ride in control, or I get off if the horse's mind is somewhere else. One additional questionif the pain was facet originated, wouldnt the facets directly below the fusion site (in my case C4-C6 ACDF) bear the brunt of the new load? This is the most common question after three-level cervical fusion surgery. I HAVE STABBING PAIN BETWEEN MY SHOULDER BLADES AND SEVERE MUSCLE SPASMS AND PAIN FROM THE BASE OF MY SKULL THROUGH MY SHOULDER AND DOWN INTO MY RIGHT ARM TO MY ELBOW. Choosing a fusion let me avoid hardware and I agreed to stay in a neck brace until fused which was at 3 to 4 months. No large paralabral cyst is seen. December 19th I had an ACDF C4-C6. ligamentum buckling or hypertrophy in cervical spine. Of course I will be discussing this with the surgeon on Monday but wondered if anyone had thoughts on this image. I CAN'T SLEEP FOR MORE THAN A COUPLE OF HOURS AT A TIME EVEN WITH SLEEPING PILLS. @amywood20 I'm sorry you are having issues. (i.e. I am back on the hamster wheel of not knowing if my issues are from a shoulder dysfunction or the cervical spine. My neck is bad too, but so far PT had helped. After surgery, patients should eat soft foods and liquids until their first follow-up appointment. There may be numbness in the arms. You might want to look at our MFR discussion for information. If you have trouble breathing, call 911 or go to an emergency room immediately. Wow, that was a big surgery too. Measurements have earlier been obtained before and 6 and 12 months after ACDF. Guest I did the bouncing back and forth between these two specialists prior to surgery and don't want to do it again. Ice, electrical stimulation, massage, and other treatments may be used to make the patient more comfortable. It generally presents with deltoid and/or In this case, the patient returned home the following day and was able to return to the golf course within a month. After surgical intervention (ACDF), 48 patients (68.6%) noted the cessation of shoulder symptoms (pain, weakness, and numbness) during their last visit. These usually get better over the next few weeks. 2. There may be a separate shoulder problem (less likely but possible) and a well done physical examination would sort this out. Conclusions: There is straightened cervical spine lordosis with preserved alignment, normal marrow signal, and no prevertebral soft tissue swelling. See Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulators (TENS) Strengthening the spine can reduce pain and inflammation and help improve functionality and mobility. The hospital team will monitor several metrics to determine the best time to discharge you. However, nearly all cases resolve spontaneously within 2 years, thus identifying patients who require more detailed or invasive work-up is a challenging task for clinicians. It is possibly you might have a tad of permanent nerve damage but you won't know for many more months. It may take weeks or months to fully recover. I miss doing the simple things. It's been almost a year since my surgery. Along with the neck pain, I am also having shoulder pain. But, my low back is a mess. I have continued with MFR since spine surgery which helped me recover from that, and make more progress on TOS. I know I have posted before here but just wondered if anyone else feels like this. The .gov means its official. Case Description:A 45-year-old male initially underwent a C3-4 and C5-6 anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF).At age 49, 4 years later, he presented with worsening dysphagia accompanied by neck and right upper extremity pain. If you have pain early on, that can actually just be part of the operation. A week later, Tom arrived at Dr. Kachmann's office. I take Klonapin at night.What are we supposed to do?Become drug addicts.I just suffer in pain.My husband thinks I sound like I'm 90 when I'm 53.he also thinks I should be thankful I don't have cancer.I'm out of work on disability and praying for an answer. There may be a pseudoarthrosis (lack of fusion) of one of the two levels. If I don't get satisfactory answers with the neurosurgeon I am either going to go back to the shoulder doc ("if" the surgeon thinks it's a shoulder issue) or make an appointment with Mayo. As I told you before I have a bad neck too, but PT seems to help, but my back is a mess. Hello! I'm in physical therapy and even the stretches the therapist is having me do causes arm pain. Thoracic pain (not generated from the cervical spine) could be from disc, facet or nerve origin. In the old days, which was all of 18 months ago, to help a patient like this, wed have to go in from the front, take the whole plate off from the anterior fusion that wasnt successful, and redo that level or approach posteriorly and split all the muscles in the neck and perform a posterior cervical decompression and fusion with instrumentation, Haglund says. Cervical fusion is generally considered safe, however, it is major surgery. 2019 Feb 19;9(2):e027387. Both herniations were central (pushing into the cord, right up the middle) and I never had numbness or tingling, just pain/tightness. good luck to all and hope we all feel better soon. Its a slow healing process, but in the end, the operation may end up being successful. Method: There is no abnormal enhancement or mass. Three years after ACDF about two-thirds of the patients had remaining deficit with regard to pain intensity, Neck Disability Index, Distress and Risk Assessment Method and general health. My original symptoms were bilateral, symmetrical muscle aches/burning in my arms (wrists, forearms, deltoids). My original symptoms were bilateral, symmetrical muscle aches/burning in my arms (wrists, forearms, deltoids). From my first cervical procecure, I lost complete use of my left arm, which eventually led to shoulder surgery to remove significant inflamation. Thank you. cervical disectomy fusion c4-5, c 5-6, severe cervical arthr, post anterior cervical disectomy recovery concerns, Numbness post-op c-5 c-6 cervical spine surgery, still in pain after anterior cervical disectomy, Pain in between shoulder blades following Anterior Cervical Discectomy Fushion Surgery-2 weeks Post, post ACDF 4-5,5-6 - still haveTerrible Pain, Anterior cervical fusion c3-4, c4-5, c5-6, Advise of post op symptoms Anterior Cervical Decompression, Cervical spine disectomy, fusion and titanium plate at C6-C7, 7 weeks post-op posterior cervical spine surgery, acdf 2 yrs-chronic shoulder and neck pain, Pain after anterior cervical diskectomy with fusion (ACDF), Neck, shoulder elbow pain. This surgery involves the removal of a protruding disc from the spine for relief of pressure on the spinal nerves, followed by reconstruction. I to had a Cervical Discectomy on the C5,C6,C7. Three or four level fusion may require additional days. Thank you for choosing Dr. Corenman as your healthcare provider. 2006 Feb;148(2):167-73; discussion 173. doi: 10.1007/s00701-005-0660-x. Dont forget that other structures can refer pain to that area (heart and thoracic aorta among others). The cervical spinal canal is diminutive in caliberon a congenital basis. Medications. What Can You Do to Relieve Pain after Disc Fusion? THE ONLY THING MRI SHOWS IS A BOOMERANG SHAPE IN MY NECK WHERE THE TITANIUM PLATE IS. Office Exercises: Computer Related Neck And Shoulder Pain Solutions, Cervical spine fusion for herniated disk in neck, Neck And Shoulder Pain While Working At A Computer, Cure Shoulder Pain- 6 Top Secrets to End Shoulder Problems Revealed, Recovery After Posterior Cervical Spine Surgery, Recovering From Anterior Cervical Discectomy And Fusion Surgery. Safety and feasibility of an early telephone-supported home exercise program after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: a case series. I AM TRYING TO KEEP MY HEAD UP AND A SMILE ON MY FACE. The primary goal of surgery is to relieve your symptoms by decompressing, or relieving pressure on, the compressed nerves in your neck. Im being told by my surgeon this is a postural issue. Peolsson A, Peterson G, Hermansen A, Ludvigsson ML, Dedering , Lfgren H. BMJ Open. If you want to get notified by every reply to your post, please register. It is possibly you might have a tad of permanent nerve damage but you won't know for many more months. ANYONE ELSE EXPERIENCED THE SAME AND GOTTEN BETTER? Bone healing may take as long as 12 months, but generally, activities are unrestricted after 3-6 months. I also knew that my range of motion would be nearly the same with a fusion at C5/C6 because it isn't very involved with head turning. As long as I stretch out what gets tight, I feel great and I have to remember not to slouch and stick my neck out. Late infection after an interval of time after ACDF may present with various symptoms and signs including neck pain, dysphagia, and fever accompanied with laboratory abnormalities such as elevated white blood cell count, ESR, and CRP [ 7, 17 ]. Keep in mind your body has to heal on the inside & calm down from the trauma of "@amywood20 I'm sorry you are having issues. This inflammation can impact the nerves and cause some numbness. The artificial disc was removed and an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) with iliac crest bone graft was performed to reconstruct the C6-C7 level. over a year ago, car195579751 I've gone through 6 lower back surgeries culminating in L4-S1 fusion and more recently two cervical procedures which have combined to fusion from C2 - T2. Join Date: Sep 2004. Any surgery will come with a set of risks and potential complications to look out for. This study investigates if 6-month outcome with a broad assessment after ACDF with a cervical intervertebral fusion cage can be a guide for the 3-years outcome. Mostly, this is hands on stretching by the therapist while you lie on the table. FOIA Here are a few of the findings: CLINICAL INDICATION: Radiculopathy, cervical region ACDF spanning C3-C6. Some patients may need to start physical therapy about a month after ACDF and continue it for a couple more months. WebPost-laminectomy pain syndrome is a significant cause of pain and disability. https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/ It is very common to have some pain after the surgery, but when pain persists for months there are several possibilities. I don't know if it's technically MFR though. Small central disc bulge T10-T11 without mass effect. If you have pain early on, that can actually just be part of the operation. C5-C6: Canal is decompressed status post discectomy and fusion. WebWhen symptoms of cervical radiculopathy persist or worsen despite nonsurgical treatment, your doctor may recommend surgery. I didn't take one muscle relaxer or pain pill after the surgery. Core strength in the entire spine supports everything in the body including the neck. Cervical spinal cord demonstrates normal caliber and signal with syrinx or abnormal enhancement. I am off to a pain management center today at 3. Following surgery the body begins its natural healing process and new bone cells grow around the graft. So far a teny tiny bit of releife. I don't feel like I had spine surgery, and I feel much younger than when I was living with the pain from the spine problem. PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. I think it keeps it aligned instead of allowing it to rotate and shift at that point. For someone like me who does more than 300 ACDFs a year, being able to have this in my armamentarium to avoid having to do bigger posterior fusions or big anterior removal of plates is a huge value added.. I know I have posted before here but just wondered if anyone else feels like this. Rothman Orthopaedic Institute offers several options for patients with spine disorders. Purpose: Many times the symptoms are temporary, for example, many patients have nerve problems after surgery that only last for a Much thanks. Peolsson A, berg B, Wibault J, Dedering , Zsigmond P, Bernfort L, Kammerlind AS, Persson LC, Lfgren H. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. The most common symptoms of nerve damage after surgery are usually numbness, tingling, burning, muscle weakness or atrophy. PT, and myofascial release can help a lot, and when there is a structural problem to correct, look for the best surgeon you can find because that helps you have a successful procedure and recovery. The most common symptoms of nerve damage after surgery are usually numbness, tingling, burning, muscle weakness or atrophy. I keep working on this with myofascial release which I was also doing for several years before my spine surgery. During the surgery, the spine surgeon accesses the cervical vertebrae from the front of the neck. The last couple of weeks, by neck has started hurting pretty bad. It might. Hello, Gilmore06. During the surgery, the spine surgeon accesses the cervical vertebrae from the front of the neck. Hope you are doing ok. @lilypaws ACDF is anterior (frontal approach) cervical discectomy (disc removal) and fusion. Ice, electrical stimulation, massage, and other treatments may be used to make the patient more comfortable. If I see another drs shake their head and tell me to just give it time, I'm going to scream. I had a MRI with contrast on the left shoulder in January to see if it might show something noteworthy and different than the one I had in August. Surgeon said no but agreed to a CT scan, which I had done on Tuesday. This surgery involves the removal of a protruding disc from the spine for relief of pressure on the spinal nerves, followed by reconstruction. However, more central to the success of the case, he says, was the DTRAX device, which enables surgeons to perform minimally invasive cervical fusions on patients whose pain persists or returns following ACDF. ACDF Recovery Tips. I think we need to come together and figure this thing out. No evidence of hardware complication. This inflammation can impact the nerves and cause some numbness. My pain management doctor did two rounds of facet injections at T3-T6 which provided no relief. like you i can not sleep with out taking sleeping pills, my husband says i cry in my sleep i hurt so bad. I understand your concern with that image. It did help get rid of the pain in my left arm and neck for a little while. I've already looked at them, as I have a copy of the disk. Youre trying to get rid of neck pain, and what are you doing? There is very mild exaggeration of thoracic kyphosis. One of the biggest issues we see after surgery is scarring around the nerves (1). Infection. An ACDF is a type of spine surgery used to treat neck issues by removing. I hope that's not the case though, as I'd imagine he is tired of this much like I am. Initially, after the surgery, I was doing great - went back to work in a week and gradually increased gym activities. over a year ago, visitor283201 Because of that, I requested a MRI on the cervical spine via my doc's patient portal. Before My low back is fine, no problems there! Six month after surgery to this day I have pain across my upper back. -Mild degenerative changes of the left AC joint. An ACDF is a type of spine surgery used to treat neck issues by removing. However, an ACDF is still considered major surgery, and complete recovery from an ACDF procedure can take between three to six months. Severe Leg Pain After Spinal Fusion I stumbled across these postings this am and I was like WOW I am not alone.. and I am NOT crazy! If I do something that stresses my neck, like lifting something heavy, I tend to cheat and use my neck muscles to help, then I will get a neck spasm. HE SAID THAT SHOULD BE A SMOOTH CURVATURE, NOT A HUMP, BUT CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT AND NOT EVEN SURE THAT IS CAUSING PROBLEM. Incorrect Screw Placement Screws and plates are utilized to stabilize the neck during Cervical Fusion Surgery. According to the parameters studied 50 - 78% of those who at the 6-month follow-up were without deficit were still healthy at the 3-year follow-up. To minimize discomfort, avoid sitting or lying down for long periods; change position or take a short walk every 20 minutes or so. The stenosis in Tom's cervical spine was serious, causing spinal compression at four levels. Reading your post was like deja vu. Thank you, I am pursuing the CT scan. THANKS FOR ANY REPLY! It causes pain after ACDF surgery because the bone graft and attached muscles change their biomechanics. Incorrect Screw Placement Screws and plates are utilized to stabilize the neck during Cervical Fusion Surgery. My upper traps and entire upper back is constantly in spasm. If the surgeon doesn't think the cervical spine is causing my ongoing issues I guess I will go back to the shoulder doc to get his thoughts. I am now 10 months out from the ACDF. This MRI however does note no evidence of compression of neurological structures so unless there is a lack of fusion, the neck is probably not the source of your pain. I could move my arm and shoulder without pain (once going through therapy and strengthening). You could have thoracic outlet syndrome in addition to the other issues you mentioned and it causes arm and hand pain, and TOS is more common with spine injury patients. Its a slow healing process, but in the end, the operation may end up being successful. It was from C4-C6 with two spacers and a plate with six screws. No evidence of hardware complication. Strengthening the spine can reduce pain and inflammation and help improve functionality and mobility. Infection. I have to agree with you on the nerve burning..that just even sounds bad. Semin Neurol. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON. After 7 months, I have not been able to return to work. Patients may continue to feel some degree of pain three to six months after spinal fusion. But I am having excruciating muscle spasms/tightness in my thoracic spine and trapezius muscles and in between my shoulder blades. Other goals of surgery include: Improving neck pain. I feel great. I HAVE BEEN TO 6 WKS OF PHYSICAL THERAPY, 2 DIFFERENT MASSAGE THERAPISTS, HAD ABOUT 50 TRIGGER POINT INJECTIONS, SOME EVEN WHILE ON THE MASSAGE THERAPISTS TABLE. You can probably do all of this now. WebMuscle pain after Cervical Fusion Surgery may be due to a new shoulder injury. The risk factors for C5 nerve palsy are male gender, OPLL, and posterior cervical approaches. I did a lot of myofascial release before my surgery because I was doing this to treat the TOS, and that helped the neurosurgeon during spine surgery because my muscle was easier to retract. The hospital team will monitor several metrics to determine the best time to discharge you. After that, a decision is made based on if they can offer medical help, and if that is yes, they will contact you about an appointment. It is possibly you might have a tad of permanent nerve damage but you won't know for many more months. Case Description:A 45-year-old male initially underwent a C3-4 and C5-6 anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF).At age 49, 4 years later, he presented with worsening dysphagia accompanied by neck and right upper extremity pain. THE PAIN RETURNED ABOUT 6 WKS AFTER SURGERY. Three years after ACDF about two-thirds of the patients had remaining deficit with regard to pain intensity, Neck Disability Index, Distress and Risk Assessment Method and general health. This one was landed me on my behind. Typically it takes at least 12 months or longer to completely heal from this surgery. I was always treated with respect and explained everything throughly, that made it easy for everyone to understand. Doing two or more movements together puts the back at high risk for injury so be careful! Strengthening the spine can reduce pain and inflammation and help improve functionality and mobility. In younger and/or more physically fit individuals, recovery time can range anywhere from 46 weeks. I had an anterior cervical fusion (C5, C6) about 3 months ago. I have not been seeing my PT because of COVID-19, but I continue on my own as best I can.