2. This surgery involves the removal of a protruding disc from the spine for relief of pressure on the spinal nerves, followed by reconstruction. 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. The Scap Wrap: How To Fix Your Shoulder Posture. Under these circumstances, you may need an Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion . Hope you are doing ok. @lilypaws ACDF is anterior (frontal approach) cervical discectomy (disc removal) and fusion. Then a cervical epidural (no relief). A CT scan can reveal this. 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. Similar areas of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament at these levels. If your PT is not trained in MFR, there is a provider finder on the MFR website. C4-C5: Canal is decompressed status post fusion and discectomy. Any insight regarding the CT scan image I attached and/or the summary of the shoulder MRI is greatly appreciated! Measurements have earlier been obtained before and 6 and 12 months after ACDF. over a year ago, Big Z I did the bouncing back and forth between these two specialists prior to surgery and don't want to do it again. You also have surgical scar tissue in an adjacent The thoracic surgeon had to decide if he thought my biggest symptoms where coming from my cervical spine or the compression of nerves because of TOS which he discussed with me, and he consulted with the neurosurgeon about this, actually in a phone call while I was at the appointment with the neurosurgeon. @lilypaws yep, I had an ACDF. 2008 May-Jun;8(3):436-42. doi: 10.1016/j.spinee.2007.06.006. Thoracic spinal cord is normal. Join Date: Sep 2004. What Can, Besides A Physical Injury, Cause Collarbone And Shoulder Pain? I had an anterior cervical fusion (C5, C6) about 3 months ago. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the https://trainingandrehabilitation.com/how-truly-treat-thoracic-outlet-syndrome/. (around C6-C7?) Under these circumstances, you may need an Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion . WebA physical therapist will help you regain muscle and joint strength and restore full range of motion in the cervical spine. But I am having excruciating muscle spasms/tightness in my thoracic spine and trapezius muscles and in between my shoulder blades. I can get sciatic pain because of my pelvis alignment shifting and do stretches for that, but after this last ride, it feels fine. There is some imbibition of the intra-articular contrast into the superior labrum suggesting degeneration. @jenniferhunter thanks for your insight. It feel like I have done 500 pushups or really strenuous exercise every single day. Welcome to the board. The last couple of weeks, by neck has started hurting pretty bad. A coordinator will follow up to see if Mayo Clinic is right for you. Reading the original post was like telling my own story to my Surgeon, Therapist and Pain Manangement Specialist - all of which tell me everything looks fine. Semin Neurol. Connect with thousands of patients and caregivers for support and answers. These usually get better over the next few weeks. Any ideas? It generally presents with deltoid and/or If you have trouble breathing, call 911 or go to an emergency room immediately. Now, 6 months later, Im told my by my surgeon my fusion is healing perfectly and xray confirms this. If you see a neurologist who specializes in spine issues or thoracic outlet syndrome, that would be best. 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. WebACDF surgery may be an option if physical therapy or medications fail to relieve your neck or arm pain caused by pinched nerves. A week later, Tom arrived at Dr. Kachmann's office. The second week after surgery I started to get headaches, not extremely intense, not a migraine, just a pressure headache. After surgical intervention (ACDF), 48 patients (68.6%) noted the cessation of shoulder symptoms (pain, weakness, and numbness) during their last visit. Should You Push That Shoulder As Far As It Will Go? My pain management doctor did two rounds of facet injections at T3-T6 which provided no relief. I didn't take one muscle relaxer or pain pill after the 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. No disc protrusion or mass effect. The second was c4-7. WebPain in the back of the neck and between the shoulder blades is common after ACDF surgery. The cervical spinal cord demonstrates normal caliber and signal without syrinx. My pain was immediately gone, and my arm feels great. I stumbled across these postings this am and I was like WOW I am not alone.. and I am NOT crazy! Reading your post was like deja vu. Some patients may need to start physical therapy about a month after ACDF and continue it for a couple more months. 2012;2012:919153. doi: 10.1155/2012/919153. It is FREE! It's going to be tough at home, but at least I will have pain pills. Except for a worsening in expectations of surgery fulfilled (p = 0.04) there were no significant differences between 6-month and 3-year outcome. March 26, 2018 Three months after undergoing C5-T1 anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), an active 60-year-old man from Florida began to experience recurrent neck and left shoulder pain. In reply to @jenniferhunter. It is our goal to provide the highest level of care and service to our patients. Six month after surgery to this day I have pain across my upper back. After surgery, patients should eat soft foods and liquids until their first follow-up appointment. My physical therapist started doing manual work on Thursday instead of the ASTYM she was doing on my arm. like you i can not sleep with out taking sleeping pills, my husband says i cry in my sleep i hurt so bad. (thoracic/paraspinal and trapezius pain/spasms upper/mid/lower trapezius and paraspinals. WebPost-laminectomy pain syndrome is a significant cause of pain and disability. After the procedure, the surgical area will remain inflamed as the body heals itself. You are also at 4 months spine surgery post op and when I was at that stage, that is when my muscles really tightened up. Epub 2007 Jul 17. ALL IN ALL, I GUESS I NEEDED THE SURGERY BECAUSE OF THE HERNIATION, BUT I HAVE WORSE NECK & SHOULDER MUSCLE PAIN THAN BEFORE. Despite a rather small study obtained the stability of 6-month and 3-year results indicates that short-term results might be sufficient for evaluating effects of the treatment. Results: 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. When I do things with friends and family, I pay the price dearly. WebHeadaches after ACDF surgery. I also work and stretch pec minor because that is a compression point for TOS, and have found some tools I can use to press and stretch it as I roll onto it with my body weight. 2. On Sunday, I rode about 20 miles on hilly terrain and was really exhausted after that because of not riding for months during winter, but now, I feel much stronger. Epub 2006 Dec 2. 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. This surgery involves the removal of a protruding disc from the spine for relief of pressure on the spinal nerves, followed by reconstruction. My range of motion is normal except that I cannot touch my chin to my chest when I tuck my head, but it is darn close. I am still having issues. Rotator cuff muscle volume is maintained. And if it didnt fuse the first time, whats your guarantee that it fuses the next time?. WebBackground:Dysphagia is a common complication immediately following anterior cervical spine surgery.However, its onset more than 1-year postoperatively is rare. Findings: The thoracic vertebral bodies are aligned with normal marrow signal. I will say that the arm/shoulder issues I have been having over the past month and a half or so are different than the ones I had pre-op. Doctors generally say that nerve pain can take up to a year to resolve, sometimes as long as 18 months depending on how long the nerve was compressed. An ACDF is a type of spine surgery used to treat neck issues by removing. There is nonacute endplate Schmorls node T7-T8 with small central disc protrusion without mass effect. These usually get better over the next few weeks. After surgery, patients should eat soft foods and liquids until their first follow-up appointment. Doctors generally say that nerve pain can take up to a year to resolve, sometimes as long as 18 months depending on how long the nerve was compressed. 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. Complete your request online or contact us by phone. @amywood20 When Mayo is open again for appointments, I think that would be a good decision to go there. Iron Neck for chronic pain caused by foraminal stenosis? Clipboard, Search History, and several other advanced features are temporarily unavailable. When I came to Mayo for my workup, first I saw a neurologist from the spine center who ordered tests based on his exam and those were blood tests, nerve conduction EMG, MRI so we had complete imaging of the entire spine to rule out any non-cervical problems, testing in the Doppler lab for thoracic outlet syndrome which they confirmed by testing and the neurology exam, and a follow up with a thoracic surgeon about the TOS, and the exam with the neurosurgeon where he discussed my MRI imaging with me and told me his recommendation. I had my surgeries, back 2 back in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005. i am 30 years old and have the same exact problem, i had c4, c5, c6 done in february 06. the only thing that got better for me was the numbness in my left hand. People with their back and neck issues deserve to get better, get their life back, and get back to work. WebThe orthopedist sent Tom for an MRI and, the same day, referred him "right away" to Michael Kachmann, MD, a neurosurgeon with Mayfield Brain & Spine. It is very common to have some pain after the surgery, but when pain persists for months there are several possibilities. To the layman (me), it seems like my neck fusion was successful, and now my thoracic has some issues. ACDF Recovery Tips. Keep in mind your body has to heal on the inside & calm down from the trauma of As others have mentions, drs seemed stumped by the pain issue. WHEN I STRETCH, IT FEELS LIKE I AM SEPERATING MY SPINE AND I HAVE INTENSE PAIN WHEN RETRACTING FROM THE STRETCH. Do not use nicotine for at least three months. Typically it takes at least 12 months or longer to completely heal from this surgery. Some patients may need to start physical therapy about a month after ACDF and continue it for a couple more months. I know how to take my hands and work the knots out. Many times the symptoms are temporary, for example, many patients have nerve problems after surgery that only last for a 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. An ACDF is a type of spine surgery used to treat neck issues by removing. Strengthening the spine can reduce pain and inflammation and help improve functionality and mobility. Doctors generally say that nerve pain can take up to a year to resolve, sometimes as long as 18 months depending on how long the nerve was compressed. Re: ACDF surgery 6 months after! Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. ACDF Recovery Tips. 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. I have to also say that the physical therapy and myofascial release I did before spine surgery prepared me well for a great recovery, and I had an excellent surgeon. Following surgery the body begins its natural healing process and new bone cells grow around the graft. I feel stiff as a board and pop/snap when I move and Im only 28. Copyright 2004-2023 Duke University Health System, Neurophysiologic Intraoperative Monitoring May Be Feasible During Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy, Man Walks Again Weeks After Severing Spinal Column. Interested in more discussions like this? Maintaining stability of the spine. Doing two or more movements together puts the back at high risk for injury so be careful! December 19th I had an ACDF C4-C6. He told me he is almost able to pull my arm completely out of the socket. Hello! Any surgery will come with a set of risks and potential complications to look out for. Conclusions: Pre-op most symptoms were in the left arm/shoulder/hand. My surgeon constantly reiterates your neck is fused, its not your neck, frustrating. Complications with anesthesia. Hello, Gilmore06. Here are a few of the findings: CLINICAL INDICATION: Radiculopathy, cervical region ACDF spanning C3-C6. Spinal fusion is a common form of back surgery used to treat several kinds of back problems, including scoliosis, vertebral weakness, and herniated discs. over a year ago, Pain in the Neck68921 The second week after surgery I started to get headaches, not extremely intense, not a migraine, just a pressure headache. That is bad for spine and shoulder alignment and I want to prevent any future problems that could be caused by wear and tear with poor ergonomics. THE PAIN RETURNED ABOUT 6 WKS AFTER SURGERY. Re: ACDF surgery 6 months after! The radiology report was very similar. Facet generated pain will not be demonstrated by an MRI and has to be diagnosed by facet blocks (see website). Patients may continue to feel some degree of pain three to six months after spinal fusion. 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. It is usually missed and misunderstood by doctors, so look for a neurologist at a facility that treats TOS as a condition. I do have extra tightness on one side of my neck and shoulder that pulls into my rib cage. This procedure (along with all other spine surgery procedures) requires the surgeon to navigate delicately around, and between nerves and muscles. WebThe orthopedist sent Tom for an MRI and, the same day, referred him "right away" to Michael Kachmann, MD, a neurosurgeon with Mayfield Brain & Spine. In younger and/or more physically fit individuals, recovery time can range anywhere from 46 weeks. I didn't get all the muscle back in my arms and shoulders yet, but there should be some more tomorrow since I just scrubbed my horse's winter blankets outside.