Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Broken neck side effects diagnosis and recovery???

Hello everyone, having trouble with a broken neck and also wondering what comes next, finding it hard to find information online. Hoping anyone who's been through the same or anyone with some medical knowledge won't mind sharing with me. First let me get you up to date quickly.
Big car crash, lucky to be alive, numerous broken bones, c1 vertebrae smashed to pieces, c2 broken.

Its been about 4 1/4 months now, the other bones are healed, I've been out of my neck brace nearly a month.
The doctor has said c2 is knitting back together, and c1 is starting to knit but he said it won't heal fully.
Being out of my neck brace I thought I might be near the end but there's still a lot I'm worried about.

Firstly I'm getting a lot of pain in my neck, but not from the break area, it feels like a nerve is maybe touching something its not supposed to be touching, it's pretty continuous and hardly bearable. Does anyone know if that likely to calm down or adapt or should I start looking at medical solutions to that? I've got increasing pain in the top of my leg as well which feels like nerves, I never had any injuries there as far as I know, could that be related?
Also I'm worried about my range of motion, I can turn to the right sort of reasonably, but to the right I can barely tun off centre, this might seem silly but is it possible the bone has kind of grown in the way and is almost blocking my neck turning, because that's what it feels like, I know my neck muscles are probably still super weak but it feels like a dead stop rather than something I could stretch and train. Its also the same story looking up. I can look down but when I do the pain from the nerve I mentioned goes crazy as it does when I attempt to look up. Am I Likely to develop more movement with time? is it still to soon? is it just stiff? do you think they can do anything surgically? or is the risk to high? I'm worried I won't be able to do anything again, like drive, play pool, lift things etc. I tried to do some exercises to get some movement back but stopped because I was hurting a lot with the nerve problem.
Also I keep getting a twinge in my back on the spine I'm worried about, because c1 was destroyed so bad I'm worried if I move my neck to much bone fragments might still be in there and potentially damage my spinal cord at any moment. Is this a genuine concern? or is it probably unrelated?
Last of all I'm probably least worried about this, is my general fatigue, I mean I know my body's been through a lot lately so I don't expect to be on top form but if I walk to the shops I get back and feel like I've run a marathon. How long should it take for my body and my muscles that haven't been exercised for 4 months take to get strength back so I can go about doing normal things?

A massive thank you to anyone that answers, I'm not seeing the doctor again for another 2 months but I feel like I need to have an understanding of these things for some piece of mind, or some positivity or at the least know where I stand with the future.
Thanks
0 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Back & Neck Community

Top Pain Answerers
Avatar universal
st. louis, MO
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Find out how beta-blocker eye drops show promising results for acute migraine relief.
Could it be something you ate? Lack of sleep? Here are 11 migraine triggers to look out for.
Find out if PRP therapy right for you.
Tips for preventing one of the most common types of knee injury.
Here are 10 ways to stop headaches before they start.
Tips and moves to ease backaches