After 10 lower back surgeries, now i need one in my neck!!???

[shinty]

I have a mild C6-C7 disc protrusion, and a C7-T1 disc that definitely needs attention surgically. I have neck pain, and severe arm pain/weakness. The sad thing is that I have no idea how this has happened. I'm already very limited with my lower back issues, so it's a mystery to me. My main question is for people who have had neck and or back surgery. Is the neck worse than the back as far as healing, etc. I'm just hoping to lose this arm pain out of the deal.

[Kalvin]

Hey Shinty, haven't seen u around in awhile, I can understand why after reading your post.

Yes, I've had both types of surgery, but the neck ones seemed to scare me a little more.

The 1st I had was @ C6/7 I had horrible arm and hand pain, felt like there was a piece of barb wire inside my arm being moved around.Good news is that that particular pain was gone a day or two after surgery, still had weakness, but the arm pain for the most part was gone. Despite that, its still a pretty rough procedure to recover from, very traumatic on the system. I dealt with really bad neck pain, very severe headaches, chest and scapular pain. I had to do 3-4 months of P.T. to regain my strength. It was about an 8 months recovery, but I don't think my situation is typical. I've heard of people having much quicker and easier recoveries, probably depends on the situation.

If you need more info let me know and let us know when and if you decide to go through with this.



It's the other pains that lingered, it took me about 8 months to recover, Doc said it'd be 12 weeks.

[Diamond_Dixie]

Think of your spine like dominoes...once one falls over, no matter where the first is located, the others, inexorably, fall too.

Never ever get any kind of spinal surgery unless you cannot walk or breathe. If your spinal chord is intact, do any and everything else BUT surgery, specifically ortho surgery. Neuro is mildly superior and may reduce pain with limited invasion.

So basically what I'm saying?

What philnoir said.

[philnoir]

Often, people with diseased lower backs will also have cervical problems, and the pain from the lumbar pathology will block the neck pain.

BUt once the pain in one area is treated, the other site can come on strong. I exprienced this problem after receiving a successful round of cervical RFA . I had some lower back pain, but wow, it magnified as soon as the neck stopped hurting.

Get the cervical work done if necessary. Personally, I try to avoid surgery until its a last resort.