Neck Feels Weak Post Op

[AZHR]

Wondered if anyone else felt the need to support their neck with their hand?  This is not constant, just in certain positions.  For instance, looking up to top shelves in grocery or drug stores; reclining on bed or couch must have hand or folded pillow at neck.  The pillow has to be "just so" or it is very uncomfortable.

I had Decompression, C1 laminectomy & Duraplasty on 10-31-13.  

[Elisaandbucky]

The toothpick-pumpkin analogy is a great one!

[jiggle93]

Hello Friend! Yes, me too!  I describe it as my neck must be a toothpick and my head must be a pumpkin!  I prop my head up all the time to help with the weight of it and to give my neck a little relief!

[Elisaandbucky]

I hope this response to your post finds you feeling a little stronger. I also feel a general sense of weakness in my neck and the need to support my head when I am at my desk. My surgery was done on 7/29/14. As previously mentioned by others, continue to try different pillows and combinations while you are resting and sleeping at night to minimize stiffness when you get up. Some days, with the stiffness and weakness in my neck, I feel much older than my 50 years.

[selmaS]

  Hi....that tight feeling can also be the muscles getting tight from not being used ...so be sure to be doing the neck exercises to help prevent that and also scar tissue from forming,....

Another reason skin in the incision area can get tight is from showering or washing your hair too much, it can dry the skin which will cause it to pull and get tight...this can also cause the incision to open a little in places ....so it is advised to not over do the hair washing.....

Neck pillows are great to help with muscle fatigue.....glad you found a  grouping that works for you and your pain levels are low.....

Just remember to listen to your body and do not rush to get back to doing "normal" daily activities....

[Dirk_Daring]

I had a hard time getting comfortable for about a week after surgery, but I finally found a just-right pillow stack that I just repeated. I used a neck pillow ( the u-shaped ones) when my neck got tired if I was sitting up.

I'm 3 weeks post-op now and the pain is almost gone except in the evenings, and I've been doing some exercises to help with that "tight" feeling.

[huskerfan71]

I have difficulty getting comfortable at night too.  I have a stack of pillows that I alternate until I find one that feels good.  Riding in a car and sitting in my recliner can be difficult as well.

[superparalegal]

Yep me too.  My neck felt like it couldn't hold up my head before the surgery and after I bought one of those half circle donuts from Walmart to cradle my neck.  My doctor said "it's going to hurt for quite a while, we cut through the muscle so sure you're in pain."  The neurologist told me to do neck exercises - look to the left and right and look up and down, hurt like hell be it did work.  Still cannot sleep until I maneuver my pillow to a point where it feels comfortable.