My Personal Experience: Neck Surgery and Recovery

After years of on-and-off problems and then seven consecutive months of no relief I was left with one option: neck surgery. I would like to begin with a brief description of what led up to this final option.

My symptoms included neck and upper back pain between my shoulder blades with tingling and numbness in my right arm down through my fingers. It escalated into my not being able to use my computer mouse for work or even write or sign my name (I am right-handed).

Physician care went from an urgent care visit to a chiropractor to a neurologist to an interventional pain management physician to a neurosurgeon. Treatments ranged from pain medication and muscle relaxers to chiropractic adjustments to physical therapy with heat and massage. Tests went from an X-ray to an EMG to an MRI. The diagnosis was Neck Arthritis (Cervical Spondylosis) with two herniated discs. I had bone spurs on my cervical spine and two degenerated discs at the C5 – C6 and C6 – C7 areas of the spine.

Options for treatment included those already mentioned and additionally an epidural. The epidural was not a feasible option for me because regardless of it being able to reduce swelling or pain, it would not rid my spine of the bone spurs, which were crushing the nerves to my arm and hand and thus was not the correct solution.

Once it was apparent that the treatments were not realistically long-term solutions, I was referred to a neurosurgeon to discuss this surgery and his opinion on its necessity: Multi-level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion. Risks included damage to my spinal cord and to my voice, since they would be entering through the front near my larynx. The surgery would involve an incision at the front of my neck, the removal of the bone spurs on the right side of my cervical spine, the insertion of that bone into spacers that would then be inserted in place of the degenerated areas of two discs and then finally the application a titanium plate over the top of the areas which would be as screwed into my cervical spine.

Two neurosurgeons at the nearby facility agreed that surgery was the next and basically only option to eliminate my medical issues and restore my arm and hand to normal – I was considered “a perfect candidate” for the surgery. After exhausting all reasonable treatment options I agreed, so the surgery was scheduled and would include a one-night hospital stay.

The surgery went perfectly with no damage to either area of concern. My voice was also completely normal when I came out of surgery, with little to no hoarseness. And so my recovery began; which I was told would be approximately 4 weeks with 6 months to a year for a full recovery.

Once home from the hospital I had to wear a soft neck brace for one week. I was unable to sit up or lay down by myself. My neck and upper back were extremely sore, as expected. I was unable to move or turn my head more than what felt like half an inch in any direction. The incision on the front of my neck had stitches that would dissolve over time. The incision was about 2 inches long, swollen, red and sore as well. All of these post-surgery symptoms were normal, as I was told, and would decrease as time went on. And, they did.

Two words were, and still are, the most important for recovery from this surgery: rest and patience.

Today, 9 weeks after surgery, I am doing very well. Although I do still have pain and am only back to the office a few mornings per week (and working from home the rest of the time), I honestly have a bright outlook! The pain that I have diminishes day-by-day; albeit only a very small amount at a time. But the important part is that I am healing and will soon be pain-free. I already have the feeling back in my arm and hand, and have the coordination back in my fingers. My incision is healing nicely and I continue alternating the application of Vitamin E and scar cream several times per day. I began physical therapy a few weeks ago to strengthen the surrounding muscles in my neck and back. This is very important to regain strength, aside from continued rest.

My advice to anyone having the same surgery is to listen to your surgeon, rest, be patient, do not push yourself, and participate in a post-surgery physical therapy program. And finally, most importantly – listen to your body.

 

More on This Topic from Sandy

My Personal Experience: Physical Therapy After Neck Surgery