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  • Neck problem post op

    My neck is causing me the worst problem post op than anything else. My neck/head is not lining up straight, it leans forward and I look like a turkey! My surgeon didn't seem concerned, just showed me an exercise to do, but I'm concerned. Anyone else have this problem? I try to hold it straight but it hurts! Should I use warm compresses? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
    Laurie
    Age 57
    Posterior fusion w/thoracoplasty T2-L3 Oct 1, 2010
    Thoracic curve corrected from 61* to 16*
    Lumbar curve, unknown measurement
    Disfiguring back hump GONE!!
    Dr Munish Gupta
    UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA

  • #2
    laurie i have that problem my head still leans forwards plus it also make my neck hurts.
    I whould try a icy hot patch of the neck
    Last edited by kennedy; 11-26-2010, 01:36 PM.
    Kara
    25
    Brace 4-15-05-5-25-06
    Posterior Spinal Fusion 3-10-10
    T4-L2
    Before 50T
    After 20T

    Comment


    • #3
      Laurie

      You could have slept wrong. I had some issues, then rolled up a towel into a 2.5” dia roll to place under my neck for sleeping on my back. This will help extend and establish support for the lordosis in your neck. Do not use a pillow.

      I did go to my Chiro at 8 months for my neck, with my surgeons permission. You are not fused yet, so wouldn’t recommend this right now.....

      A little heat will help.
      Ed
      49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
      Pre surgery curves T70,L70
      ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
      Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

      Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
      http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

      My x-rays
      http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

      http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

      Comment


      • #4
        Ed,

        Do you think pillows are the culprit? I was propped up on pillows for my almost 3 weeks in the hospital, and I lay on my back quite a bit in bed on a pillow. How else do I watch tv? It makes sense...I like your small towel roll idea. I will try it.
        Laurie
        Age 57
        Posterior fusion w/thoracoplasty T2-L3 Oct 1, 2010
        Thoracic curve corrected from 61* to 16*
        Lumbar curve, unknown measurement
        Disfiguring back hump GONE!!
        Dr Munish Gupta
        UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA

        Comment


        • #5
          I have been reading about quite a few people complaining about having a sore neck, mobility in their neck and saying their necks kinda protrude forward after they've had fusion surgery. What exactly is causing this to happen and how often does this generally happen and of course, is it temporary or permanent?
          Son 14 y/o diagnosed January 20th. 2011 with 110* Curve
          Halo Traction & 1st. surgery on March 22nd. 2011
          Spinal Fusion on April 19th. 2011

          Dr. Krajbich @ Shriners Childrens Hospital, Portland Oregon



          http://tinyurl.com/Elias-Before
          http://tinyurl.com/Elias-After

          Comment


          • #6
            Laurie

            Many of my neck issues I can blame from sleeping wrong.

            The main thing is maintaining a neutral or straight position with the neck. If you fall asleep with your neck bent to the side 30 degrees, it creates inflammation in the neck.

            Soft down pillows are the trick. The mold easily into the shape and height that is needed. Some cheaper soft pillows are not quite soft enough, just run them over with the car 50 times and they will be perfect! LOL

            Macys sometimes has the good super soft ones.

            The towel concept I have been using for many years now. Usually when my neck acts up.
            Ed
            49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
            Pre surgery curves T70,L70
            ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
            Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

            Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
            http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

            My x-rays
            http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

            http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

            Comment


            • #7
              Elisa

              These neck issues (leaning forward) are usually complaints from people with kyphosis.

              If you look at a sagittal x-ray of someone with kyphosis, the spine curves forward, and the neck has to try to compensate for this.

              The kyphosis surgeries are toughies.......I don’t like saying this, but its true.

              Normal “average” kyphosis runs about 35 degrees. These numbers will vary, as the whole package needs to be balanced. In the side view, you have cervical and lumbar lordosis, with kyphosis in the thoracic area.

              Google kyphosis and select images and start looking at various x-rays. It will help understand this disorder.

              Ed
              49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
              Pre surgery curves T70,L70
              ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
              Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

              Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
              http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

              My x-rays
              http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

              http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

              Comment


              • #8
                Careful with the pillows!!!

                http://drlloydhey.blogspot.com/2009/...ry-severe.html

                Woman was perfectly normal 3 wks ago walking 3 miles per day and using both arms and hands without difficulty.
                Three wks ago she slept on a pillow much thicker than usual, and then developed progressive neck and arm pain, then numbness, then clumsiness in both arms and legs. The clumsiness was so bad she could not sign her name or open her own buttons. Her walking became so bad that she came to my clinic yesterday in wheelchair only able to take a few clumsy steps w assistance.
                MRI cervical spine done urgently yesterday showed large disc herniation crushing spinal cord at C56, w a "flash lesion" in the spinal cord t that level, which suggests spinal cord bruising or injury.
                Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

                No island of sanity.

                Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
                Answer: Medicine


                "We are all African."

                Comment


                • #9
                  Okay, will do Ed, thanks. The chiro did mention kyphosis when he looked at my son's back and I've been reading a bit about it as well. I'm just worried that if he gets his back issues dealt with then he'll have neck issues to deal with. I have neck issues on and off and honestly they're more painful and annoying than any back issues I've had and I have put my back out a few times over the years.

                  I cannot wait for him to be seen by a spine specialist b/c the suspense is killing me.
                  Son 14 y/o diagnosed January 20th. 2011 with 110* Curve
                  Halo Traction & 1st. surgery on March 22nd. 2011
                  Spinal Fusion on April 19th. 2011

                  Dr. Krajbich @ Shriners Childrens Hospital, Portland Oregon



                  http://tinyurl.com/Elias-Before
                  http://tinyurl.com/Elias-After

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Elisa View Post
                    I have neck issues on and off and honestly they're more painful and annoying than any back issues I've had and I have put my back out a few times over the years.
                    Well, step one would be stop falling, neck first, on paint cans. I predict your neck problems will improve greatly.

                    When do you go down to Shriners?
                    Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

                    No island of sanity.

                    Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
                    Answer: Medicine


                    "We are all African."

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      laurie some times i sleep with out a pillow from under my head because in my presonal opian the pillow just hurts my neck
                      Kara
                      25
                      Brace 4-15-05-5-25-06
                      Posterior Spinal Fusion 3-10-10
                      T4-L2
                      Before 50T
                      After 20T

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Pooka1 View Post
                        Well, step one would be stop falling, neck first, on paint cans. I predict your neck problems will improve greatly.

                        When do you go down to Shriners?
                        Lol, yes, that would certainly help with my neck issues I'm sure.

                        I haven't gotten an actual date yet but I've been in contact with the office in Burnaby via emails and the gal there sounds positive and says "onward!" so I'm taking/hoping that it is fairly soon. The gentlemen I met with on Tuesday said he didn't think the big cushy bus made runs to Portland in December b/c of the holidays etc. and did mention January.

                        I'm still getting all the required paperwork together. I need a copy of his health certificate which will be ready in a few days and then of course I need to get all the passport info ready.

                        If you must know, I put my back out a few years ago b/c I was running across the mall parking lot b/c it was windy and rainy out and I tripped on my own shoelace. I had some really nasty scrapes and bruises on the palms of both hands as well as my right elbow and knee and I fell with such force my watch flew off. A very nice man stopped and scraped me off the pavement and handed me back my watch.
                        Last edited by Elisa; 11-26-2010, 06:39 PM.
                        Son 14 y/o diagnosed January 20th. 2011 with 110* Curve
                        Halo Traction & 1st. surgery on March 22nd. 2011
                        Spinal Fusion on April 19th. 2011

                        Dr. Krajbich @ Shriners Childrens Hospital, Portland Oregon



                        http://tinyurl.com/Elias-Before
                        http://tinyurl.com/Elias-After

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I don't have kyphosis. I am sleeping with the very same memory foam pillow as before my surgery. I have been freaking out a bit because my neck is so far forward now and I hope its not permanent! I tried hanging my head backward over my bed yesterday in hopes of moving and stretching my neck muscles but all I did was cause more pain. I'm so frustrated!
                          Laurie
                          Age 57
                          Posterior fusion w/thoracoplasty T2-L3 Oct 1, 2010
                          Thoracic curve corrected from 61* to 16*
                          Lumbar curve, unknown measurement
                          Disfiguring back hump GONE!!
                          Dr Munish Gupta
                          UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Laurie,

                            There is a recent thread from Ryy that questions this problem. I posted on it, so it will be near the top. Several people have had this "syndrome" or commented: JenM....Hdugger has some interesting comments.

                            Hope it subsides and readjusts quickly. Take care.

                            Ed,

                            Did you have kyphosis or any neck issues before your surgery? When you say "neck issues", what were your symptoms? I know you have bolts sticking out of the sides of your neck. I've seen some of your "Frankie" pictures.
                            Amy
                            58 yrs old, diagnosed at 31, never braced
                            Measured T-64, L-65 in 2009
                            Measured T-57, L-56 in 2010, different doc
                            2 lumbar levels spondylolisthesis
                            Exercising to correct

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Laurie, I have the same neck issue that you have described. At my 4 week post op my ortho gave me some exercises to do as well. I remain concerned about the situation and will re-evaluate with my ortho at my next visit.
                              Chris, Austin, TX
                              age:58
                              80 degree thoracic/36 degree lumbar curves
                              Surgery 8/2/10, Anterior Cervical Decompression/Fusion
                              C4/5, C5/6, C6/7
                              New Surgery date 10/25/2010, T-2 to Pelvis, posterior
                              Dr. Matthew Geck, Seton Spine and Scoliosis Center

                              Comment

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