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  • What is this sensation/feeling

    Hey out there, wondering if anyone can answer this question. I am about 5 months postoperative. I am fused from t9 to s1. I have this sensation or feeling, not really sure how to describe it, between my shoulder blades. Wondering if this is just my muscles getting stronger through pt, or if I am feeling the fusion; and then, of course, wondering of this will go away. It is not painful just a bit weird. I discussed this with my pt, but he suggested I talk to the doctor, but I know that some of the best answers come directly from this forum.

    Thanks to anyone who can help.

    Libby

  • #2
    Hi Libby,
    My guess is that it is just your muscles adjusting to a straighter back. At seven months post op, I had mild discomfort near my right shoulder blade and it went away in about a month.
    Sally
    Diagnosed with severe lumbar scoliosis at age 65.
    Posterior Fusion L2-S1 on 12/4/2007. age 67
    Anterior Fusion L3-L4,L4-L5,L5-S1 on 12/19/2007
    Additional bone removed to decompress right side of L3-L4 & L4-L5 on 4/19/2010
    New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA
    Dr. Frank F. Rands735.photobucket.com/albums/ww360/butterflyfive/

    "In God We Trust" Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.

    Comment


    • #3
      I also had some pain near my right shoulder blade around 5 months postop. It did go away. I was still having back muscle spasms at that time, too. I don't think I can feel my fusion, but I do still feel like I am wearing a brace all the time. (I'm not.)

      Evelyn
      age 48
      80* thoracolumbar; 40* thoracic
      Reduced to ~16* thoracolumbar; ~0* thoracic
      Surgery 3/14/12 with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis, T4 to S1 with pelvic fixation
      Broken rods 12/1/19; scheduled for revision fusion L1-L3-4 with Dr. Lenke 2/4/2020
      Not "confused" anymore, but don't know how to change my username.

      Comment


      • #4
        Evelyn, can you clarify - what do you mean about not feeling the fusion? I feel the rods or screws ever time I move, which is pretty darn unnerving and it sometimes hurts but is generally more uncomfortable. I assume my muscles need to toughen up and get used to the hardware?

        Comment


        • #5
          I can't help but wonder if what I feel between my shoulders blades is a couple of different issues. Because some of my vertebrae were already fused on their own prior to surgery so I now have a very straight back without any lordosis or kyphosis, so when I stand up as straight as I can, there is pressure at the top of my fusion. I also feel either the fusion or the rods, etc. along my spine when I lie on my back. It is not painful, just a feeling I hope will go away. I start back to work next week and I am concerned how my back will react. I am an administrative assistant, so I am at a computer for a good portion of the day. I do try to get up from my desk at least once an hour, just to take a short walk, so as to relieve some of the pressure off my back. Keeping my fingers crossed that I will be able to work without any issues.

          Comment


          • #6
            suggestions

            I am not sure it would help but if you have a timer or clock that would tell remind you every 20 minutes to sit back and put your shoulders back. or stand up, of course you can't do it in a meeting with the executives.

            I would get up 1/2 hour and walk around a bit before waiting to one hour.

            I bought a cheap treadmill because I finally am a believer in exercise. I walk and the pain or uncomfort goes AWAY when in the past it was the most painful to exercise.

            Your body changes and will manifest in many ways.

            Good luck and ease in.
            Gardenia
            Baja California, Mexico & El Centro, Ca
            pre-surgery 75° and 89° - post ?
            Dr. Bridwell Nov 27, 2012 @Barnes Jewish @62yrs
            T11 to Sacrum Dural leak at L2 & L3 ccmail4g@gmail.com

            Comment


            • #7
              Thanks Gardenia, I never thought about a timer. I think I will try to do that.

              Comment


              • #8
                Hi Libby.
                Is the pain sharp? Constant? Is it a new pain or one you've had since the surgery?

                In another thread, I wrote about my theory on nerve pain. You can read it here. http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...ht=#post147019 I got a prescription for Gabapentin, which is supposed to be really good for nerve pain, but it made me feel too sick so I quit taking it after just a week. I got used to the nerve pain and figured it was all temporary and I just had to wait it out. I'm at 8 months post op and take Tylenol two or three times a week and that works fine.

                As each part of my body got sensation back, I no longer got nerve pain in it. I still have some numb places in my back and a small numb section under my right breast in the ribs. So I'm expecting intermittent nerve "stabs" as the nerves in those places heal. I'm starting to get feeling back in my right hip and the whole section feels strange and tingling, like a foot tingles after it's been asleep for a while and you touch it.

                If I over-work, such as when I swept our deck yesterday, my shoulders hurt especially bad last night. But they felt fine today. So it depends on what I'm doing and how much I'm doing and if the motion is repetitive. I always feel the rods but the feeling isn't as painful any more. I'm aware that the muscles have to get used to moving over the metal, instead of binding to living tissue. So there is a strange sensation of "sliding" (not sure how else to describe it) when I raise my arms and all the back muscles are engaged. But it doesn't hurt. It did hurt at 5 months though.

                I hope you can get relief in your back. Time is on your side. Just give it more time and your body will repair itself, even when you keep getting more active.
                1973 Age 15 diagnosed with scoliosis but told too old for surgery.
                2001 age 43 told too old for surgery, did physical therapy & traction.
                2001 to 2008 Intermittent use of home traction machine and TENS unit.
                2009 traction no longer effective - physical therapy.
                2011 More physical therapy. 2012 Collapsing scoliosis - MRI before surgery
                At age 53, surgery on October 2nd, 2012 with Dr Hey
                Fusion with titanium rods and bolts from T1 to pelvis.
                Post op x-ray

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                • #9
                  Hi Juliann,

                  No, it is not pain. If I move my arms in any way, lift my shoulders up, etc. I get what I would call a pulling sensation in between my shoulder blades. It is not painful at all, just annoying. I am also still numb in my left side from my upper thigh to right under my rib cage, where the doctor took out a rib. The numbness is slowly disappearing, it used to be lower in my thigh. I am starting to get feeling back in the muscles where my rib hump was. Those muscles are the most tender to the touch, but bareable. So far I consider myself to be extremely fortunate as far as meds go. I was off all meds about two and a half months postoperative, and I don't even have to take any Tylenol for discomfort.

                  Libby

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I don't know if this helps-- but for a long time I would tell my older girls (married) that it felt like I was part of their insect collections (they had to make in Bio 2 in high school) -- it felt like I was pinned in a sense, in my shoulder blade area. Is that the sensation you are talking about?
                    71 and plugging along... but having some problems
                    2007 52° w/ severe lumbar stenosis & L2L3 lateral listhesis (side shift)
                    5/4/07 posterior fusion T2-L4 w/ laminectomies and osteotomies @L2L3, L3L4
                    Dr. Kim Hammerberg, Rush Univ. Medical Center in Chicago

                    Corrected to 15°
                    CMT (type 2) DX in 2014, progressing
                    10/2018 x-rays - spondylolisthesis at L4/L5 - Dr. DeWald is monitoring

                    Click to view my pics: pics of scoli x-rays digital x-rays, and pics of me

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Susie Bee, I don't think I would say it feels like being pinned. I a sitting here moving my shoulders trying to come up with a better description,but to no avail. It is so hard to explain. Maybe it is just my nerves regenerating or my muscles getting feeling back. I don't know. I guess I will have to ask the doctor if he can explain what I am feeling.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        That's ok. It's a tightness I feel/felt, especially when I am cold.
                        71 and plugging along... but having some problems
                        2007 52° w/ severe lumbar stenosis & L2L3 lateral listhesis (side shift)
                        5/4/07 posterior fusion T2-L4 w/ laminectomies and osteotomies @L2L3, L3L4
                        Dr. Kim Hammerberg, Rush Univ. Medical Center in Chicago

                        Corrected to 15°
                        CMT (type 2) DX in 2014, progressing
                        10/2018 x-rays - spondylolisthesis at L4/L5 - Dr. DeWald is monitoring

                        Click to view my pics: pics of scoli x-rays digital x-rays, and pics of me

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          A tightness or maybe a pulling sensation would be a good way to explain what I am feeling. Fortunately it is something that I can live with. It would just be more comfortable without this feeling. My other big concern is sitting at a computer for eight hours a day at work. Going back a week from yesterday. As they say in the service, I am a short timer.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Tightness

                            Hi!
                            I know exactly the feeling you are talking about and have it as well. There is another thread that addresses this as the bear trap. I am almost two years post op and have that sensation in varying degrees of severity. Not painful (rarely....it can be painful at times) just very annoying. The only thing that alleviates it is lying down or sitting in a super straight back chair with head support. It seems that some post op scoli patients have this and some do not.

                            My super terrific PT gave me some exercises to help with the tightness. Not sure if I just got used to the sensation, though, or the exercises are helping.

                            Good luck!
                            50 years old!!!!!
                            Wore Milwaulkee Brace 1976-77
                            Original curve 36 degrees ( measured in the 70s)
                            Advanced to 61 degrees 01/2011
                            Surgery 07/11/2011
                            Fused T1-L2 (curve now in the 20s!)

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by aileens View Post
                              Evelyn, can you clarify - what do you mean about not feeling the fusion? I feel the rods or screws ever time I move, which is pretty darn unnerving and it sometimes hurts but is generally more uncomfortable. I assume my muscles need to toughen up and get used to the hardware?
                              Sorry for the confusion. I do feel my hardware, I just can't tell if it's a fusion or not underneath. I think (hope) yes because as each month passes it is less painful and less uncomfortable, and I have to think that's because the bone is healing. I do get that tightness between the shoulders, as well. I think it's muscle strain and/or spasms on bad days. It also is decreasing over time.
                              age 48
                              80* thoracolumbar; 40* thoracic
                              Reduced to ~16* thoracolumbar; ~0* thoracic
                              Surgery 3/14/12 with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis, T4 to S1 with pelvic fixation
                              Broken rods 12/1/19; scheduled for revision fusion L1-L3-4 with Dr. Lenke 2/4/2020
                              Not "confused" anymore, but don't know how to change my username.

                              Comment

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