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  • Burning muscle pain

    Hi Friends!

    Has anyone experienced burning muscle pain? It feels like the muscle between my shoulder blade & spine is on FIRE! I'm 6.5 months out & I'm fused from T3 - S1.
    I had muscle spasms in this area prior to surgery and after surgery for about a month. It aches occasionally, but the burning started about 3 weeks ago. It doesn't start till late morning. Tylenol gives me relief for about 45 minutes and I'm avoiding hydrocodone for now.
    I missed my 6 month check up in St. Louis b/c my dr had a family emergency. I won't be scheduling an appt until June b/c my husband is having another cervical fusion on Monday.
    I'll be calling my nurse next week. In the meantime, I thought I'd check with all of you. Thanks!
    Peg
    61 yrs old
    75 degree lumbar curve with thoracic kyphosis
    T3 - S1 surgery with Dr. Buchowski in St. Louis, on 10/27/14
    Working on healing in Columbus, Ohio!

  • #2
    Peg...for now I would simply lay down, and slow down. When you go in, ask your surgeon about getting some NSAID’s for emergency use. I think that after 6 months you should be ok, but check with your surgeon. They supposedly inhibit fusion so you should ask. Good to have Diclofenac, Celebrex, or maybe Naproxen handy just in case....

    I have a bear trap thread I started years ago. The gripping we get in our thoracic area, in the 4 inch wide surgical zone. This is common with full fusion patients and can feel like a gripping (like a bear trap) squeezing or burning sometimes....When it happens to me, I head straight to bed. I think it is scar tissue related, nerve cell expansion upon atmospheric pressure changes. Weather affects us quite a bit, and the May storms have been passing through lately.

    Using an arm bike where you pedal with your arms will help. You can use soup cans to emulate this movement and do this at home. Forward and backwards, 12 inch circles. Just a minute per day for now....You build into your rehab SLOWLY, using no weights or light weights. No Arnold Swartzenegger stuff ok?

    That comes later (smiley face)

    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


    • #3
      Thanks, Ed. Bear trap: what a great description - that's exactly how it feels! I haven't noticed weather related pain, 'yet'. I did feel my 4" screws after a 14 hour day of travel - ouch - found out I'm not ready for that, yet!
      I'll go back to my arm exercises - I was doing them early-on in PT.
      I hope to see my dr in June. Hubby is in surgery right now for C6/7.
      Peg
      61 yrs old
      75 degree lumbar curve with thoracic kyphosis
      T3 - S1 surgery with Dr. Buchowski in St. Louis, on 10/27/14
      Working on healing in Columbus, Ohio!

      Comment


      • #4
        Bear Trap is the right explanation. I still get that pain after 4 years .

        Melissa
        Melissa

        Fused from C2 - sacrum 7/2011

        April 21, 2020- another broken rod surgery

        Comment


        • #5
          I'm really, really hurting. I can't do much with my right arm. I'm going to have to resort to hydrocodone & I REALLY hate to do that. It sure feels like a set back. My surgeon's nurse has assured me that the shoulder pain/burning spasms can be common. She said I'm doing the right things to attempt to find relief.
          I just had to express myself - I'm close to tears.
          Peg
          61 yrs old
          75 degree lumbar curve with thoracic kyphosis
          T3 - S1 surgery with Dr. Buchowski in St. Louis, on 10/27/14
          Working on healing in Columbus, Ohio!

          Comment


          • #6
            I controlled most of this type of pain by never spending more than seconds with my chin down (toward my chest). It felt to me like my head was pulling at the top of the fusion whenever I tried to work on something on a desktop or my lap.

            --Linda
            Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
            ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
            Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

            Comment


            • #7
              Woah.....Peg. You need to lay low right now and need COMPLETE REST. A scoliosis recovery pit stop. Sometimes we have to do these.....

              Sure sounds like it could be your neck if your arm or arms are acting up.

              When I had my cervical herniation’s flair up, my shoulder felt like Mike Tyson punched it, charlie horse type shoulder and upper arm pain, left forearm was slightly numb and my thumb, index, and middle fingers were 90% numb. The numbness in the hand was alarming almost like it was localized with an injection.

              Linda is right about the neck. Tilting our necks down is NOT a good thing. Sitting on the floor is also NOT a good thing. Reading in bed needs to be done in the side position with pillow height set so our spines are straight. It’s our science of fused scoliosis ergonomics.

              Recovery teaches us what we can do, or not do. When we break “the rules of recovery”, resulting major pain guarantees that we learn a little bit more about our science. We don’t forget.

              If there is any way you can get comfortable where the pain is minimal, do just that......

              Can you get in to see your surgeon? I don’t think I would like not being able to get in for an eval and maybe some new meds and NSAID’s. Careful with insurance co-pays on diagnostics. Inquire about cost before you submit to an MRI. MRI’s are not cheap.

              Hang in there. Hope things get better soon

              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
                I am SO guilty of having my head down when I'm sit to read or use my iPad. I will definitely work to correct that. I get relief when I lie down & mornings are good. Maybe I do need to spend some time flat, in bed - periodically, throughout the day.
                I've been pushing the walking - 2.5 miles in an hour. I could cut that back & maybe do two 20 minute segments. Thinking back, over the last 3 weeks, stress has been a factor. I guess I really do need to lay low for awhile.
                I have an appointment with my surgeon in June.
                This 'recovery pit stop' has certainly thrown me for a loop - just wasn't expecting it. It sure helps to process my symptoms & feelings with experienced recoverers!
                Peg
                61 yrs old
                75 degree lumbar curve with thoracic kyphosis
                T3 - S1 surgery with Dr. Buchowski in St. Louis, on 10/27/14
                Working on healing in Columbus, Ohio!

                Comment


                • #9
                  I searched 'scapula' pain and found a lot of useful information. The person who described the burning as being stung by bees, was so right! Fortunately the frequency & duration of stinging spasms has lessened. My family dr prescribed PT with massage. That helps, along with ice packs. My appt with my surgeon is June 10 - I'm going to survive!
                  Peg
                  61 yrs old
                  75 degree lumbar curve with thoracic kyphosis
                  T3 - S1 surgery with Dr. Buchowski in St. Louis, on 10/27/14
                  Working on healing in Columbus, Ohio!

                  Comment

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