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Thread: Sneezing after surgery

  1. 06-01-2010, 04:06 PM #1
    Radiogirl
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    Sneezing after surgery

    Has anyone else noticed it's hard to sneeze after surgery? I'm eight wkd post op and everytime I feel a sneeze coming on I kind of seize up. Then I can't sneeze. This could be mental more than physical because I don't want to strain or hurt anything. Just wondered if anyone else went through this.
    Laura
    62 degrees
    49 yrs. young
    Surgery 3/31/10 with Lenke
    Before and After pics
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/13749126@N06/
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  2. 06-01-2010, 05:49 PM #2
    debbei
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    Quote Originally Posted by Radiogirl View Post
    Has anyone else noticed it's hard to sneeze after surgery? I'm eight wkd post op and everytime I feel a sneeze coming on I kind of seize up. Then I can't sneeze. This could be mental more than physical because I don't want to strain or hurt anything. Just wondered if anyone else went through this.
    Maybe it's because you don't want to sneeze? It wasn't exactly comfortable right after surgery. Sneezing and coughing were torture for me MONTHS after surgery. It felt to me like it put too much pressure on my not-yet-fused spine. Now, more than a year and a half later, whenever I sneeze or cough I don't have any problem at all.
    __________________________________________
    Debbe - 50 yrs old

    Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
    Told by Dr. my curve would never progress

    Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
    Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
    Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees

    Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
    Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees
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  3. 06-01-2010, 06:22 PM #3
    dolores a
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    Hi Laura, I agree with Debbe, I was afraid to sneeze, cough, laugh when I had my surgery. Even now I just had minor surgery and it hurts to do all that, you just want to try to suppress it because you know it will be uncomfortable
    Dolores A
    June 4, 2009 Anterior L3 - S1
    June 8, 2009 Posterior T4 - Pelvis
    Mark Agulnick, MD FAAOS
    NY Spine & Scoliosis Center
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  4. 06-01-2010, 08:15 PM #4
    Radiogirl
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    So, does it get better with time? If so, when? Now that you mention it, yawning, laughing, coughing all are strained as is the sneezing.
    Laura
    62 degrees
    49 yrs. young
    Surgery 3/31/10 with Lenke
    Before and After pics
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/13749126@N06/
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  5. 06-01-2010, 08:28 PM #5
    dolores a
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    Oh sure it will ease up more and more each day as you heal, I remember the sneezing especially because I had my surgery in June, just in time for allergies, and now with this minor surgery I just had, I'm sneezing from the allergies also, though it does not hurt as bad.
    Dolores A
    June 4, 2009 Anterior L3 - S1
    June 8, 2009 Posterior T4 - Pelvis
    Mark Agulnick, MD FAAOS
    NY Spine & Scoliosis Center
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  6. 06-01-2010, 08:34 PM #6
    ShariMSU
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    Hey Laura - you described my experience exactly. I feel like I am going to sneeze and i so don't want to, it goes away.
    Last year my husband had a heart attack and during his recovery if he had to cough or sneeze he would hold a small pillow hard to his core. That is what I do hold a small pillow to my chest and hold tight and then it takes the pressure off the back. It seems to work. Just have to keep it handy.
    I too hope this gets better as the muscles relax.
    Hope the rest of your recovery is going well.
    Shari
    Shari - 55 years old
    Pre-Surgery 62 degree thorasic curve with shifting.
    Post op 13 degree curve.
    Successful surgery 4/15/10, T3-L2 fused.
    2nd surgery to reopen incision 10" to diagnose infection, 5/18/10
    Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI - the late Dr. Harry Herkowitz
    www.scoliosisthejourney.com
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  7. 06-01-2010, 10:08 PM #7
    Doodles
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    Yes, I agree the pillow works. I remember after 6 months I think I had only sneezed a total of 12 or 14 times--I counted. Seems silly now but I was scared of sneezing especially. Janet
    Janet

    61 years old--57 for surgery

    Diagnosed in 1965 at age of 13--no brace
    Thoracic Curve: 96 degrees to 35 degrees
    Lumbar Curve: 63 degrees to 5 degrees
    Surgery with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis--March 30, 2009
    T-2 to Pelvis, and hopefully all posterior procedure.

    All was posterior along with 2 cages and 6 osteotomies.
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  8. 06-01-2010, 10:29 PM #8
    Nitram
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    Hehe....I held in my sneezes for a while also as it hurt...same thing with laughs and coughs. However I've found that once I stopped trying to fight them and just sucked it up it got easier quickly....to the point where I'm sneezing quite a few times a day due to alergies, and while it doesn't feel normal, it's just minor discomfort and I'm not worried about it anymore.

    Rich
    Pre-Surgery Lumbar 65 degrees
    A/P Fusion T10-Pelvis by Dr. Christopher Good
    Virginia Spine Institute, Reston, VA 3/17/10, 3/18/10
    Post-Surgery Lumbar 19 degrees, and 2" in height
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  9. 06-01-2010, 10:59 PM #9
    kt2009
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    I couldn't sneeeze at all for weeks...its as if my body knew it wasn't a good idea!
    Kathy, 43
    Diagnosed as a teen
    Boston brace 2 years
    63 degree lumbar curve
    Surgery August 26, 2009
    Anterior approach fused T12-L4
    now 28 degrees
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  10. 06-01-2010, 11:40 PM #10
    Back-out
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    So, snuff is NOT an appropriate convalescent gift after spinal surgery, I gather!

    Love you guys...
    Not all diagnosed (still having tests and consults) but so far:
    Ehler-Danlos (hyper-mobility) syndrome, 69 - somehow,
    main curve L Cobb 60, compensating T curve ~ 30
    Flat back, marked lumbar kyphosis (grade?) Spondilolisthesis - everyone gives this a different grade too. Cervical stenosis op'd 3-07, minimally invasive
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  11. 06-02-2010, 04:54 AM #11
    LynetteG
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    Laura - that's exactly how I feel. It hurts like heck when I sneeze. I'll try the pillow next time like others suggested. Whenever I sneeze it's always followed with an "OW"
    Lynette - 44 years old.

    Pre-surgery thoracic 55 degrees
    Pre-surgery lumbar 85 degrees

    Post-surgery thoracic 19 degrees
    Post-surgery lumbar 27 degrees

    Surgery April 1st 2010.

    Posterior spinal fusion from T9 to sacrum.
    Dr. Cronen at University Community Hospital - Tampa, FL.
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  12. 06-02-2010, 08:22 AM #12
    Radiogirl
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    Hahaha!!! Well, I sure am glad I asked this question about sneezing. At first I thought, "no, these guys will think I am crazy!" But then I remembered who I was talking to....we are all a big family here and the support, advice and encouragement is just amazing! Love you all!!!! By the way...9 weeks ago today was my big date with Dr. Lenke!!!
    Laura
    62 degrees
    49 yrs. young
    Surgery 3/31/10 with Lenke
    Before and After pics
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/13749126@N06/
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  13. 06-02-2010, 11:48 AM #13
    Singer
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    I don't think I sneezed for 6 months after my surgery and I still hardly sneeze at all. The most amazing thing is that my seasonal allergies seem to have completely gone away since the surgery -- I used to get severe attacks of nonstop sneezing once a month or so and now, nothing. Weird, but I'll take it!!!!!!
    Chris
    A/P fusion on June 19, 2007 at age 52; T10-L5
    Pre-op thoracolumbar curve: 70 degrees
    Post-op curve: 12 degrees
    Dr. Boachie-adjei, HSS, New York
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  14. 06-02-2010, 12:21 PM #14
    titaniumed
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    Laura
    Yes, the sneezing is tough right after surgery. It does get easier...

    "Sneeze-ow" sounds right Lynette.

    Reminds me of anti-bark shock collar for dogs. "Woof-ow"... After about 100 "woof-ow's", batteries need replacing.....LOL

    Ed
    49 yr old male, now 62, the new 63...
    Pre surgery curves T70,L70
    ALIF/PLIF 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
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  15. 06-02-2010, 09:19 PM #15
    LynetteG
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    Ed - you always make me laugh out loud - you are hilarious!!!
    Lynette - 44 years old.

    Pre-surgery thoracic 55 degrees
    Pre-surgery lumbar 85 degrees

    Post-surgery thoracic 19 degrees
    Post-surgery lumbar 27 degrees

    Surgery April 1st 2010.

    Posterior spinal fusion from T9 to sacrum.
    Dr. Cronen at University Community Hospital - Tampa, FL.
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