Cervical spine surgery

[kamaroman68]

Anyone here experience this? I have a herniated disc in my neck and its causing 24/7 numbness in my thumb and acute pain down my arm approximately a doxen times a day. I have been ordered to not do any type of physical activity. They want to perform a spinal fusion at C5-6. I have been through physical therapy and it really didn't help. I am getting a second opinion this coming monday but just in general wondering if anyone on the board has had anything like this. Better alternatives???? Thanks Chris

[JMD68RSSS]

My Mom just had surgery on her neck for a simialar issue. Fingers on right hand numb and physical therapy caused her arm to go numb. They replaced 3 discs in her neck with titanium plates and removed bone spurs. This was about 1 month ago. She just got her neck brace off. With the initial surgery, almost immediately, most of the numbness went away. Appears to be a great success.

Good luck. I know my Mom was in great pain as well.

[John Wright]

I agree, getting a second opinion is highly recommended.

[Jim Nilsen]

They have this type of treatment in our area and it is very successful without any surgery. check it out and see if it is for you?www.vax-d.com

[wicked68]

did you try epidural cortisone injections yet? give that a shot before surgery - surgery should be your last option and should be put off as long as possible.

[cstmyzr]

My wife had back surgery a year ago and it was perfectly successful. She got turned down for surgery a year or so prior to this and the shots held off the pain right up until they didn't anymore. We went to three surgeons and then picked the one we wanted to do the surgery. She ended up getting a micro-discectomy so she only has 1.5" scar, all done thru a microscope. Her disc was torn and a shrimp tail of a piece was rubbing on the surrounding nerves causing numbness and pain.

If I were you, I would get several opinions and research artifical discs. Talk to surgeons with different methods (ie micro-surgery vs full open surgery and fusion vs disc replacement, etc.) Many people we talked to could tell us stories of their friends and family that had back surgery and the problem/pain never went away or got worse. We did not have that experience, my wife is doing great and we know we are lucky. The decompression tables like the vax-d can work for bulging discs but not every situation will be fixed by decompression so be careful. My wife is now regularly getting decompression treatment at our Chiropractors office just to keep things stretched and prevent future problems.

I hope this info helps you, good luck and I wish you a fast recovery.

[chevelle71]

I think I would look into may options also before having someone cut on me. I started going to a NUCCA Chiropractic Dr and has helped out in may ways. No more numb handsand my back is doing great. It was something I wouldnt have entertained a few years ago and even after the first adjustment I was thinking, did he do anything? Anyway good luck.

[rich_fbodySS]

My dad has four fused vertebrae in his neck. Working for an orthopaedic clinic, they referred to him as their "poster child".
He was still able to work until 65 (15+ yrs). It worked well for him, though, he can't rotate his head without rotating his whole body.
Fist two were fused with cadaver bone and the others came from his hip.
-Rich-

[Patrick]

I broke my neck in two places 15 years ago this month. The Docs fused C1&C2 using titanium screws, titanium wire, and bone from my hip. My hip hurt something fierce after the surgery. I have limited movement in my neck...people think that I have a permanent "crick". But I am well aware of how very fortunate I am to be walking!!!!

Anyhow, if you have to have the surgery -- you have to have it. If there is anyway to avoid it by all means look into.

[69TAPoser]

Coincidentally, my step dad is in intensive care right now from his surgery. It was his 2nd in 2 weeks.

This is pretty bad and I don't want to scare you. His case is extreme.

He has 3-4 very badly herniated disks. He had lost feeling in his legs and was slightly trailing 1 leg behind him a bit and it had gotten so bad he was falling several times a day. He is only 61 but was in the construction biz his whole life.

The 1st surgery was the easier of the 2 and went in through his neck. It took 3 hours and he was pretty good after 1 day.

The 2nd surgery (yesterday) not so easy...again not trying to scare you. They needed to get at his mid back and they went through his chest, removed a rib, and intentionally collapsed a lung. Surgery started at 4:00 yesterday afternoon and when they get to the stuff the are suposed to suck out...it has all hardened and like bone...the reason for a LOT of his pain. It also GREATLY prolonged surgery.

He finished surgery at 12:30 this morning and was on a ventilator and intentionally knocked out. At around 9:00 his blood pressure started plummeting (he's a pretty big guy...6'2" and about 290) sporadically.

The latest update that I got from my Mom about 4 hours ago is that he is now off the vent, breathing on his own, and is in pain, but alert. So he is stable. This is the best news.

Now that he has stabilized, we are all anxious to see how he progresses over the next few mos. He has been thru a hell of a lot but had no choice.

Phil

[kamaroman68]

Thanks for replying guys! I appreciate it. Problem is I dont know how bad mine is. The doctor made it out to be really bad- and of course my wife went with me to this appointment. They wanted surgery immediately- as in 5 days. I told them no because i had to get things settled at home/work. I have a friend at a gym who is some kind of phd working out of a gym that says I should try more intense physical therapy. The brain and spine specialist says that PT is over and it has done all it can do at this point. I made another appointment with another dr for a second opinion and much to my surprise I was able to get it asap- Monday! I am actually going to see the Dr. that "fixed" Kevin Everett. Kevin Everett was the Buffalo Bill that got injured a couple years ago on the opening drive of one of there games. Hopefully better news will come out of this. Again thanks guys I appreciate it! Chris

[Ash]

I fully agree with all who say get multiple opinions (not just two IMHO) and exhaust every option possible. Not trying to scare you either, but as routine as some in the medical field may make it sound, it's still a major operation. My Aunt had surgery 4 years back and her problems worsened by a large degree. permanent numbness in her leg, back pain, spasms, the whole migilla! Turns out the doctor, who had many like operations under his belt, botched the surgery. She did'nt find this out till two years back.

Given the law as it stands now, it's impossible to find out the surgeons true track record.

[69Pony]

I've been fighting c4 and c6 herniated discs for about 5 years now. I elected not to have the surgery until absolutely required. Right now I go to bed every night with an ice pack on my neck. It helps keep the swelling down and managable. I also have taken several med-packs of steriods over the years and that also helps for awhile.

I have 3 friends that have had the surgery with various degrees of success. Long recoup times and some limitations in range for each of them.

The common term fo this is "mechanics neck". Get under a lift and look up - if you have the herniated discs this will get them talking....

Good luck regardless of which way you go. IMO - surgery is always an option but it may end up worse than what you have now. None of my friends were completely happy with the results but have resigned themselves to the fact that it's as good as it will get.

[Jim Nilsen]

The best question you can ask the doctor is ,How many of these surgeries have you done and how many have been totally successful?

When I had arthroscopic surgery on my wrist years ago it was totally new. When I asked the doc the magic question he told me he had done 7 of them and that they were all 100% successful and that if I wanted to talk to any or all of them he would get me in contact with them if they were willing to talk to me. He hid nothing and even gave me a video tape of the surgery. The wrist he did is better than the other these days. Mine got back to almost new within weeks.

Trust them about as much as you would a traveling salesman with your life.

I hope you do all of the research and look into the insurance and see what and where they will pay for it? You may be able to go to the best in the world for the cost of a plane ticket and the best damn vacation to get well you ever could go on. Get the best and it may also be less cost with the new nonevasive surgeries they have now. Your insurance may also be on your side to find the right doctor and treatment.

Do the research !!!!

I will be thinking of you and pray that the best comes to you.

Goodluck

[BRIAN]

Surgery should help with numbness it usually will not end pain. Spine surgery especially cervical is always a crap shoot and any good surgeon will tell you so. If you think it is rough now wait till recovery. There is also the chance that lower discs will be effected by taking the additional strain.

How do I know??? c3/c4/c5/c6 fused. I am getting into the T's at this point. Hard to make it through the day. Do not due it unless NEEDED!!

If you haven't seen a neurologist and have had tests do not proceed. The 8" injection in your neck to try and replicate the pain so they know the exact spot is fun. Then there there is the epidural in your spine where they have you inverted to see if there is nerve damages.

Not looking to scare you but depending on your age stick it out unless there is actual nerve damages. Use meds to reduce swelling not for pain.

Good luck!! If in NY area PM for DR.

[eburke]

My brother was having the same surgery at the Houston CLinic in Columbus, GA and so far has been sompletely successful from what I have read instead of using part of the bone from your hip or a cadiver they a plate of some typpe and inject it with resin (not the right words but hopegfully you understand) and you actually have the surgery today and go home the next day no invasive surgery and not as risky as any other procedure presently being done on the market today. Mybrother got lucky and by the time his surgery time came up he had gotten better and decided to wait. My self I herniated discs in both my neck and back and did all the treatments neck stretches, heat pads, drugs (precribed) and a chiropractor and the pain had gotten so bad I went to get the surgery which for me was a tough decision as I am scared to death of needles and he put me on a home traction device wich seemed to work better then the ones were you lay down on the table and I have been good for the last 13 years. If you need more information let me know send me a PM and I will get the name of the surgery and the internet site but it looked like it was less invasive then any other surgery I had seen.

[Josh]

AS a therapist that works with these often, this is a last resort option. It all depends on the extent of disc damage. A truly herniated disc (not just bulged) will not get better quickly with any conservative treatment. In this case surgery may take care of it but the risks are real, and you could be worse as a result. There are studies that show after a year of healing, surgical and non surgical groups have about the same outcome. In my opinion, if your arm pain is constant, 24/7, then consider injections and then if needed, surgery. Permanent nerve damage can result with prolonged compression. If your arm pain is intermittent then again consider injections and/or further P.T., best to wait out any surgical options in this case. Any way you go, this is a long term recovery. Good luck.

[trapin]

Kamaroman68, best of luck to you. And yes, get that 2nd opinion.

[kamaroman68]

Thanks again guys! I will do a follow up post monday after I get my second opinion. Chris

[elacruze]

I had C2-3-4 fused in 1980 after a Pontiac windshield and 20 foot header into the street. Surgery wasn't optional. Anyway, the surgery itself and the recovery were what I would call uneventful. After 29 years I'm still 95% functional (as I've been since then).
Although obviously any surgery is risky, once you start losing function I wouldn't hesitate. If you damage the nerves, you haven't avoided the risk in surgery, right?