Dizziness and / or lightheaded 10 weeks after spinal fusion of c3-c7

When I was in the hospital they checked my bp multiple times while laying sitting and standing and said all was good

I've had c6 c7 acdf fusion aswell as c1 odentical screw done.
Certain neck movements give me dizziness from the c1 surgery I think. Like when I roll my head back and around. I just avoid these certain movements.
Immediately after my surgery when I had to walk again the dizzy feeling was tremendous.

@titaniumspine I wanted to Welcome you to Connect. Your handle makes me think of a spine made completely of metal. It sounds like your C1 procedure has given you some trouble. Was this recent? Have you told your surgeon about the symptoms with head movements?

I am a spine surgery patient and had C5/C6 fused. Prior to my surgery, I was getting dizziness and vertigo when muscle spasms were twisting my C1 & C2 mainly. I know why that happens because the twisting stretches the vertebral arteries in the sides of the cervical vertebrae and when I looked upward, I kinked that stretched artery and it started vertigo and a spinning sensation. That is part of the blood supply to the brain. Vertigo and dizziness is hard to live with. Do you think physical therapy could help your situation ?

I’m gratified to hear that my wife is not the only patient experiencing post-cervical fusion light headedness/vertigo, an apparent occasional complication of this surgery. Fortunately, we have been blessed with physical therapists who have provided us with effective treatment. First, a bit of history.

Several years ago, as a result of an auto accident, she began experiencing vertigo. Our early efforts led to a diagnosis of benign vestibular (ear) vertigo, but it took some time to locate a PT with adequate diagnostic skills to identify the offending semicircular canal and successfully treat the problem. He not only restored her balance, but taught me how to diagnose the offending canal and perform the correct maneuver for DIY treatment at home. Over the next few years, I was able to help my wife several times.

Fast forward to the present. Three months ago, she had fusion of C4-C7 and experienced the usual issues of difficult swallowing, etc. About two months post-surgery, healing was progressing well, but my wife began to have bouts of dizziness and instability - a great concern at her age because of risk of falling. Our neurosurgeon's team seemed puzzled when we brought this up. We went back to our PT who had helped so much with her vertigo, and he ruled out any vestibular involvement. Soon after, she saw a second PT for routine treatment of other issues. She disclosed the problem she was having and mentioned the first PT’s findings, and he agreed.

He then began a course of therapy that he believed would help reposition the sphenoid bone, which is within the head and has attachments to the chewing muscles and others of the head and neck. The maneuver consisted of a second person sitting by the bed, placing the fingers of both hands at the base of the skull (the occiput) while the patient is lying face up with the head at the edge of bed, legs lifted with calves resting on a stool. With the fingers in place, cradling the head, lift up and back to apply traction to the neck. The word lift is meant to apply force in that direction as well as toward the top of the head. Continue this for four or five minutes, occasionally rotating the relaxed head and neck to the right, then left, then gently up and back.

The above is a simplified version of what our PT did, but works and is easy to do. Although I understand the anatomy of the sphenoid and its muscle attachments, I am also inclined to believe that this procedure may simply put traction on the neck and associated vascular structures to resolve the issue. This procedure restores balance 90% of the time, although it may take as much as an hour before the patient feels stable. Be sure to take the patient’s hands and help them back to a sitting position with legs over the bedside for a minute before attempting to stand.

I am committed to doing this twice a day until I can prove that my wife’s condition is stable.

I do believe, having read a number of similar accounts of post-cervical fusion vertigo/disorientation that this should be on the same list of possible post-op symptoms that are disclosed and explained to the patient before surgery.

Thank you for the information L4-S1

I often look drunk as well.

@jsbigsky I'm sorry it took me awhile to see your helpful post. Thank you for your account of physical therapy. My PT does this same thing with me and often, probably every time I see her. I had a lot more issues with dizziness and vertigo before my cervical fusion and mine was just a single level C5/C6. It hasn't happened since my fusion. Perhaps the length of the fused levels may influence if this issue can happen. That's just a guess on my part. Before my surgery, I had a lot of vertebrae rotating on their own and that was exacerbated because I also have a condition called thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) that makes one side of my neck tighter and adds to the rotation spasm.

I'm glad you can do this home therapy for your wife. I do a lot of things I've learned from my physical therapist as my normal maintenance too.

Jennifer

I am 1 year out T5-S1 fusion - and I have dizziness to pass almost feeling like I am about to pass out. Was obviously worse after surgery. If I bend certain ways, or stay bent a certain way, i'll feel dizzy and pressure like I am going to pass out. It does not cause my BP to rise. I have lost 40 lbs in the hope of it getting better. I also have a lot of fluid around the spine, as per my pain DR. Surgeon said it was fine. Most of the fluid is back there after several months. no clue about the dizzy etc. I have multiple disc issues all the way up to C5 from S1 almost every disc is herniated, even thoracic with the ribs

@scrogs22us Welcome to Connect. Dizziness can come from the cervical spine. If you have muscle spasms that can shift or twist vertebrae, it can happen. I had this experience when my C1 & C2 would twist. I have thoracic outlet syndrome that makes one side of my neck tighter, so it tends to twist if I have exerted myself. When I work with my physical therapist to realign the vertebrate, it stops the dizziness. I do a lot of stretching to deal with issues before it will go to that stage. It was worse before my C5/C6 fusion and this doesn't happen much now.

I'm about 15 months out of my spinal fusion s1 l5 l4. Discs out from the front and cage in from the back. About 6 to 8 months into the recovery I too was getting big time dizziness for about a week or three. Fortunately for me it completely went away