I am so sorry. I’m afraid that I’m beginning to have pain in my neck as well, and have also started having issues swallowing. I’m scheduled to see my pain med doc this week and plan to talk to him about an epidermal injection. I’ll keep you posted. Hang in there. It’s very frustrating.

I have had my C3-C7 fused 4 times in the last 3 years, with Laminectomy, and nerve ablation. 2 we're done Anteriorly, and 2 Posterior. I have severe Degenerative Disc Disease, Severe Osteoarthritis, and Rheumatoid Arthritis. I am only 49, but have the spine of someone 80 yrs old. If your pain goes down your arm at all, and/ or you have numbness in arms or hands or pins/needles I would contact your surgeon. It's not uncommon for the disc problem to move up a level, or to pinch a nerve. My last fusion was 10 months ago. I have constant muscle spasms in my shoulders & shoulder blades all the time. Every 30 minutes or so, I need to put my head on a pillow to give those muscles a break. Personally I don't think our muscles are equipped to deal with the extra weight from the rods, screws, & artificial discs. Which puts those muscles in a hyper tense state. Depending on your insurance, there is a procedure where there can put needles to kinda deflate the tense . It has good success rate. My insurance doesn't cover it. But if the pain persists, definitely see your Dr. , & if they X-ray it & see nothing, ask for a CT scan or MRI. Those are the only tests that were accurate for my stuff. I had 3 compressed nerves, and passed the thumb touching the tip of each finger test. Advocate for yourself, and good luck