Pain in shoulder after cervical surgery

Hi Hank, Thanks so much for your feedback, I'll be sure to follow the leads you've suggested. As I'm sure both you and your wife understand, it is rare to reach out and get answers and even more rare to find others who are supportive and empathetic as well, so I thank you for this as well.
My best regards, Nan

@nkd123
Nan, since you can not tolerate much in the way of prescribed medications for your pain dues to your kidney disease, I am wondering if you have tried using cbd oil? Some people get relief from it. Linda, my wife, was not one of those lucky people but she does use other cannabinoids. Do you happen to live in a state where medical marijuana is legal? The might be another thing to try, assuming it does not interact with your illness in a negative way.

I think you are wise to continue to do physical work, even in as limited a way as you must due to the impairment from your illnesses. Whatever you can do, even if its just a small amount each day, will stand you in very good stead as you move forward. I admire your spirit in continuing to strive to continue to live your life. Hats off to you.

Best, Hank

Yes! I had cervical 4-5, 5-6, 6-7 done. I had excellent results for several years. However my Doctor explained that you have to be care Dio when eating drier foods like bread, crackers chips and harder things like Licorice in bed if not sitting up
Straight snd you need to chew thoroughly! I had my procedure done in 2010, right after rotator cuff and labrum tear surgery. Shoulder locked back up so had to redo physical therapy on shoulder along with neck. 11 years later, my disks above and below are in severe pain... they’ve weakened a lot. The only thing I can suggest to give you relief other than a lot of opioids or a fentanyl patch is to have regular facet injections. Epidurals don’t work for this and all it does is add on the pounds!

Facet injections are wonderful and if two or three of these work, then plan a rysotomy with your pain management dr. This is where they either burn the nerve or sever it with needles.. I chose the later in case there was a slip, I knew in time it would come back! These work for a good 8 months at a time.

I’ve now had a reverse shoulder replacement six weeks ago and I know I really need a complete fusion after the 11 years in the cervical. However, my neurosurgeon says it’s a huge operation as the hardware I presently have has to be removed and then the entire neck has to be fused. This will SEVERELY Decrease mobility to the point of possibly not being able to drive and a huge scar across the entire neck. I visit my shoulder doctor today to see what I can do next as the reverse replacement hasn’t eased my shoulder pain at all. I have severe reduced mobility in the arm AND I still have constant pain and it now goes from shoulder to shoulder and is causing severe muscle spasms across my entire back, upper neck area from shoulder to shoulder! I’m a mess! In addition I’ve had two lower back surgeries! A fusion done thru the front where they moved all my organs to get to the back... done in 2012. Last May, I had had severe static’s for over 6 mo the and wanted to just craw into a ball forever. My neurosurgeon did a discectomy and laminectomy and my lower back hasn’t felt this good in years!

However, my thoracic spine is also herniated and surgery is THE LAST OPTION FOR THIS... I’ve been to University of Miami twice to Dr. Lee and it’s a very dangerous procedure! Having recently had this reverse shoulder replacement, I really feel it’s taken a severe toll on my cervical and thoracic spine and the reason I’m not healing as expected! I’m only 58 years old and I have felt with chronic pain since 2004 from a severe auto accident. I’ve taken myself off of ALL PAIN MEDS, but now I’m wondering if a fentanyl patch may not be the way to go again!

I’ll keep you posted. However, all I can say at the moment is I’m not happy. I wear pain on my face daily and I’m always in pain which is exhausting! I just wish I knew a solution for all I carry. In addition to all of this.... I apparently have accelerated arthritis which I believe is hereditary. When I had my cervical fusion at 47, my doctor told me he actually flipped me
Over to be sure he was operating on me as he said I had the back of a 70 year old woman. So... who knows where I go from here. I’m assuming pain will always be in my future. I just continue to look for holistic ways to treat it as my liver, I’m sure, is not in the best shape from all the drugs over the years!

If any doctors are reading this and have ANY SUGGESTIONS... I’m open to anything to try accept oxycodone or OxyContin drugs! They’re nasty and I’m very sensitive now to all opioids including morphine and dilaudid. Anything I take makes me itch bad! A fentanyl patch is about the best thing and that keeps me from sleeping so I just move on day to day and suffer and try to enjoy life the best way I can. I test a lot and am not who I was just a few years ago.

@lorimpl Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect, a place to give and get support.

I'm sorry to hear about your car accident. 58 is so young to have gone through so many surgeries and reduced mobility. It sounds like you have a rough road ahead too.

Below I have linked a discussion where you may wish to introduce yourself to members like @jenatsky @anniebrook @artscaping@migizii@lionness@bustrbrwn22@gayle1@faithwalker007@ken82, who have recently discussed chronic pain.
- Chronic Pain members - Welcome, please introduce yourself https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/welcome-please-introduce-yourself-welcome-to-the-new-chronic-pain-group-im/

It seems impossible that you have gone without pain medications for so long. May I ask if you have any suggestions on finding providers and treatments for alternative pain options?

I am 81+ & have had 3 spinal surgeries, all complicated by MRSA. The last a 8hr TLIF in Mayo JAX - from L2 down to S1, a "hardware store". Now awaiting to see if MRSA has returned, anyone know "where from here?" NB in NC

My surgeon warned me prior to surgery (I had a larger cervical surgery than you did though) that he might do some damage to my right shoulder - I believe it was bc of the positioning during my PCDF . However it settled down after a few months . This may not apply to you- but you never know when you answer these things ! Good luck !

I think I mentioned in a post that when I had PCDF C2-T2 , my surgeon warned me that he might really hurt my shoulder bc of the positioning for surgery and I would be in that position for almost a whole day I assume . It was bruised and almost cut from whatever had been pressed up against the skin of my right shoulder . Fortunately for me , it did not really persist for that long . But he certainly felt I would gage some damage . I was very lucky ! I don’t need any other body part replaced both causing pain .

I understand and feel your pain. I had an ACDF C4-6 with instrumentation. 10 yrs later I had posterior cervical and thoracic laminectomy with an additional fusion. My surgeon told me when he got in there I had much more damage than showed up on the MRI before surgery. He said he cleaned out so much on the upper thoracic but could not remove it all. I have cadaver bone plates and screws. I can no longer grocery shop alone due to spasms that bend my head forward with overuse of arms and walking makes the spasms start too. Chronic severe deep pain. I am worse than I was before the surgery. I am not the same person I was before this surgery. As I am typing my spasms are getting worse. I used to be active and had a successful career. No way I can work with the pain I have daily - same area as you have. I hope you get better. I am so sorry you are going through this.

How long since your surgery? Pain between the shoulders or shoulder pain is very common post surgery This is often connected to taping down shoulders for the actual operation and it’s bound by the number of hours the surgery takes It’s also known that cervical and shoulder pathology can happen together

I had an ACDF 5-6 2 weeks ago with removal of hardware in the 6-7 from a prior surgery 3 yrs ago. I did not have shoulder pain after that first surgery. I woke up in excruciating pain they had to put me on a fentanyl drip. I have had two prior shoulder replacements I had to have trouble but NOTHING like this. Have I known about the taping of the shoulders I would not have done this surgery. I’m sorry to hear that other people have had shoulder pain as well. I see the PA this week and I’m praying that there’s not permanent but it’s certainly very scary. I am 67 years old and was extremely active sports wise until the first shoulder surgery in 2016, I have also had four lumbar spinal fusions over the past 14 years. Thank you for any advice.