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Neck and shoulder pain after fusion surgery-techniques for reducing?
Spine Health | Last Active: May 5 6:14am | Replies (28)Comment receiving replies
Just read your post to my wife, she says this sounds like me. I had cervical fusion done June 2021. The stiffness and pain started 6 months after surgery.
I’ve gone thru the Physical Therapy route and I wish I had more PT available.
I exhausted my benefits for 2022. I plan on asking Doctor for another script to PT as they did help. I find if I do exercises and deep tissue massage I get along much better.
I’ve been to two different neurosurgeons, they both say that according to the MRI’s and CT scans there is nothing wrong. Thinking about going called to a horse doctor as I’ve lost all faith in my doctors.
Reading different comments on Mayo Clinic I’m seeing something called myrofacial therapy, my next move. Check out on YouTube the Physical Therapist that is using the procedure of a deep tissue massage, Myrofacial Therapy.
I wear a soft collar most of the day so as to keep going, the therapist and doctors don’t want me to wear as it will keep neck muscles from regaling strength. I do all sorts of exercises to strengthen.
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@wornout All surgeries create scar tissue, and that scar can extend right up from where the surgeon was working internally to the incision scar on the skin surface like a rope that pulls and creates tightness. I work on my neck tightness which resurfaces from time to time. When I get the tension released by stretching or my manual stretching, it gets things moving again properly and relieves pain and stiffness. My incision periodically tightens up and I need to re-stretch it. Some doctors know of the benefits of MFR, and some are unfamiliar with it, but don't let that stop you.
Deep tissue massage can help, but you want to avoid creating new scar tissue doing it. MFR works because it is slow and gentle, and you just wait until the fascia unwinds itself. If you are too aggressive. the body resists and the fascia can tear creating more scar tissue, for example when you stretch too far and feel pain from it for several weeks.