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Metal hypersensitivity post acdf surgery. Anyone else?
Spine Health | Last Active: Feb 19 5:52pm | Replies (10)Comment receiving replies
My metal hypersensitivity doesn’t seem to be based in my spine but is primarily in my hands where the cervical compression symptoms had originally started. The nerve damage there becomes really accentuated there by contact withe metal and will radiate in bands up my arms, especially the left arm which was affected more by the compression. The muscles throughout the body will stiffen too. If the metal is near another part of the body such as my back it is more of an uncomfortable tingly sensation. I had an 11” rod with screws placed in the humerus of the right arm after shattering it about three years before of which I’m wondering helped cause metal overload on the badly damaged nerves. I realize it’s still early days post surgery and I just need to be patient but am hoping someone else has had, and recovered from, a similar symptom.
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Hi web28:
I had an unusual case.
My symptom was excruciating pain in the thumb, severe on the left side.
I was diagnosed with Myelomalacia and went through ACDF at HSS in NY.
After the surgery, my symptoms got worse and it didn't get better even after 3 months.
My surgeon wanted me to see a hand surgeon. I went to a hand surgeon in Miami and was told there are no problems whatsoever - no tendonitis, no carpal tunnel syndrome, and maybe very slight arthritis. There is nothing he could do surgically to help me.
I decided to go to a different hospital and a different neurosurgeon and he ordered a nerve conduction study and EMG again. The doctor who did these tests said I have severe carpal tunnel syndrome more severe on the left. I told him why they didn't do the carpal tunnel syndrome surgery as my main symptoms were hand and especially thumbs. He said that there is something called double crush syndrome. A nerve can pinch two places at the same time. It might have pinched in the neck and also in the hands. Finally, when I saw my hand surgeon, she said I had severe carpal tunnel syndrome on both hands ranked 6/6. I went through carpal tunnel surgery on both hands at the same time and after the surgery, the pain became more excruciating. I couldn't lift my cell phone. My hand surgeon assured me that it will take 6 months to 2 years. She also said I have arthritis that has damaged my CMC joint in the thumb, and without the trapeziometacarpal joint surgery, I will never be relieved of pain. Now after 6 months, the pain has considerably reduced and I manage with Aleeve when the pain increases otherwise I just ignore the pain. I'm not sure of wanting to go through TMC as it takes longer to recover.