Hi jm1,
how are you?

thanks for the advice.

I don't like the idea of fusion where you lose flexibility in your neck. I heard that people, I.E. @jenniferhunter , can have fusion without hardware.

I don't know how you qualify for this type of surgery.

Recently I am taking Neurontin (Gabapentin) 300mg, Nortriptyline 10mg, Diclofenac 50mg to manage the pain at night. During the day it is not so bad because I distract myself and move a bit.

I noticed that my stomach takes ages to absorb these meds and it can take up to 4 hours before feeling the effect. Once they start working, they can provide me with some sleep.

Now since March this year whenever I go to sleep, I place the right side of my head on the pillow because I can't sleep on the left or the back due to increased pain.

Even though I feel quite sedated, I noticed that my left sternocleidomastoid muscle is in constant tightness, spasm I believe. If I touch it, it feels very excruciating which is above any other types of pain that I have been experiencing. The pain starts half way in my neck and spreads to the bottom of it.

The intensity of pain of the left SCM is such that it wakes me up, despite the medication and causes massive mental anxiety. In other words I can't sleep at all and must get up to reduce the pain because in this position I feel better.

I try to massage the left SCM gently, but it feels horribly painful.

I don't know if cervical facet joints can cause such horrific pain.

Any thoughts and advice will be appreciated.

Thank you.

Alfred