@upstatephil I remember swallowing right after surgery, it was like the left side of my throat wasn't sure what to do. It still feels slightly different after all these years although it operates correctly. It may be decreased awareness on the left side of the throat which can let water in too fast before the swallow reflex happens. It's only slightly an issue and I do fine if I don't rush. If I was drinking a lot of water, I would pause every few swallows for a slight rest and then drink more.

All surgery creates scar tissue. I still get some muscle spasms that can shift my neck vertebrae because of thoracic outlet syndrome which causes tightness in the neck and chest and these issues of C5/C6 fusion and TOS are physically very close to each other and were present before spine surgery. Yes, I am a lot better since spine surgery. I think any time you have surgery, there are lasting effects because of scar tissue. That is why I do myofascial release to loosen up the scar tissue and muscle tightness.

With anterior cervical spine surgery, when they retract your esophagus and trachea to get behind them to access the spine, it probably also stretches some nerves that are not so happy about that. Vocal cord paralysis and swallowing issues are risks of course. I do have some facet arthritis too which happens when discs collapse and those joints get more pressure on them that happened before any spine surgery. Of course, the fused level won't be moving the facets, but the other levels do, and occasionally there is a twinge of pain from that, and I do have a bit of laxity in other discs, but not bad enough to require intervention.

I have collected these greater issues on my left side and have body wide tightness from my jaw through my neck, chest and pelvis and into the left leg. I also have my surgical incision on the left side of the neck kind of connecting into the other problems. No matter what body part is fixed, it's never as good as the original equipment. I would be far worse off if I had not had spine surgery because of the spinal cord compression and disability it was causing. I do best when I am getting exercise for my core strength like walking and riding my horse because that supports my spine from the bottom up making it all stronger and able to hold better body posture.