Alfred, I am only guessing but I think it was the position of your neck and shoulder muscles when giving yourself the massage that enhanced the symptoms. I would see a chiropractor because usually you can get same day appointments. The clicking sounds like tendons trying to adjust to slight changes in vertebral alignment.
Middle of the night can be from the activities of the day, but try with neck pillows or rolled towel to get your neck in the most relaxed position before sleeping. Heat or ice 20 min, can help as can easy neck stretches.
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I have dealt with cervical pain since 2001, I underwent2 cervical surgeries last one removed discs and was replaced with cages and a titanium bar. My condition is caused by severe arthritis that effects my total spine. After surgeries I had some relief compared to original pain. To date I've had seven joint relacements, but the arthritis goes on causing pain. I've become inoperable and in 2012 received a morphine pumps that go directly into my spine every disc is damaged. It offers great relief for my back but does little for my neck. I'm numb in my arms and hands every day, it usually wakes me from my sleep. I use Voltaran gel on my neck and heat to help with the pain. I feel I'm in end stage arthritis and not much can be done. Have you tried Gabapentin or Celebrex? It might give some relief,

Hi Morkat,

how are you?

I am sorry to hear about your condition and your bad pain.

I already tried Gabapentin and Lyrica but I am allergic to this stuff.

I have taken Celebrex intermittently because it can cause damage to the gut. Currently I am using Nortriptyline 10mg nightly. I am trying to use the minimum medication to avoid the bad side effects.
I have used opiods before but after a while they stop working.
Nortriptyline still gives me bad constipation despite drink lots of water and fibre.

This morning I woke up and I felt a stabbing pain in to lower part of the cervical spine on the left around C6/C7.
There is a massive hump there. The pain is also referring to my legs and feet with pins and needle and tightness.
There are also 2 lumps on both sides of C6/C7 near the central spinous process that, if touched or massaged they send pain, tighness signals to the legs and the feet. 2 weeks ago when my physio was massaging my neck muscles, he hit the lump on the right which caused my right leg to jerk automatically.

My neck muscles are very stiff, spasmodic.

In August 2023 I went to the Deukspine Institute in Melbourne Florida from Melbourne Australia. I was operated by DR Ara Deukmedjian who has ruined my neck. He decompressed C5-C6, C6-C7 discs to give space to the left C6/C7 nerves and bilaterally performed rhizotomies C5-C6, C6-C7, C7-T1.

When I woke up from the surgery I had a dropped head, very stiff neck and atrocious pain 24/7 which I still have to this day after 3 months, He told that the pain was caused by neck cramps. After 2 and half months of trying to relieve these spasms the acupunturist and the physiotherapist haven't been able to release the tension. I would not recommend this neurosurgeon to anyone. I still feel pain at C6/C7 and at the facet joints that he ablated. Dr Deukmedjian took 72k from me which was my life saving and destroyed me. He won't admit any liability.

When I got back to Australia I had another MRI which showed inflammation/burning of my paraspinal muscles and lots of oedema inflammation throughout the cervical spine. There is a sizeable hump between C6 and C7 after surgery that wasn't there before surgery.

Here in Melbourne I had 2 appointments with a neurosurgeon and orthopaedic surgeon who did not recommend fusion because it would not resolve my pain problems. They told me to do pain management which means "DRUGS".

I tried to strenghten the extensor muscles of the neck by doing appropriate excercises and gentle stretches but my head is still heavy and can't tilt it back like before surgery. There us also a problem with rotation which is more limited on the left. There is something that blocks the movement.

I daily walk around 1.5 km despite the pain, because I have been told that gentle physical activity can help.

Currently, while I am writing this message, I am feeling deep left stab in the neck, pain in the foot, massive tightness spreading through trapezius muscles, shoulders and shoulder blades. It feels as if someone is squeezing my neck from the rear and pushingme forward.

As the time passes my pain is getting worse despite self care,

I have been thinking to see a chiropractor . I am wondering hecould help better than the physiotherapist.

I have attached 2 images of my neck. The first shows my neck after surgery with a hump on it, the second image shows my neck before surgery, no hump.
Before surgery I was able to keep my head upright with a horizontal gaze.

Thank you

Best regards

Alfred

AlfredB what your doctor meant by “it will take time” is up to conjecture but with cervical surgery I’d think more like a year or more. Consider how long it took for your neck ailment to develop? Surgery is not a quick fix and our bodies need time to heal and grow back together following the insult of surgery. You may have done something to your neck and seeing your doctor again is most likely a good thing. Take your foreign MRI report with you and better if you have the actual films for the surgeon to view is better.

Since I’m not familiar with Aussie laws regarding health records but I cannot imagine the Aussie folks couldn’t send the electronic pics of MRI to the U.S. docs. I suggest you get a fax number and secure email address for the medical record department of your doctor in U.S. Either obtain a formal request for medical record from Aussie hospital where tests were performed or send them a certified letter requesting that the info be sent to the docs with the contact info you obtained. Sharing of medical X-rays is the simplest thing to do when all the paperwork is correct.
You also need to give your neck more time to heal too and yes see a pain doc to get your pain under control. Do not expect to be in no pain. Consider it a reminder that you’ve got a bad neck and had surgery so treat your neck kindly.

Whom ever is going to see you for pain management should see them. I found a rehabilitation doctor who was also a pain specialist which is a perfect combination.

In the last week some sort of lump has either grown or appeared between C6/C7 vertebrae just to the right of the central spinous precess.

It is extremely sore, I get referred pain to the right foot believe it or not.
I had an ultrasound and the report shows a sebaceous cyst.

Can these press on cervical nerves and/or spinal cord?

Most definitely not. Your discs are surrounded by very tough ligaments, the structures those plastic spine demo models do not have.

Merry Christmas to everyone!

On Christmas day my neck pain wasn't too bad, but woke up on Boxing day at 4AM with savage bilateral neck nerve pain with pain going through arms, legs and feet. There is also extreme tightness, painful pins and needles, numbness in my neck, traps, shoulders, legs and feet. These levels of suffering are too high and unbearable. The pain medication is not working. Today is the 27 of Dec 2023 and my pain hasn't abated, I am feeling pins an needles almost everywhere in my body.

I tried cold/hot packs, nortriptyline, Celebrex, Tramadol, Valium, slow breathing, positive affermations, but nothing works.

Here in Melbourne Australia the GPs are on holiday and the public hospitals do not regard my case as urgent.

The big lump on my neck was caused by Dr Ara Deukmedjian from the Deukspine Institute. This is still hurting a lot, very swollen, lumpy. This lump is preventing my head tilt-back, feels like a blockage. My traps and shoulders are extremely stiff. I asked my physio, acupuncturist, my GP, a neurosurgeon, a orthopaedic surgeon here but they don't know and can't explain what this is lump is made of and how to get rid of it.
It may be putting extra pressure inside my neck.

I am a total mess at moment.

I think plastic surgeons deal with these all the time because plastic surgery often has this consequence. I would see a plastic surgeon and have it drained or removed. A general surgeon might suffice. I can see why the neuro or the ortho would hesitate, but why don't they refer you to a general surgeon.
You've been suffering too long.