Is there any home devise for neck fusions

I had a C567 fusion 10 years ago for severe neck pain. This helped a lot but then the C1-4 started to cause pain.
The surgeon said the arthritis in the C1-4 was too severe so he could not operate on it. I have been to an anaesthetist at a pain clinic where I have had cortisone injections which don’t last too long. I have had 3 ablations and 2 worked well. The doctor only did one nerve area on the third one. I have been on Gabapentin and Tylenol for 10 years. If I over do it causing more neck pain, I use a collar which I heat in the microwave.
I use a Flyhug neck collar when riding in the car. I use Salonpas patches once a day. For muscle pain I use a hand held Massage Gun. Hope this helps

Thank you very much for sharing your cervical issues. It's very helpful.
I tried most of what you did, except the ablations. I know ablations are a controversial procedure. I do wonder if the ablations are effective to relieve pain and how long each last.

I'll look for the Salonpas patches and a Massage Gun.
I appreciate your very helpful post.

The first 2 ablations were very effective and lasted about 3 years. It is a very invasive procedure and was very painful for 30 seconds when the nerves were burned. It is important that the doctor (an anaesthetist or neuro-orthopedic surgeon) burns the nerves which are causing the pain. The doctor puts local anaesthetic in and you are on your stomach without moving for half an hour. I was so grateful for the relief of most of my neck pain.

Thank you for your information about ablation. The words "invasive" and "painful procedure" are a concern to me. I wonder if you were sedated.
And what happened to the third ablation?
Thank you, you are kind to share your experience.

I had a C5-T1 fusion and decompression surgery in 1988. About 10 years after the surgery developed neck and shoulder pain. After many tests (btw you can’t get nerve conduction studies after neck surgery; the test is always positive because the nerves are always hyper excitatory after surgery). Determined that my neck and shoulder (just the part near the neck) was extremely tight with many trigger points. I managed well for years with Botox injections and baclofen ( a med that relaxes muscle via the spinal cord).. sometimes I would get a massage, but only helpful for a few hours. Maybe this is something to consider as a cause of your neck pain….

I was not sedated-only local anaesthetic. The pain was maybe only 15 seconds times 3. During the third ablation, the doctor only did one nerve area. At the next visit I had a cortisone injection into the C1-2 under x-ray which really helped but did not last long. I don’t want to scare you away from having an ablation.

I go to an MFR therapist twice a month after fusion surgeries in my cervical spine. I am 68. The surgeries had to happen. But unfortunately, the continued lifetime of being an artist, coupled with bone curvature and arthritis means the surgery could be only partially successful. So I use Baclofen, massage, Tizanidine, lidocaine, Diclofenac and a great brand of CBD products (Sagely Naturals) and home acupressure to manage. I love my neck heating pad! I do a lot of stretches while at the computer or driving. I'm 2 years out from surgery.

You can also get 5% lidocaine patches via prescription. This doesn't improve the underlying issue, but it does provide pain relief. I have only used them on my shoulder before a total shoulder replacement,

Hi Joanne,

Sorry for what you're going through.

I thought fusion was a solution to C-vertebrae with arthritis. I've never heard of arthritis being so severe as to rule out surgery.

Did the Dr give you a better explanation?

All the best to you Joanne.

Joe

I had neck pain for 2 years before I had surgery. The radiologist’s report said I had mild to moderate arthritis. My family doctor couldn’t believe that I had so much pain! He increased the ibuprofen and then prescribed morphine patch and then fentanyl patches with no relief. I even tried CBD under a doctors care and other CBD products with no relief. When I saw a neurosurgeon in Kirkland, Wa he told me that I had severe arthritis and the C1-4 was fused by the arthritis and he couldn’t operate on it. I had the three and a half hour surgery at a clinic in the US as the wait time to see a neurosurgeon was 5 months and a one year for surgery in Canada. It has been quite a journey but there are others worse than me.