Post surgery burning pain

Hi,

I have been getting worse since August 2022.
Throughout this experience I have seen neurosurgeons, pain managent specialists to no avail.

In August 2023 I made the stupid decision to get decompression laser surgery at C5-C6, C6-C7 and bilateral rhizothomies from C5-T1 at the Deukspine Institute in Melbourne Florida by neurosurgeon Ara Deukmedjian.

The surgery was a total failure because it gave me a dropped head and chronic muscle spasms that I did not have prior.

My condition has been getting worse, more symptomatic than before.
Not sure if the removal of the bulging disc material from already thin discs and facet joint ablations have contributed to the destabilization of my cervical spine.

2 neurosurgeons in Australia advised me not to seek anymore operations and ablations and to get off the drugs. Gentle Exercise was their recomendation. The surgeons did not think that an operation would improve my pain due to thae fact that it is multifactorial.

I have been trying to do more physical activity such as walking so that my muscles won't waste away.

Last week I had the latest cervical neck MRI that shows more deterioration than before.

Can anyone interpret the meaning of the following?

I asked my GP and Specialist but the don't really explain what is the meaning of this. Should I worry?

My symptoms are stinging, burning neck pain, shoulders, sholder blades, arms, hands, fingers nearly chronic pain. Pain a lot worse when sitting and lying down.

Pain, pins and needles shooting in legs and feet at times.

Thank you.

MRI - CERVICAL SPINE
History: A 67-year-old male with complex history of neck surgery presents with neck pain and deterioration in neck symptoms for investigation. ? Disc pathology.
? Radiculopathy.
Technique :
Standard protocol.
MRI Findings :
There is straightening of the cervical spine with loss of the normal
curvature and there is subtle anterior spondylolisthesis of C7 relative to Tl.
At this level, there are broad-based disc bulging, endplate ridging and facet arthropathy contributing to foraminal narrowing for the exiting C8 nerves bilaterally but worse on the right side. Vertebral body height is maintained. Small haemangiomata are visible. The Cl-2 articulation is preserved.
The cervicomedullary junction is intact and there is no cerebellar ectopia.
Cervical spinal cord has normal morphology and signal. Central canal is capacious .
C3-4: Disc degeneration is present with loss of disc height. There are broad-based disc bulging and endplate ridging preferentially towards the right side.
There is foraminal compromise for the exiting right C4 nerve and moderate grade foraminal narrowing for the exiting left C4 nerve.
C4-5: Disc degeneration is present with loss of height, endplate change and anterior corner bony ridging. There are disc bulging and endplate ridging preferentially towards the right side. There is foraminal compromise for the exiting C5 nerves bilaterally but worse on the right side.
C5-C6: Disc degeneration is present with loss of height. There are mild broad-based disc bulging and endplate ridging preferentially towards the left side. There is mild foraminal narrowing for the exiting left C6 nerve.
C6-7:
Disc degeneration is present with posterior disc bulging and endplate
ridging. There is moderate grade foraminal narrowing for the exiting C7
nerves more pronounced on the right side. Facet arthropathy is noted. There is mild fatty infiltration of the paraspinal musculature. No cervical rib and no fascial band is seen. Thoracic curvature is noted.
Conclusion :
Straightening of the cervical spine with mild degenerative spondylolisthesis of C7 relative to Tl. There are associated facet joint arthropathy and foraminal narrowing for the exiting C8 nerves.
There is degeneration of the cervical discs with disc bulging, endplate ridging and facet joint arthropathy resulting in multilevel foraminal compromise particularly on the right side as outlined above.

Alfred

Hi,

I have been getting worse since August 2022.
Throughout this experience I have seen neurosurgeons, pain managent specialists to no avail.

In August 2023 I made the stupid decision to get decompression laser surgery at C5-C6, C6-C7 and bilateral rhizothomies from C5-T1 at the Deukspine Institute in Melbourne Florida by neurosurgeon Ara Deukmedjian.

The surgery was a total failure because it gave me a dropped head and chronic muscle spasms that I did not have prior.

My condition has been getting worse, more symptomatic than before.
Not sure if the removal of the bulging disc material from already thin discs and facet joint ablations have contributed to the destabilization of my cervical spine.

2 neurosurgeons in Australia advised me not to seek anymore operations and ablations and to get off the drugs. Gentle Exercise was their recomendation. The surgeons did not think that an operation would improve my pain due to thae fact that it is multifactorial.

I have been trying to do more physical activity such as walking so that my muscles won't waste away.

Last week I had the latest cervical neck MRI that shows more deterioration than before.

Can anyone interpret the meaning of the following?

I asked my GP and Specialist but the don't really explain what is the meaning of this. Should I worry?

My symptoms are stinging, burning neck pain, shoulders, sholder blades, arms, hands, fingers nearly chronic pain. Pain a lot worse when sitting and lying down.

Pain, pins and needles shooting in legs and feet at times.

Thank you.

MRI - CERVICAL SPINE
History: A 67-year-old male with complex history of neck surgery presents with neck pain and deterioration in neck symptoms for investigation. ? Disc pathology.
? Radiculopathy.
Technique :
Standard protocol.
MRI Findings :
There is straightening of the cervical spine with loss of the normal
curvature and there is subtle anterior spondylolisthesis of C7 relative to Tl.
At this level, there are broad-based disc bulging, endplate ridging and facet arthropathy contributing to foraminal narrowing for the exiting C8 nerves bilaterally but worse on the right side. Vertebral body height is maintained. Small haemangiomata are visible. The Cl-2 articulation is preserved.
The cervicomedullary junction is intact and there is no cerebellar ectopia.
Cervical spinal cord has normal morphology and signal. Central canal is capacious .
C3-4: Disc degeneration is present with loss of disc height. There are broad-based disc bulging and endplate ridging preferentially towards the right side.
There is foraminal compromise for the exiting right C4 nerve and moderate grade foraminal narrowing for the exiting left C4 nerve.
C4-5: Disc degeneration is present with loss of height, endplate change and anterior corner bony ridging. There are disc bulging and endplate ridging preferentially towards the right side. There is foraminal compromise for the exiting C5 nerves bilaterally but worse on the right side.
C5-C6: Disc degeneration is present with loss of height. There are mild broad-based disc bulging and endplate ridging preferentially towards the left side. There is mild foraminal narrowing for the exiting left C6 nerve.
C6-7:
Disc degeneration is present with posterior disc bulging and endplate
ridging. There is moderate grade foraminal narrowing for the exiting C7
nerves more pronounced on the right side. Facet arthropathy is noted. There is mild fatty infiltration of the paraspinal musculature. No cervical rib and no fascial band is seen. Thoracic curvature is noted.
Conclusion :
Straightening of the cervical spine with mild degenerative spondylolisthesis of C7 relative to Tl. There are associated facet joint arthropathy and foraminal narrowing for the exiting C8 nerves.
There is degeneration of the cervical discs with disc bulging, endplate ridging and facet joint arthropathy resulting in multilevel foraminal compromise particularly on the right side as outlined above.

Alfred

Have you thought about going to the Mayo Clinic? I know you live in Australia and it is a long way to go but it seems like you have a lot going on.
Hope you feel better.

Helen

Hi everyone,
how are you?

Last year I had neck laser surgery in Florida to decompress left C6, C7 nerves. The Deukspine surgery was a failure because my pain has increased a lot more since in August 2023. Dr Deuk promised me that I would be pain free but that was not the case.

It's been nearly 12 months and my neck has been gradually getting worse. I have extreme chronic pain between left C4-C5, C5-C6, C6-C7 and C7-T1.

I feel bad numbness in my neck, painful pins and needles, referred pain in shoulders, shoulder blades, arms, hand, fingers, back, groin, legs and feet.

Since 7 days ago, my neck tension, stiffness, pain, pins/needles, numness has increased dramatically, it is full on as if something is biting, catching inside. At the same time I feel numbness in my groin, legs, feet and toes. The left foot pain is very bad, it feels extremely tight, numb everywhere as well as the leg.

I am not able to relieve the neck pain, not even with strong opiods. I tried gentle stretches, traction, posture, heat, cold, massage, deep breathing but nothing works.

I am going nuts. The pain, the numbness is stressiong me out a lot. I noticed that the pain in the neck is proportional to the pain in the leg and foot. The more numbness in the neck, the more numbness in the foot and leg.

I just wanted to mention that my MRI shows the disc pressing close to the spinal cord. The doctors have excluded spinal stenosis but this area hurts a lot together with the C6, C7.

I have been to the GP here in Melbourne Australia but he has no clues apart from throwing more drugs at the problem.
The hospital has the same attitude.

I asked them to investigate or at least take a new scan of my neck area but they are not being very helpful because the do not deem my problem are as urgent as other emergencies.

I am left with the physiotherapist that has tried, but I still have severe pain, referred pain, tightness, spasms everywhere. in the neck and feet.

I haven't been able to sleep for 5 days and feel exhausted.

Now I have nausea, inability to focus.

Could something be pressing on my cervical spinal cord?
Does anyone have any ideas?

Thank you.

Best regards

Alfred

Alfred,

Have you ever considered that the symptoms could be cause from instability?

They did a decompression, but no fusion?

Usually, muscle spasms and tightness can indicate your muscles are working overtime in order to try and stabilize your cervical region.

I am certain I do have some instability. I have similar symptoms and more. Your neck can affect so many things, including dysautonomic dysfunction.

Have you ever had any accidents like motorvehicle, or others?

I am hypermobile (hymobile ehlers danlos) and have had some horse riding accidents in the past.

There are some very knowledgeable groups on FB about cervical instability.

Unfortunately, there are very few surgeons in the world that are knowledgeable about it and perform surgery. Which to me is surprising, as I'm sure there are more people with it, than we realize.

It affects my quality of life greatly. I do stretches, see a Chiropractor that doesn't use rough manipulation, muscle relaxers etc. I am now doing injections to numb the facet joints, which helps a little. Than ablation. Ablation, won't exactly help a lot of the symptoms, like nausea, dizziness, fatigue, dysautonomia (which regulates so much in our body) the various headaches, migraines and cervical neuralgia.

Best of luck. It's a long stressful road. I pretty much gave up finding a surgeon, as they are so busy. (The ones in the US). My insurance covers Mayo, and anything outside of that is not covered, therefore out of pocket. I don't have 50k to drop on a surgery. If it continues to worsen, I hope that I honestly don't live another 20 years. (I'm 40 right now). I currently work about 35 hours a week. I would like to go back to school to get bachelors in nursing, but I am exhausted just with work and daily life. I don't have a choice to go on disability. It involves a lot in the US. Plus, I would rather not be on disability. Mentally and physically it's better for me to work. I just want a better quality of life.

Hi,

I have been getting worse since August 2022.
Throughout this experience I have seen neurosurgeons, pain managent specialists to no avail.

In August 2023 I made the stupid decision to get decompression laser surgery at C5-C6, C6-C7 and bilateral rhizothomies from C5-T1 at the Deukspine Institute in Melbourne Florida by neurosurgeon Ara Deukmedjian.

The surgery was a total failure because it gave me a dropped head and chronic muscle spasms that I did not have prior.

My condition has been getting worse, more symptomatic than before.
Not sure if the removal of the bulging disc material from already thin discs and facet joint ablations have contributed to the destabilization of my cervical spine.

2 neurosurgeons in Australia advised me not to seek anymore operations and ablations and to get off the drugs. Gentle Exercise was their recomendation. The surgeons did not think that an operation would improve my pain due to thae fact that it is multifactorial.

I have been trying to do more physical activity such as walking so that my muscles won't waste away.

Last week I had the latest cervical neck MRI that shows more deterioration than before.

Can anyone interpret the meaning of the following?

I asked my GP and Specialist but the don't really explain what is the meaning of this. Should I worry?

My symptoms are stinging, burning neck pain, shoulders, sholder blades, arms, hands, fingers nearly chronic pain. Pain a lot worse when sitting and lying down.

Pain, pins and needles shooting in legs and feet at times.

Thank you.

MRI - CERVICAL SPINE
History: A 67-year-old male with complex history of neck surgery presents with neck pain and deterioration in neck symptoms for investigation. ? Disc pathology.
? Radiculopathy.
Technique :
Standard protocol.
MRI Findings :
There is straightening of the cervical spine with loss of the normal
curvature and there is subtle anterior spondylolisthesis of C7 relative to Tl.
At this level, there are broad-based disc bulging, endplate ridging and facet arthropathy contributing to foraminal narrowing for the exiting C8 nerves bilaterally but worse on the right side. Vertebral body height is maintained. Small haemangiomata are visible. The Cl-2 articulation is preserved.
The cervicomedullary junction is intact and there is no cerebellar ectopia.
Cervical spinal cord has normal morphology and signal. Central canal is capacious .
C3-4: Disc degeneration is present with loss of disc height. There are broad-based disc bulging and endplate ridging preferentially towards the right side.
There is foraminal compromise for the exiting right C4 nerve and moderate grade foraminal narrowing for the exiting left C4 nerve.
C4-5: Disc degeneration is present with loss of height, endplate change and anterior corner bony ridging. There are disc bulging and endplate ridging preferentially towards the right side. There is foraminal compromise for the exiting C5 nerves bilaterally but worse on the right side.
C5-C6: Disc degeneration is present with loss of height. There are mild broad-based disc bulging and endplate ridging preferentially towards the left side. There is mild foraminal narrowing for the exiting left C6 nerve.
C6-7:
Disc degeneration is present with posterior disc bulging and endplate
ridging. There is moderate grade foraminal narrowing for the exiting C7
nerves more pronounced on the right side. Facet arthropathy is noted. There is mild fatty infiltration of the paraspinal musculature. No cervical rib and no fascial band is seen. Thoracic curvature is noted.
Conclusion :
Straightening of the cervical spine with mild degenerative spondylolisthesis of C7 relative to Tl. There are associated facet joint arthropathy and foraminal narrowing for the exiting C8 nerves.
There is degeneration of the cervical discs with disc bulging, endplate ridging and facet joint arthropathy resulting in multilevel foraminal compromise particularly on the right side as outlined above.

Alfred

Mayo isn't the best place for extensive cervical surgeries. If Alfred, has instability he would be better off finding one that specializes in that.

Mayo has no one available for instability to my knowledge. There is one in Rochester that might, but I haven't been able to get into him myself yet. I have Mayo insurance and live in Wisconsin.

Hi,

I have been getting worse since August 2022.
Throughout this experience I have seen neurosurgeons, pain managent specialists to no avail.

In August 2023 I made the stupid decision to get decompression laser surgery at C5-C6, C6-C7 and bilateral rhizothomies from C5-T1 at the Deukspine Institute in Melbourne Florida by neurosurgeon Ara Deukmedjian.

The surgery was a total failure because it gave me a dropped head and chronic muscle spasms that I did not have prior.

My condition has been getting worse, more symptomatic than before.
Not sure if the removal of the bulging disc material from already thin discs and facet joint ablations have contributed to the destabilization of my cervical spine.

2 neurosurgeons in Australia advised me not to seek anymore operations and ablations and to get off the drugs. Gentle Exercise was their recomendation. The surgeons did not think that an operation would improve my pain due to thae fact that it is multifactorial.

I have been trying to do more physical activity such as walking so that my muscles won't waste away.

Last week I had the latest cervical neck MRI that shows more deterioration than before.

Can anyone interpret the meaning of the following?

I asked my GP and Specialist but the don't really explain what is the meaning of this. Should I worry?

My symptoms are stinging, burning neck pain, shoulders, sholder blades, arms, hands, fingers nearly chronic pain. Pain a lot worse when sitting and lying down.

Pain, pins and needles shooting in legs and feet at times.

Thank you.

MRI - CERVICAL SPINE
History: A 67-year-old male with complex history of neck surgery presents with neck pain and deterioration in neck symptoms for investigation. ? Disc pathology.
? Radiculopathy.
Technique :
Standard protocol.
MRI Findings :
There is straightening of the cervical spine with loss of the normal
curvature and there is subtle anterior spondylolisthesis of C7 relative to Tl.
At this level, there are broad-based disc bulging, endplate ridging and facet arthropathy contributing to foraminal narrowing for the exiting C8 nerves bilaterally but worse on the right side. Vertebral body height is maintained. Small haemangiomata are visible. The Cl-2 articulation is preserved.
The cervicomedullary junction is intact and there is no cerebellar ectopia.
Cervical spinal cord has normal morphology and signal. Central canal is capacious .
C3-4: Disc degeneration is present with loss of disc height. There are broad-based disc bulging and endplate ridging preferentially towards the right side.
There is foraminal compromise for the exiting right C4 nerve and moderate grade foraminal narrowing for the exiting left C4 nerve.
C4-5: Disc degeneration is present with loss of height, endplate change and anterior corner bony ridging. There are disc bulging and endplate ridging preferentially towards the right side. There is foraminal compromise for the exiting C5 nerves bilaterally but worse on the right side.
C5-C6: Disc degeneration is present with loss of height. There are mild broad-based disc bulging and endplate ridging preferentially towards the left side. There is mild foraminal narrowing for the exiting left C6 nerve.
C6-7:
Disc degeneration is present with posterior disc bulging and endplate
ridging. There is moderate grade foraminal narrowing for the exiting C7
nerves more pronounced on the right side. Facet arthropathy is noted. There is mild fatty infiltration of the paraspinal musculature. No cervical rib and no fascial band is seen. Thoracic curvature is noted.
Conclusion :
Straightening of the cervical spine with mild degenerative spondylolisthesis of C7 relative to Tl. There are associated facet joint arthropathy and foraminal narrowing for the exiting C8 nerves.
There is degeneration of the cervical discs with disc bulging, endplate ridging and facet joint arthropathy resulting in multilevel foraminal compromise particularly on the right side as outlined above.

Alfred

Hi,

I have been getting worse since August 2022.
Throughout this experience I have seen neurosurgeons, pain managent specialists to no avail.

In August 2023 I made the stupid decision to get decompression laser surgery at C5-C6, C6-C7 and bilateral rhizothomies from C5-T1 at the Deukspine Institute in Melbourne Florida by neurosurgeon Ara Deukmedjian.

The surgery was a total failure because it gave me a dropped head and chronic muscle spasms that I did not have prior.

My condition has been getting worse, more symptomatic than before.
Not sure if the removal of the bulging disc material from already thin discs and facet joint ablations have contributed to the destabilization of my cervical spine.

2 neurosurgeons in Australia advised me not to seek anymore operations and ablations and to get off the drugs. Gentle Exercise was their recomendation. The surgeons did not think that an operation would improve my pain due to thae fact that it is multifactorial.

I have been trying to do more physical activity such as walking so that my muscles won't waste away.

Last week I had the latest cervical neck MRI that shows more deterioration than before.

Can anyone interpret the meaning of the following?

I asked my GP and Specialist but the don't really explain what is the meaning of this. Should I worry?

My symptoms are stinging, burning neck pain, shoulders, sholder blades, arms, hands, fingers nearly chronic pain. Pain a lot worse when sitting and lying down.

Pain, pins and needles shooting in legs and feet at times.

Thank you.

MRI - CERVICAL SPINE
History: A 67-year-old male with complex history of neck surgery presents with neck pain and deterioration in neck symptoms for investigation. ? Disc pathology.
? Radiculopathy.
Technique :
Standard protocol.
MRI Findings :
There is straightening of the cervical spine with loss of the normal
curvature and there is subtle anterior spondylolisthesis of C7 relative to Tl.
At this level, there are broad-based disc bulging, endplate ridging and facet arthropathy contributing to foraminal narrowing for the exiting C8 nerves bilaterally but worse on the right side. Vertebral body height is maintained. Small haemangiomata are visible. The Cl-2 articulation is preserved.
The cervicomedullary junction is intact and there is no cerebellar ectopia.
Cervical spinal cord has normal morphology and signal. Central canal is capacious .
C3-4: Disc degeneration is present with loss of disc height. There are broad-based disc bulging and endplate ridging preferentially towards the right side.
There is foraminal compromise for the exiting right C4 nerve and moderate grade foraminal narrowing for the exiting left C4 nerve.
C4-5: Disc degeneration is present with loss of height, endplate change and anterior corner bony ridging. There are disc bulging and endplate ridging preferentially towards the right side. There is foraminal compromise for the exiting C5 nerves bilaterally but worse on the right side.
C5-C6: Disc degeneration is present with loss of height. There are mild broad-based disc bulging and endplate ridging preferentially towards the left side. There is mild foraminal narrowing for the exiting left C6 nerve.
C6-7:
Disc degeneration is present with posterior disc bulging and endplate
ridging. There is moderate grade foraminal narrowing for the exiting C7
nerves more pronounced on the right side. Facet arthropathy is noted. There is mild fatty infiltration of the paraspinal musculature. No cervical rib and no fascial band is seen. Thoracic curvature is noted.
Conclusion :
Straightening of the cervical spine with mild degenerative spondylolisthesis of C7 relative to Tl. There are associated facet joint arthropathy and foraminal narrowing for the exiting C8 nerves.
There is degeneration of the cervical discs with disc bulging, endplate ridging and facet joint arthropathy resulting in multilevel foraminal compromise particularly on the right side as outlined above.

Alfred

@csalter, I believe that you are referring to cervical instability related to Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), specifically hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS). As you know, there is an Ehlers-Danlos Specialty Clinic exists at Mayo Clinic, Florida (https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/ehlers-danlos-syndrome/)

Spine care experts can be found at all Mayo Clinic locations.
- Spine Care at Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/spine-care/sections/overview/ovc-20426369

I hope you will find an expert who will help you find answers to your issues. Here are some patient stories and articles from Mayo Clinic
- EDS https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/search/
- Spine surgery https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/search/