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Smart to Wait? ACDF
I have radiculopathy left shoulder and arm. It is painful but I could live with it. Can not having the ACDF done in a timely manner (not knowing what timely is) lead to permanent damage? Thoughts please.
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@hmcski To answer your question about possible permanent damage... in a word, yes. When nerves are compressed long enough or with a lot of pressure, they can die and dissolve. That is like someone cutting wires out of the middle of a cable, so it no longer transmits electricity through the damaged section. This can happen to the spinal cord, and MRIs may show whitish areas of permanent damage called myelomylacia. Radiculopathy is compression of a spinal nerve. If nerves are decompressed with surgery, they can heal slowly if the damage is not too great. The problem is that it's hard to know exactly when the point of no return happens. There is also the possibility that another injury when you're already compromised could make this so much worse.
I understand hesitancy, and rushing into surgery isn't usually a good idea. Take the time now to explore what your options are, so if you get worse, you are ready to make a decision on your care. When nerves are damaged and die, the muscle they serve starts to wither away and you loose strength and function. Recoveries are better when nerve compression is addressed early. I have had spinal cord compression and surgery to free my spinal cord and fuse C5/C6. I had a great recovery and reclaimed the coordination in my arms that had been lost. I do think I've lost some strength, but I also have thoracic outlet syndrome which causes compression of nerves/vessels in the shoulder.
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I do believe you can wait and get conservative treatment like physical therapy and pain injections. Over time, your spinal cord/nerve roots that are compressed can be injured and may be permanent. Your surgeon can advise on how long you can delay surgery before any permanent damage.
I had ACDF on C5-C6 in 2022 due to spinal cord compression injury, radiculopathy, bone spurs, disc bulge, etc. I have some permanent injury to my spinal cord which is causing arm/shoulder/hand weakness. I was misdiagnosed for over 5 years. I am due to have ACDF on c6-c7 due to a new herniated disc once my insurance company stops giving my surgeon and me the runaround covering the surgery. They are trying to delay and avoid paying for my procedure (coverage ends 5/31 and new coverage starts 6/1).