[Cocoa14]

14weeks post op C4/5 and its been tough to say the least. I've made several other post over the past few days and am thankful for the replays. One of my sharpest pains now is coming from my upper arm area. It is a pain that literally has me screaming when it hurts. My upper arm area hurts, burns most of the time, even into my forearm and wrist at times. But if I reach for something, especially over my body, I will get the most intense pain, feels like something is trying to snap into. Once I can get my arm in a different position, it stops. If I stretch, which I try not to do, it does the same thing. It will leave my arm hurting and tender to touch, sometimes so hot i have to ice it. Trying to deal with a painful neck at the same time makes this really hard.
Is this the nerves, muscles, any ideas? How long before it stops???

[mg neck prob]

Originally Posted by Cocoa14

14weeks post op C4/5 and its been tough to say the least. I've made several other post over the past few days and am thankful for the replays. One of my sharpest pains now is coming from my upper arm area. It is a pain that literally has me screaming when it hurts. My upper arm area hurts, burns most of the time, even into my forearm and wrist at times. But if I reach for something, especially over my body, I will get the most intense pain, feels like something is trying to snap into. Once I can get my arm in a different position, it stops. If I stretch, which I try not to do, it does the same thing. It will leave my arm hurting and tender to touch, sometimes so hot i have to ice it. Trying to deal with a painful neck at the same time makes this really hard.
Is this the nerves, muscles, any ideas? How long before it stops???

The odd thing with me 1yrs post acdf my arm arm started with pain just in bicep for 4 months --then it moved to right shoulder ---after mega doses of predisone 4 months it finally resolved. What I came to realize is i cant lay on my right side or it will come back very painful. aIm a side sleeper can only now go to the left ---i rolled over accidently right came right back for several months. Posture is a big thing now after this surgery or I get nasty flare ups.

[Cocoa14]

Originally Posted by mg neck prob

The odd thing with me 1yrs post acdf my arm arm started with pain just in bicep for 4 months --then it moved to right shoulder ---after mega doses of predisone 4 months it finally resolved. What I came to realize is i cant lay on my right side or it will come back very painful. aIm a side sleeper can only now go to the left ---i rolled over accidently right came right back for several months. Posture is a big thing now after this surgery or I get nasty flare ups.

I've been told not to take any anti inflammatory meds because of the fusion process. I'm taking tylenol which does nothing, and icing my arm and both wrists. Trying not to get depressed but I'm so tired of hurting!

[mg neck prob]

Originally Posted by Cocoa14

I've been told not to take any anti inflammatory meds because of the fusion process. I'm taking tylenol which does nothing, and icing my arm and both wrists. Trying not to get depressed but I'm so tired of hurting!

I know its hard not to get depressed but your right no anti inflammatory meds --I didint get predisone till year later when shoulder acted up from c5 nerve --i wont lie i dont regret surgery and at times i do get nasty flare ups some last longer then others but i still have no regrets the pain prior to surgery was horrible!!!!

[Cocoa14]

Originally Posted by mg neck prob

I know its hard not to get depressed but your right no anti inflammatory meds --I didint get predisone till year later when shoulder acted up from c5 nerve --i wont lie i dont regret surgery and at times i do get nasty flare ups some last longer then others but i still have no regrets the pain prior to surgery was horrible!!!!

Right now I totally regret having the surgery! My neck hurt and my shoulder hurt, but it wasn't constant and not this bad. I can't move my left arm now without it hurting so bad! I'm scared it is a pinched nerve. I'm hurting really really bad and not in a good place. I just put a call in to my dr. Something has got to give! I'm getting desperate.

[mg neck prob]

Originally Posted by Cocoa14

Right now I totally regret having the surgery! My neck hurt and my shoulder hurt, but it wasn't constant and not this bad. I can't move my left arm now without it hurting so bad! I'm scared it is a pinched nerve. I'm hurting really really bad and not in a good place. I just put a call in to my dr. Something has got to give! I'm getting desperate.

I dont blame you !!

[Cocoa14]

Originally Posted by mg neck prob

I dont blame you !!

When your pain started in your biceps, did it hurt more when you raised your arm up or when it was down?

[mg neck prob]

Originally Posted by Cocoa14

When your pain started in your biceps, did it hurt more when you raised your arm up or when it was down?

i think up but i remember it hurt laying down ---even sitting --i think it was worse to raise it

[Dubious]

Originally Posted by Cocoa14

14weeks post op C4/5 and its been tough to say the least. I've made several other post over the past few days and am thankful for the replays. One of my sharpest pains now is coming from my upper arm area. It is a pain that literally has me screaming when it hurts. My upper arm area hurts, burns most of the time, even into my forearm and wrist at times. But if I reach for something, especially over my body, I will get the most intense pain, feels like something is trying to snap into. Once I can get my arm in a different position, it stops. If I stretch, which I try not to do, it does the same thing. It will leave my arm hurting and tender to touch, sometimes so hot i have to ice it. Trying to deal with a painful neck at the same time makes this really hard.
Is this the nerves, muscles, any ideas? How long before it stops???

Cocoa14,

At 14 weeks post-op, it is unusual for you to be having ongoing problems as you describe. I think at this point, you need to self-refer to a neurologist, one whom your surgeon doesn't personally know, get an eval and neurodiagnostic studies to help zero in on the problem. Your description of burning pain is disturbing and while RSD/CRPS is very unlikely, statistically, it probably should be a consideration until otherwise ruled out. In the very unlikely event that it is, you are approaching the point of no return where intervention is no longer helpful. Besides, a C5 root problem wouldn't likely refer into the forearm and wrist. Reaching up, by the way, should be a relieving position for cervical root pain and in fact is an orthopedic test called Bakody's. There are just a whole host of issues that need to be considered, i.e. brachial plexus, peripheral nerve issues, recurrent disc, etc., and you are not likely going to figure it out without a neuro consult, so don't wait too long. Good luck!

[Jomar]

If follow up appts and/or new imaging comes up with nothing to explain it, it could be some trigger points or possible thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) causing the new? pain/sx.

You might look thru the TOS forum sticky threads, or use the search feature for more information about it.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum24.html

You could do a web search for nerve glides to see if those help at all or not.