I had C5-6-7 ACDF surgery back on 6/22/06. Wore my Philly collar and did no lifting as instructed. Six weeks ago the collar came off and I started PT. I was started off with range of motion and gravity resistance exercises which immediately triggered the neck, shoulder, and arm, and upper back pain. My OS stated that the surgery was to alleviate the shoulder and arm pain. Here it is 3 months after surgery and my neck pain is constant and worse. I've been having the shoulder pain with the shooting pain down my upper arms with any repetitive motion (such as PT, washing dishes, scrubbing shower/bath) and it takes 3 days of doing absolutely nothing before it calms back down. I can tilt my head back ever so slightly before it becomes painful and turn it side-to-side 30% in either direction, but I can look down pretty well even with the fusion. Both hands are still tingling, but the intensity and achiness has increased.

The Physical therapist has sent me back to the OS because of the symptoms I was having. I've agreed to try (in the next week or two) facet ESI's, in hopes that it will increase my ability to turn and tilt my head. Backing a car out of a parking space has become down-right unsafe! My OS also mentioned getting an MRI to see if something could be causing the pains.

Has anyone else experienced the same thing just a few months out of surgery? How long does it take for the shoulder/arm pains to subside? What is normal and what is not normal 3 months after surgery? I'd like to think that this is not the way I am going to stay. Any and all insight would be greatly appreciated cuz I sure could use as much information as I can get.

Thanks,

Kim