incomplete cervical fusion
 

I had a 4 level cervical fusion 2.5 years ago. Fusion worked in that all my nerve pain and numbness in arms and fingers immediately went away. About a year ago I started to have neck pain and it has become increasingly worse. It is not a hot nerve pain but more of a bone/muscle pain. Sometimes it does burn. Anyway the first 2 neurosurgeons sad the MRI and X-ray show the fusion is good but the limited range of motion caused the neck pain. A third neurosurgeon suggested a CT scan because the hardware impairs the quality of an MRI. The CT scan show an incomplete fusion. I am a former smoker but did not smoke for year prior to the procedure. Anyway the choice of treatment now is nerve block or another fusion on posterior side.

Anyone have similar experience? Any advice on the options?
-JFS

Hi Rockem ~ Please, stay as conservative as you possibly can!!! Another surgery is just going to have you going back again and again! :eek: "Surgery begets surgery." Try the nerve block. I'm NOT an advocate of these as most of the time they don't work, but you MIGHT be some relief from it. It's just a "bandaid" fix -- it's not permanent. But it could give you relief for awhile.

After the nerve block, you might try physical therapy for awhile. Give it a good try -- don't go for just a time or two. Try it for a good long time if your insurance will pay for it, cause it could just work! :D They will know how much therapy you should do with your incomplete fusion -- just make sure you tell them everything.

Best of luck and God bless. I hope you get some pain relief. I know your pain is pretty awful. Take care of yourself! Hugs, Lee :)

[QUOTE=Leesa;908501]Hi Rockem ~ Please, stay as conservative as you possibly can!!! Another surgery is just going to have you going back again and again! :eek: "Surgery begets surgery." Try the nerve block. I'm NOT an advocate of these as most of the time they don't work, but you MIGHT be some relief from it. It's just a "bandaid" fix -- it's not permanent. But it could give you relief for awhile.

After the nerve block, you might try physical therapy for awhile. Give it a good try -- don't go for just a time or two. Try it for a good long time if your insurance will pay for it, cause it could just work! :D They will know how much therapy you should do with your incomplete fusion -- just make sure you tell them everything.

Best of luck and God bless. I hope you get some pain relief. I know your pain is pretty awful. Take care of yourself! Hugs, Lee :)[/QUOTE

Did you have an incomplete fusion. I have tried everything including 6 weeks of physicial therapy which made the pain progressively worse, neck brace, traction, and nerve block. So far no luck. Opioids do work but the quality of life doped up sucks.