muscle stiffness/soreness - Spinal Cord Disorders Message Board

pgood · 05-06-2004, 05:44 AM

I am almost 10 weeks post op from ACDF with titanium plate/screws on C6-7. I wore the Aspen collar for 8 weeks. I was wondering if anyone else did or still experiences muscle stiffness/soreness in neck and shoulders after 10 weeks. This morning I am so sore and tight I almost feel like I have been beaten. Earlier in the week I almost felt 'normal' again. This is really discouraging.

CTmom · 05-06-2004, 09:04 AM

I'm three months postop ACDF with hardware. What you're experiencing sounds a lot like what I am dealing with. I generally have reasonably good days pain-wise and have even had two or three days where I was pain-free, but about once a week or so I have a really painful day with muscle spasms in my neck and back. It's really frustrating because I can't figure out what triggers it. I'm not overdoing it. I have noticed that damp weather seems to bring it on. Anyway, it can be discouraging - I wish this recovery process were more linear - but I find it helpful to remember how bad I felt all the time before the surgery and make the most of my good days. I am hoping with time these bad days will become fewer. In any event, at this point in your recovery what you are experiencing does not sound strange to me.

Best wishes for pain-free days!

CTMom

grace2 · 05-06-2004, 09:50 AM

I am about 7 weeks post op and still have soreness in my shoulders/neck/back. It is nothing horrible, more of an achy feeling. I decided this week that I needed to get off all the drugs (Lortab 7.5 and Soma). I'm kind of on the borderline of it still hurts but not too bad. I have had two great days of being almost normal. I even mowed the yard on Tuesday with no increase in soreness. Today I feel it a little more, but maybe all the drugs are gone from my system so I'm feeling it more? Also, we have a front coming in with rain expected tomorrow and it is worse when it rains. Ten weeks is still not that long, (I know it seems like it is). I hope you feel much better soon.

Esmo77 · 05-07-2004, 06:30 AM

I am six months post op and still am experiencing alot of shoulder, neck, upper back pain. Doc suggested p/t but it only is a temporary relief and copays are high for me. I am not particularly happy with outcome of my surgery (which is C5-7 w/hdwr and corp.) I keep trying to be positive and hope things improve with more time. I am tired of feeling this way and disappointed that the surgery did not relieve any pain, only the numbness in left arm. Yes, the rain does make the pain worse for me at least. Good luck pgood, I am sure you will improve with time. I am probably the exception to the rule.

grace in motion · 05-07-2004, 04:57 PM

well....I understand your worries about the pain and stiffness

But I can assure you it does get better with time, I will be a year out this June. However, I still have pain in the left arm. more testing reveiled I have c6c7 nerve root damage. I wear a "tens" unit that tricks the brain into thinking my arm does not hurt, it works pretty good. I take little or no meds because I prefer not. You do have to give your body the time it needs to heal. Don't give up! Testing did not take place on me until at least 6 months after surgery, I complained until they finally sent me in for more test.