Burning neck/face pain/ increases with exercise/please help - Spinal Cord Disorders Message Board

dredd384 · 05-12-2008, 07:30 PM

Can anyone tell me if they have had any of these syptoms? I have had burning neck pain with burning in my face as well, it increases with exercise. I finally had a fusion on C5-C6 for a herniated disk. The only relief I got from that was the headache went away. The fusion was done in Jan., they say it has not fused completely yet, but the burning is still as bad as it was before the surgery and if I go out and walk or ride my bike, it gets so bad I can't stand it! I am on topamax 200mg, they have tried facet injections, to no relief. I am about to go crazy!
They don't seem to give me any answers to what is causing this, they only say maybe spinal cord damage! they say the syptoms are something they have never heard of before with even that, I know I can't be the only person in the world to have these syptoms before, can someone please help me and tell me where to look or what is causing this pain. I am about to lose my mind.
The only think I get from my pain management doctor is he wants to send me to a couselor, I wouldn't need a couselor if they would stop the pain, and get me to where I could do my activities I have always be able to do.
This is stressing me out so bad!
I just want to know if this is every going to end! or if I am going to have to live with this for the rest of my life! I think I will kill myself if I have to end up living with this forever!
Does anyone have any answers? or have you ever heard of exercise induced burning neck and face pain?
I can't believe I am the first person to every complain of this before.
PLEASE someone help me.

PNo · 05-13-2008, 12:59 PM

It is very common to continue to have symptoms (and even new ones) for the year following surgery. Some people are lucky and they feel better immediately and go on with their activity. Others - the problems were different and they need lots more time.

Activity can bring this on. Your fusion will take a very long time to heal and as long as it is not healed you will probably have some symptoms - since you seem to be in the group of people that get these type results. It could even take up to 2 years for you to feel completely well. Also depending on if you had spinal cord compression or severe nerve root compression those nerve become alive, have to repair, etc..

My advice is to lower your activity, your body is sending you signals that it isn't ready. You might try Neurontin or Lyrica for the burning, I found a great deal of relief from using these type meds. Lots of people complain about symptoms from these meds, but if you start taking them slowly and dose up slowly you might tolerate this.

Sometimes these surgeries don't fix everything, I am sure they told you this??? They are intended to make sure nothing worse happens. Give it time it will probably resolve.

dredd384 · 05-13-2008, 02:18 PM

So you think this isn't going to be something I will have to live with forever? why can't the doctors tell me that? instead of letting me suffer with the thoughts of this black hole of not thinking I am ever going to get better. I am so scared that everyday that this is not going to get better. I wake up and it is still there and it doesn't seem to want to go away! It has been 8 months since the syptoms started and 4 months since the surgery and nothing seems to be any better, just hard to get past that with out seeing any improvement.
But thanks so much for the words of encouragement and at least hearing that there is a possiblity that I might get better over time.
I just want my life back. I want to be able to enjoy the activities I use to do without being on fire when I go do them.
I have never felt this type of burning in my life, it almost consumes my whole life right now.

erin72 · 05-13-2008, 11:23 PM

Hi! I completely agree with Neck Patient! Take time to heal!! You don't want to end up having this surgery again and your spinal cord is so slow to heal and forgive. Give your body time to heal well. I had to have a revision surgery a year after my first ACDF at C5/6. I never fused the first time. It's no fun to do it again, trust me!! You will get back to being busy and active, slow down for now and listen to your body. It is very frustrating to feel like you'll never get your life back, I said that phrase more times than I would like to admit!! Take Neck Patients advice, slow down!!

anwise67 · 05-14-2008, 06:58 PM

Hi, I totally feel your pain. Until you suffer with this type of burning, you just have no idea. I have figured out a way to describe this burning so that my family has a better understanding of what i'm going through. To me it feels like thousands of fire ants are stinging. I have neuropathy and experience this terrible burning in my face, hands, and feet. When this happens, I use ice packs to cool things down. Thankfully, I don't have the burning all of the time. I recently tried vicks vapor rub on my feet for the burning and it helped. I also take 400mg of lyrica and 75mg of nortriptilyne per day. When I am having the burning episode, darvacet seems to help too. I wish you the best and hope that you will heel in time.