Has anyone had cervical spine surgery?

Question:

I have recently had 3 MRI's of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar sections.i have a rather large herniated disc between C6 - C7 it is compressing the spinal cord. My Neurosurgeon wants me to have the disc removed and bone fused and plate and screws. I have noticed that it seems to be getting worse as im sure it will, i have been losing more feeling in hands, and cant grasp things normally. the other two MRi's showed thoracic and lumbar was ok.but why do i have such tremedous lower back pain? Its excruciating when getting up from sitting and start to walk, i am usually off balance for a few steps. would the cervical disc be causing this also? my doctor and neurosugeon hasnt really given me any answers, they are concentrating on the arm/shoulder pain and loss of feeling. why are they ignoring the lower back pain? i know its not as serious as the other but i would still like some answers, if anyone has had similar symptoms please share info.

Answers:
In that amazing spinal cord of yours. you have many neurological "tracts" which carry specific types of information- including balance back and forth between your central nervous system and your peripheral nervous system. When you have a disc herniation, it is kind of like a "jelly doughnut" with the jelly mushing out and slightly compressing on your spinal cord. This can cause issues with proprioception (balance). Has your doc mentioned that not only does your range of motion decrease after surgery, but your incidence of herniations above and below the fused segment will be increased tremendously? Think you have problems now? How about the incidence of "failed back surgery syndrome"= scar tissue adhesing onto your nerves (similar feeling as a disc doing the same). Many people with cervical herniations experience low back symptoms. Especially when a cervical herniation causes abnormal spasms in musculature on one side. Look in the mirror. Head on. Look at the position of your ears. Are you balanced? If not, you probably have spasms/ adhesions in the musculature and slightly less than mobile spinal segments. Your head is turned up top, your body has to follow. It is called the spinal "righting reflex" and can cause lumbar issues. Start with some non invasive therapies first. preferably those that add traction to the spine, taking pressure off of the cord. perhaps a chiropractor. ;)

my son also has spine issue with c1 c3/4 and a tethered cord. He will also have to have suregery. I wish I had answers for you now but I don't but I do wish you the best of luck..

well, if your c6 and c7 discs are compressing the spinal cord, that can cause pain or loss of sensation to any part of the body below that, since the spinal cord branches out as it gets lower. I'm not sure the extend to your c6 c7 injury, i personally have not experienced anything like it, but i known people that has cspine surgery, and from their opinion, it should be last option because you will have very limited range of mobility with your neck. i'm not a doctor, so i can't tell you more, but i do work in related field.

Hi there and Welcome to the "I had a spinal fusion done" club. Small world as I have a plate and screws, with the cadver bone inserted, at C6 and C7.

Spinal Cord compression was a major issue with my procedure. Now everyone is different, but here are my details.

10 Months of pain and numbness to my left arm and sholder, was originally diagnossed with a "pinched nerve". Well, it was a "pinched spinal cord" once I had my MRI. Anyway, a couple of X-rays to do some measurements and 3 days later I am in Pre-OP. Entered Pre-OP around 10:30 am and they started to prep, now I was a little nervous and didn't sleep at all the night before, so when they gave me some Valium, they said that I would get sleepy. Well, less than 30 seconds later I was out for the count. Woke up in Post OP at 7:45 pm. Everybody was kinda nervous that I had somesort of problem, but woke up alittle groggy, and then was HUNGRY. You don't eat the night before, so I was working on 24 hours without eating.
Now, as for pain and discomfort. I had a little trouble drinking and eating for a couple of weeks. A little swelling in the throat, is what I was told. Just go slow and chew your food real good. I had pain killers so, for about the first week to week and half, they were useful. Afterthat , asprin was just fine for a little discomfort. Now, for the good stuff, I had "atrothpy" of my left arm, I just never used it because of the pain and numbness, but by 9:00 pm the eveing of my surgery, I was walking around picking stuff up with it and wavying it around and yelling "It works again, the damn thing works again"..

Anyway, that was three years ago, I still have numbness and perment nerve damage to my left hand and arm. I can function, it's just that my tricep muscle doesn't "fire" completely and my Thumb and Forefinger feel like they are asleep. I get a creeping numbness up my arm from time to time, but that's only when I really use it, like working out and stuff. Other than that, I am fine. The surgeon was very happy with the range of motion I still up with my neck. So all is well. I hope this helps. Good Luck.

Has anyone had cervical spine surgery?

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