Question
In 2001 I had a cervical fusion on C6 & C7. Last winter 9 years later in 2010, I fell outside in the dark in the back yard looking for my dog. I didn't hit my head but I jerked it. When I had my fusion done, It was because I herniated the disc space on my left side. I had pain in my neck which went down to my shoulder blade in the back LEFT,and down my left arm.It is not as severe as it was before my surgery. Back to the present...., The titanium plate was put in antereor. A couple months after I fell, I was getting into a friends car, passinger side, and I banged my head on the LEFT side, bending my neck to the RIGHT side and I had pain. My neck would click once every few days. I had an x-ray done and my surgeon said all looked OK. Now a little over a year later, April, 2011, my neck clicks and pops on the LEFT, RIGHT and BASE of my SCULL in the back. I also have moderate pain that feels muscular when I turn my head to the LEFT.It hurts also when I turn my head to the RIGHT, just not as bad. However, the clicks and pops are all day long now. I'd say 4-6 / hour. My surgeon said he thought it was the "FACET JOINT" making the pops and clicks. What is your opinion? Should I be worried? Do you think I need to have it redone? The fision I mean?

Answer

Hanna somatic educatio Hello, Jill.

The missing piece in understanding such injuries is the muscular contractions that ensue.

Protective muscular contractions are an automatic, reflexive response to injuries -- including neck injury.  No further damage need to have occurred for contractions to ensue and to compress nerves that create "down the arm" symptoms.  An incident, such as falling, is enough to trigger them.  The pain down by the shoulder blade may be nerve pain or muscular contraction of long muscles that go into the neck. Nerve pain ensues when nerves get trapped as a result of such muscular contractions.

May I direct you to to places that address

neck injuries:  http://somatics.com/whiplash.htm
disc herniation: http://somatics.com/back_pain_terms.htm

Pops and clicks with neck movement are a sign of such contractions; contractions pull vertebrae closely enough together that facet joints rub and create what I call, "sand and gravel" sounds.  The articles, above, explain more and provide a highly effective way to deal with them.

regard,
Lawrence Gold