Question
My friend just had a C-3 to T-2 posterior laminectomy and fusion 11 days ago. After the surgery he could move his arms. 2 days after he lost the use of his shoulder and has severe burning and pain in the arm and shoulder blades. Like an ice pick stabbing him. He has a CT scan done and they said he has a compressed nerve root. What does this mean? Will it heal over time or is there anything that can be done about it? He is on a lot of pain and muscle spasm drugs. It hasn't gotten any better in 11 days.

Answer
Hi, Lee,

The reason you friend needed a laminectomy is probably the same reason as he now has nerve root compression:  contracted neck/back muscles -- which cause pain, vertebral/disc changes, and loss of function.

Nerve root compression interferes with nerve function, which can cause paralysis as long as the nerve root is under pressure.

Surgery can make such contractions worse, because the pain causes involuntary cringing.

It's not an issue of healing; it's an issue of relaxation of the involved muscles.  Once the nerve root(s) come free, function should return immediately and continue to improve.

That may or may not happen by itself.  Your friend may need a series of somatic exercise or somatic education sessions to enable him to control the muscle tension.

May I suggest the following of my articles:

http://www.somatics.com/back_pain.htm
http://www.somatics.com/chronic_back_pain.htm