Question
It has been 1 year since I had my C5,C6 and C7 cervical fusion done.  There is no defining moment as to when my injury to my neck occurred.  Since the surgery I continue to have recurrent pain in the neck shoulder and left arm.  I also continue to have numbness and loss of feeling in left arm and hand.  I have days of not being able to sleep for more than an hour at a time.  Alot of the time it seems like the surgery was a waste of time.  Is there any further or additional options to treat my problems?

Answer
Dear Vernon,

I just answered this question and the Allexperts server deleted it for some reason, so here we go again!!

First of all, you should not be having any of these symptoms after a successful cervical disc fusion surgery...even when performed at multi-levels.  However, you do have some options that do not include additional surgery at this point.

With the symptoms you have reported, the first step is to have all your complaints re-assessed with a complete functional examination which should include active range of motion, orthopedic tests, neurological tests, deep tendon reflexes, muscle strength evaluation (especially comparing the left side to the right), sensory testing, and palpation of the soft tissues of the neck, shoulders and upper back.  this is to determine the magnitude and extent of what tissues are responsible for your symptoms:  peripheral nerve, nerve root, disc, soft tissue, or a combination which is likely.

I would recommend a chiropractic physician who has advanced training in soft tissue mobilization techniques:  Active Release technique, SASTM, or Graston technique. (Google search will elaborate on these techniques and you will be able to find certified doctors) These doctors are generally very good with diagnosis and treatment.  I also firmly believe that you do have scar tissue, adhesions, muscle spams, and trigger points associated that absolutely need to be addressed with soft tissue mobilization techniques.

Now...you may have a big question...yes the neck can be adjusted even with the surgical hardware, but the chiropractor will need to look at the post surgical films first.  Most neck surgery technique preserve some posterior joint motion because the fusion is done from the front.  I actually have five surgical fusion cases in my office right now that I am working on... 4 neck fusions, 1 low back.  I manually adjust 3 of the neck cases and use an instrument to adjust the other two.  All are reporting reduce pain and symptoms while their function is improving...so there is no reason why you can't get some relief as well, but you need to be evaluated first.  realize that some chiropractors shy away from these cases...2 of my patients had been turned away from other chiropractic physicians in my community before being referred to my office.

Do the research, and feel free to write back if you have any further questions.  Otherwise, make the appointment for a consultation at minimum.  Hope this helps Vernon.

Respectfully,
Dr. J. Shawn Leatherman
www.suncoasthealthcare.net