ADR and neck pain

[CharlesinCharge]

Three weeks ago I had two level (L4/L5 and L5/S1) ADR in Germany. About 4 months prior to that, I started to get neck/upper back/shoulder pain (as if my low back pain was not enough to deal with!). It got progressively worse, and so I went to my doctor and got an MRI. The MRI showed nothing of significance, so my doctor sent me to PT and gave me some Flexoril. It did not help much, and by the time I had my ADR surgery 3 weeks ago my neck pain was often worse than my low back pain.

Anyway, when I awoke from surgery the neck pain was completely gone. It was almost like a miracle to me, and while I don't understand how my DDD at L4/L5 and L5/S1 was causing the neck pain, clearly it was because the pain was now 100% gone after ADR surgery.

About 3 days ago my lower back suddenly started hurting me a lot, and I cannot tolerate sitting very long---this was not an issue while I was in Germany. Now, today my neck is starting to hurt again just a bit---not as bad as before, but I can feel it starting to ache a little.

Anyone have any idea what might be going on??

[dylan]

I get neck pain after back pain because with back pain comes lying down for long periods of time without moving, yes my neck does not like. stretching, massage and moving helps as well as proper ergonomics

[jf110]

Charles,
I assume they implanted the Maverick disc in your back. Stenum hospital was using the Charite disc for some time, but not anymore. I would suggest you get C-scan and MRI of your lower back and find A REAL EXPERIENCED ADR doctor here in the U.S. to look at your films. Some U.S. patients have had some problems with Stenum in the past and they posted there experiences here on this forum. JF110

[Alastair]

Hi Charles,
let's just take things one step at a time, three weeks after surgery is very "early days" if you were talking about three months then I would be concerned.

The anaesthetic can remain in your body for up to six weeks at least, so you could be getting pains coming through the anaesthetic as it gradually removed itself from your body.

You don't say where you had your surgery done so I don't know what preferences your surgeon had in doing this surgery?

Additionally, which I think you are suffering from at the moment is a change of posture, after ADR posture does change quite considerably, if I was in your position now, I would go and talk to someone who does the Alexander technique which is all about posture, sitting standing etc. I would treat the pain with either heat or cold, and just forget about further treatment except PT (to start at six weeks after surgery) for at least six months.
Best,
Alastair

[Harrison]

Charles, welcome to the board. I hope you can get the support you need in your recovery.

In the meantime, I do have a question for you. What is your understanding about what the pain generators were? Was is discogenic, compressed nerves, etc.? And where did you have surgery?

[CharlesinCharge]

My pain was all discogenic---I had no leg pain or neurological signs at all. I had a discogram done, which confirmed DDD at L4/L5 and L5/S1. I tried an Endoscopic disectomy with laser nucleoplasty in 4/06 (by a Dr. Chiu in Los Angeles) but it did not help at all. My two level ADR was done at Stenum, and while I know that many people on this site do not like them, everything went well for me.

The neck pain was strange because it was very persistent and painful, but the MRI showed nothing of significance. In fact, the night before my ADR surgery it hurt so bad I could not sleep. Imagine my elation when I awoke after surgery and the pain was 100% gone! My back also hurt very little, but I got ill from the Oxygesic medication they gave me and so I did very little walking the two weeks I was in Germany. My first few days back in the States I felt good and so walked around some, and then my lower back started hurting. Then, a few days later my neck started to ache just a bit.

[Harrison]

Charles, there may be a zillion reasons why you have this new neck pain -- I just hope it's short lived.

One of the topics we've discussed (though obvious) is how much your posture changes after surgery. Especially a 2 level procedure! Think about it, everything changes from the way weight is distributed throughout your body...

This is one of many reasons to take it slow, relax your muscles through multiple measures, and do gentle stretching of ALL your muscles.

Good luck, I hope everything works out OK.