Dangling Unit
MuscleHead
- Jan 2, 2011
- 678
- 82
About 1.5-years ago, my C5/6 disc was slightly pinching off a nerve. My orthopaedic surgeon had me try physical therapy, but it didn't work. So, she had me get an injection in my neck. It worked great.
The end of this February, I woke with a pain in my shoulder blade area. Over a couple days it progressively got worse. The pain went from my right side rhomboid, through my blade, tricep, and forearm. The tips of my thumb, index, and middle finger were numb. Within two-weeks, my right rhomboid, lat, pec, and tricep atrophied to less than 1/4 of what they were, while my left side stayed the same. It was very depressing, especially when it was just a couple weeks from going to Hawaii for a bit.
We tried another injection, but it only worked a little. I went to Hawaii in pain, with an upper body looking like I only worked the left side. I was taking Percocet 7.5 three to four times a day, and that didn't make the pain go completely away.
When I returned, we did another MRI. My C5/6 disc was slightly herniated and my C6/7 was severely herniated. The entire C6/7 nerve root was blocked. My orthopaedic surgeon said another injection would be futile and I needed surgery, but recommended I had a neurosurgeon do it.
A couple weeks later, I was under the knife for an anterior cervical discectomy fusion and plating on C5/6 and C6/7. Recovery was easy. I was mowing the lawn and gardening a couple days after being discharged. My throat was sore and I still have a slight lump in it some three-weeks later, but no pain. I returned to the gym a couple days ago and did leg workouts, but without squats, as I didn't want to rest a bar across it and do something to injure the fusion area. The neurosurgeon gave me a prescription for physical therapy, but said I don't have to use it, because I'm active. He said it's mostly for the lazies. I'm going to go so I can get massages paid for by the insurance company. The total bill for the surgeon, anesthesiologist, hospital, overnight stay, etc. was $62,000 and change. I'm glad I have a $0 deductible insurance policy.
The bad thing about this is no one can tell me exactly how I herniated the discs. I have great posture (ballroom dancing helps with that) and don't participate in anything that would normally cause it, e.g. football, motorcycle riding. I grew up in martial arts, but became inactive in that about 10-years ago. The only stress I put on that area is the bar from heavy squats. Any thoughts?
Well, on the path to recovery, hoping I don't have nerve damage and can build this right side back to where it was.
The end of this February, I woke with a pain in my shoulder blade area. Over a couple days it progressively got worse. The pain went from my right side rhomboid, through my blade, tricep, and forearm. The tips of my thumb, index, and middle finger were numb. Within two-weeks, my right rhomboid, lat, pec, and tricep atrophied to less than 1/4 of what they were, while my left side stayed the same. It was very depressing, especially when it was just a couple weeks from going to Hawaii for a bit.
We tried another injection, but it only worked a little. I went to Hawaii in pain, with an upper body looking like I only worked the left side. I was taking Percocet 7.5 three to four times a day, and that didn't make the pain go completely away.
When I returned, we did another MRI. My C5/6 disc was slightly herniated and my C6/7 was severely herniated. The entire C6/7 nerve root was blocked. My orthopaedic surgeon said another injection would be futile and I needed surgery, but recommended I had a neurosurgeon do it.
A couple weeks later, I was under the knife for an anterior cervical discectomy fusion and plating on C5/6 and C6/7. Recovery was easy. I was mowing the lawn and gardening a couple days after being discharged. My throat was sore and I still have a slight lump in it some three-weeks later, but no pain. I returned to the gym a couple days ago and did leg workouts, but without squats, as I didn't want to rest a bar across it and do something to injure the fusion area. The neurosurgeon gave me a prescription for physical therapy, but said I don't have to use it, because I'm active. He said it's mostly for the lazies. I'm going to go so I can get massages paid for by the insurance company. The total bill for the surgeon, anesthesiologist, hospital, overnight stay, etc. was $62,000 and change. I'm glad I have a $0 deductible insurance policy.
The bad thing about this is no one can tell me exactly how I herniated the discs. I have great posture (ballroom dancing helps with that) and don't participate in anything that would normally cause it, e.g. football, motorcycle riding. I grew up in martial arts, but became inactive in that about 10-years ago. The only stress I put on that area is the bar from heavy squats. Any thoughts?
Well, on the path to recovery, hoping I don't have nerve damage and can build this right side back to where it was.