Simultaneous Cervical & Rotator Cuff Pain & Other Symptoms???

Has anyone had simultaneous C-Spine & Rotator Cuff pain & other symptoms??

Briefly, I had an ACDF C4-C6 in June 2011 after over one (1) year of severe neck pain, occipital neuralgia, radiating pain, tingling/numbness, surgery was delayed as I wanted to try conservative treatment and my health insurance pretty much pushed conservative treatment down my throat before it would approve surgery. In August 2012, I had #1 Right Rotator Cuff surgery with good results; my damage was not extreme.

After the 2011 & 2012 surgeries, I remained relatively asymptomatic except for occasional neck & shoulder aches & pains but I did not require treatment. In early December 2015, my Right shoulder pain resumed with a vengeance. Immediately, I knew it was my rotator cuff again. Conservative treatment was tried & failed. After my Right shoulder pain began in December 2015, I also developed Right trapezius, Right side neck pain & "normal" headaches.

In June 2016, I had extensive, "salvage" surgery # 2 on my Right shoulder arm with multiple (at least 8) parts of my Right shoulder/arm needing repair, removal of bone spurs, tears to my Infraspinatus, Supraspinatus & Massive Tear to Subscapularis (which required part of my pectoral muscle to be transferred there), SLAP tear, bicep rupture, etc...It was the worst surgery & recovery I've ever experienced. I never got better; in fact, my pain & function was much worse. The June 2016 surgery "failed."

In early April 2017, I required my #3 Right shoulder/arm surgery to attempt to correct the failures (and likely mistakes) from my June 2016 surgery. My 3rd Ortho couldn't make any promises because my R shoulder was a complete mess & my R rotator cuff had literally stopped working. The results of #3 surgery were better than #2 but my arm will never be the same according to the multiple Orthos that I've consulted.

When I tried to return to work in July 2017, my recovery regressed, pain & function took a nose dive and my severe Right trapezius, neck pain and now "head" pain began. My trapezius is always tight & painful even though I take muscle relaxers, Butrans patch, Physical Therapy including neck stretches. The crepitus in my neck is outrageous. My neck pain is much worse and now begins at the back of my neck/base of skull going up & over my scalp, my scalp will sometimes be very tender to touch. No longer do I have mere headaches, I have what I call head pain aka occipital neuralgia. Also, I've got severe radiating pain down my Right arm, tingling especially in my Right Ring & Pinky fingers, dizziness at times, numbness, etc... My Ortho has referred me to a neuro for consult on Monday September 18.

Based on my past experiences, I HATE to admit it but I do think what I'm experiencing now is related to my C-Spine. There's been no accident, no fall, nothing. I'm so down, depressed & exhausted physically & emotionally from all these medical nightmares.

Has anyone had both C-Spine & rotator cuff problems simultaneously? What happened in your situation(s)? I feel as if my world is imploding!!!

ChronicPain1970:'
I see in your posts a common element of catastrophic thinking. Ex. That your body is imploding, that you have experienced a medical nightmare, and that you see in yourself a rapid downward trajectory.

Our thoughts influence our physical body and vice versa. Be aware of your inner dialogue and begin to correct for overly negative self talk.

You have mentioned that you have gained 20-30 pounds since your last surgery and are de-conditioned. Low muscle tone and excessive adipose tissue distribution can cause its own cyclic pain due to placing stress to joints and ligaments.

The cervical spine is especially vulnerable to postural mal-alignment and associated muscle spasm and co-contraction. Muscle spasms of the cervical spine can cause entrapment of spinal nerves as they exit the foramen with symptoms of numbness, tingling, and weakness.!!

I would look at your posture and alignment with your physical herbalist. A forward head position and rounded shoulder position can certainly be aggravating your symptoms.

And, certainly, given the number of surgeries that you have had I would be extremely cautious of pursing an additional surgical course. People tend to think that surgery is an assured "fix." Unfortunately, surgery can do more harm than good. Good health, once lost, is not easily recovered.

You seem angered that your insurance provider insisted on conversative treatment for your original shoulder injury. Conservative treatment is best served unless here is true spinal cord compression and risk of permanent paralysis.

Rotator cuff surgical repairs are prone to poor functional outcomes, the reasoning being that the common tendon insertion remains fragile and prone to reinjiry or partial tear. Full range of motion is rarely achieved. Shoulder flex ion above 90 degrees requires that the humeral head rotate and that the scapula upwardly rotates. It is loss of this synchronized interplay that is at the heart of most rotator cuff surgery post op limitations. Instead of chasing additional surgeries in seeking an elusive cure, it is often the better to learn to adapt and adjust to the range of motion that is available and address isometric and isotonic exercise to strengthen the core shoulder musculature.

Bottom Line: I would encourage you to look to focusing on getting your systemic body in better conditioning as a precursor to reducing your shoulder and cervical symptoms. Look at your sitting and standing posture (forward head, rounded shoulders) and how you may Cary muscle stress and excessive co-contraction. Look at your nutritional choices. Adopt relaxation skills and/or meditation and mindfulness. Focus on your holistic wellbeing before consenting to surgery.

Too many surgeries and your shoulder may say, "O have had enough" (metaphorically). Reflex sympathetic dystrophy of your shoulder may already be showing an early presence in the symptoms that you are listing. Any added surgery could be the tipping point that could escalate RSD (now called complex regional pain disorder) into full and agonizing bloom.

Be thoughtful in the medical decisions and choices that you make. A poor surgical outcome cannot always be fixed or improved upon.
Karen

Chronicpain1970:
Your hostility toward me speaks volumes as to your true self.

I endured a near fatal intestinal perforation (given a 5% chance of survival) and a near death experience where I was neither here in earth nor in Heaven - I was in between.

My brother is a Grade IV malignant glioblastoma multi forma survivor. That he is alive is a miracle. His diagnosis deeply affected my entire family to its core.

I notice that you had the "credentials" to advise the poster going through Percocet withdrawal that he needed to join a narcotics' recovery group. What gives you the formal authority to make that judgement?

Every person has personal obstacles in life to overcome.

I receive palliative care - comfort care. There is no "getting better" for me. And yet, I get up each day and find meaning and purpose to my day.

No worries. I will block you as a "foe." I will not engage with you any further.
Karen