cervical spine surgery C4, C5, C6, C7

I am 3 months post cervical spine surgery on C4, C5, C6 & C7, I came out of surgery with no use of my hands although both functioned prior to surgery. I also am unable to experience an orgasam. I am wondering if this is related to my surgery?

FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND AND HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET A SLIPPED DISC IS ALSO A HERNIATED DISC. I WAS REARENDED BY A SEMI TRUCK WHILE I WAS STOPPED AT STOP SIGN. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD NECK AND SHOULDER PAIN AND PRESSURE SOMETIMES SEVERE. I AM STILL TAKING MEDICATION, HAVE HAD A MRI, HAVE HAD PHYSICAL THERAPY, AND HAVE HAD EPIDURAL INJECTIONS. I WAS TOLD BY A NEUROSURGON THAT MY PROBLEM CANNOT BE HELPED WITH SURGERY. A NEUROLOGIST DID THAT TEST WHERE THEY SEND SHOCK THROUGH YOUR HANDS AND ELBOW, BUT I HAVE NOT HEARD BACK ON THAT TEST AS OF YET, EXCEPT THAT SURGERY IS NOT THE ANSWER. I AM GLAD SURGERY IS NOT THE ANSWER BUT NO ONE CAN TELL ME WHAT THE ANSWER IS. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I JUST LAY IN BED AND CRY BECAUSE OF THE PAIN/PRESSURE IN MY NECK AND SHOULDERS. IS THERE ANY LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL FOR MY C-6,C-7 NECK PAIN/PRESSURE. THE INJURY HAS TOTALLY CHANGED MY LIFE. I USED TO BE SO ACTIVE AND NOW I CANT CARRY THINGS WITHOUT THE PAIN COMING ON, I CANT GARDEN, I CANT RIDE A CARNIVAL RIDE, I CANT TYPE OR RIDE/DRIVE IN A CAR FOR MORE THAT 1 HOUR. HELP ME FIND THE ANSWER. HAS ANYONE HEARD OF "PRECISION PLUS SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM"? COULD THAT BE THE ANSWER?"

Iam replying to kaysien2: I have the same thing you have and have done the same things you have. I had that electrical test down my arms as well.
They finally sent me the results and told me to see a psycratist(not spelled right) any ways I did not give up. I finally found a doctor that will preforme surgery fusion on my dics. This should help my pain. Everyone that I have talked to that has had this fusion surgery says it has worked.
If I were you get the surgery done. and dont give up.

I am a chiropractic orthopedist. I treat cases like yours with extremely light touch chiropractic methods and cold laser. Every case is a bit different; however, we have had great success in some cases, and sent others on for surgery when our approach did not meet with enough improvement. It is important to not give up hope, and consider all options before surgery. I am very familiar with cervical and lumbar fusion surgery, and it does not always improve the symptoms. Unfortunately, there are times when the outcome is worse for the patient.

I am having surgery to fuse c6-c7 Thursday May 22nd, 2008.

I suffer from pain the neck , numbness, frequency of urination, some problems with holding onto items. But the things that concern me the most are the fatigue, dizziness, and headaches.

I have also meet with a neuropsychologist to see about the headaches and constant blinking (I think the blinking is becasue of the headaches)

Hang in there.

I too had those tests and they came out negative. I could no longer handle the pain (I was not able to move my arm anymore). I finally told my dr I needed something more /an answer and I told him don 't tell me to quit my job and stay home. He sent me for an MRI. Bingo I had a c-6 an c-7 herniation. I had surgery 8 weeks ago. I don't have the severe pain as of now. I still have 8 more wks of recovery. I still have loss of feeling and numbness and pain. I do hope this gets better in Physical therapy.
Pleas research for a New Dr. Get a Nuerosurgeon and don't let them say test are normal. Not everyone is the same. The tests are based on people with normal feelings. I read that on the web m.d. site.
I hope the best for you. I started this fight 4 rs ago. and it is caused from work.

I am 3 weeks post op on anterior cervical fusion to C4 C5 C6 C7. Immediately following surgery I was almost pain free. However around week 2 I started having right shoulder pain. Before surgery, the right should and arm were numb. I was guessing if this pain was normal for over a week. I finally decided to see an orthopedic surgeon today to find out if the pain was related to my surgery. He informed me that I have a non-functioning rotator cuff and that it could be caused by my shoulder being "neurologically asleep". He gave me a cortisone shot and I am scheduled to start physical therapy next week. Has anyone else had this problem and if so, what was the outcome for you?

Before surgery I spent 2 years in pain having all of the obvious treatments, tens unit, physical therapy, cortisone injections, spinal epidurals, theraputic massage therapy. I was hoping that surgery would be the end to all of the above but so far it has not.

In my case after my surgery I had new pain on the other side(my right also). It was just that I have another area of my nerve being compressed and it did not show up before because my left side was hurting so bad that I did not feel it. Now I am being treated for my right side.

I had C-4 through C-7 discs fused on January 19, 2009. Ironically, I did not have previous pain history, but came from a snow skiing accident. I thought it would fix my right shoulder, but still could not move it over my head, post op. I also got a cortisone shot and have gained mobility in the shoulder and can hear a clicking sound. My surgeon has said that I was healing quickly and I was bummed that it took this long. I am on week five.

Two days ago my husband had surgery on his C6,7 vertebrae. After nearly a year of pain, (which began as a burning stress knot in his back and slowly progressed to pain, numbness, and finally loss of strength in his right arm and fingers), and many non invasive treatments, (chiropractic, pain management, physical therapy, neck collar, exercise, and acupuncture), he finally was referred to a neurosurgeon. The neurosurgeon, after reviewing his MRI, and doing a far more in depth physical exam than the neurologist ever did, recommended surgery. We were scheduled for surgery to occur in less than a weeks time! A piece of his disk had torn off and become lodged on his right side, and a large bone spur had grown on his left side. The disk was fished out and removed, the bone spur removed, cadaver bone was packed in place, and a titanium plate was used to secure the two vertebrae. The operation took a little over 2 hours, and he stayed in the hospital over night. He is now home, moving about, managing pain with Tylenol, and cannot drive for a week. He may return to work, a desk job, in 7 days, but he may only work until he becomes fatigued.
Post surgery-the pain and numbness were gone upon waking. He did have an ache in his forearm, (due to the irritation of the nerve from the fishing out of the disk), but that has faded away completely. His doctor does not use immobilization collars, so he doesn't have to deal with that discomfort. He is a bit stiff in the neck, understandably. And the most discomfort he seems to have is in his chest. His chest aches from the movement of his bronchial tube during surgery, and the intrusion of the air tube. He was a bit sick to his stomach and had a headache the first night. His incision is only about 2 inches long, and he must keep it dry for a week. He will be vulnerable to infection for a few more weeks, but all in all he is doing well. We were fortunate to have a great surgeon who communicates well with her patients, and loved ones, who has 17 years of successful experience, 95% of patients had improvement, and a great bedside manner. We feel very fortunate to have had such a great experience with Dr. Henry at Loma Linda University Medical Center East Campus, and that my husband received such attentive care from the hospitals nursing staff. His nurse Liz was the best!
My husband was tired of the pain. He was becoming extremely grouchy, and bordering on depression, as his muscles shrank, and his ability to perform day to day activities continued to diminish. I saw an improvement in his demeaner as soon as the surgery was scheduled and hope was renewed.
My advice is to be firm with your doctors. Take your films, DVD's, and reports to your visits with new doctors. Write down your symptoms and their progression. The more organized and seriously communicate, the more seriously you will be taken. And be honest about your pain levels. They ask, using the 1-10 scale. Keep a long of this!