[joowee40]

#33009

Hi..I’ve had an acdf 5 thru 7 and then due to pseudoarthrosis, a posterior revision from 3 thru 6, then a posterior to remove a large anterior spur at c7. I was rear ended in oct and was determined that my c7/t1 was bulging some. My pain kept increasing and began radiating pain in left arm and new imaging found rhe the bulge herniated..central protrusion left which I will now have another posterior soon. All these surgeries, I have been chasing trying to get rid of the hatchet pain in my top right shoulder blade and nothing seems to fix it. What have you come across that would point me in the right direction to begin researching what is causing this?
Julie

[Donald Corenman, MD, DC]

#33010

You must be good friends right now with your surgeon based upon all the surgeries you have been through. It seems that this “hatchet” pain in your right shoulder has never been relieved by your prior surgeries. Correct, or did you get temporary relief that returned after you developed a pseudoarthrosis?

Did you ever have positive diagnostic blocks (a numbing injection around one of your neck nerve roots that gave you temporary pain relief) to demonstrate the pain generator? See https://www.neckandback.com/treatments/diagnostic-therapeutic-neck/

The nest step is to determine where the pain is originating (which could even be generated by your shoulder). Diagnostic blocks would be that pathway.

Dr. Corenman

PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
 
Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.

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