Last year I had cervical fusion surgery in my neck. Had a couple of disc's degeneration and starting to get chronic pain in my neck. After the surgery things were a lot better for a while but then I started getting pretty severe neck pain again. It was inter-mitten , but bad enough I had to take Tramodol. I would get the pain for 2 or 3 days then it would go away for a couple days. I found out I was pre-diabetic in a physical in January. I changed my diet completely on 22 January and went partially vegan. I lived on sodas and fast food for years. I cut out all fast food, sodas of any kind and all sweets. Also started cutting carbs and watching sugar intake. To make a long story shorter - two days after I changed my diet, my pain stopped, completely. Its been just over a month now with no neck pain. Does anyone know what is happening? Coincidence or did diet change do somethine?
how long between surgery and resolution of pain ?
Sometimes diet change can fix neuropathic pain.
About a year between surgery and this recent pain gone away.
I am a retired physician, so I have some experience. I also had similar surgery. Many people have had this experience which is probably not what your doctor told you to expect.
Basically for most people, the pain will have maximum improvement between 9 and 12 months after surgery. It is like you are suddenly aware that something has changed. Though diet could be and should be a factor if you give yourself the nutrients you need to heal, much of the change is from the fusion becoming more solid, the graft , if you had one, being solidly incorporated and the body remodeling and getting used to its new anatomy and environment.
thank you John.
I am experiencing RSD after my rotator cuff surgery 9 months ago. It’s making therapy very difficult and has effected my hand and gripping.
Maybe ease off the therapy just now to let your hand recover and go back to your doctor to find out why you are still having mobility problems.
I already have a frozen shoulder. Can’t afford to do that. I am going to occupational therapy for the hand too though. Problem is the RSD is in whole arm. No quick remedy for that.
If you are are finding the hand therapy difficult, you could ask the occupational therapist to do less vigorous work on your hand for a while if you feel that taking a complete break from it wouldn’t be an option for you You need to make sure that the physio is being tailored to what you can tolerate. Pain is the sign you are doing too much. It is not good to be putting too much strain on your hand since you are struggling with it. You could be doing more harm than good. You could always build up to more physio again when your hand is up to it. Rest can help in the healing process too.
I have neuropathic injuries in both arms and hands and the slightest physical exertion makes the pain worse so I know I have to rest my hands and arms until the pain goes away.