Back Issues :: Clicking After L5 - S1 Spinal Fusion
Dec 9, 2013
I am almost 2 years post op from an L5 - S1 spinal fusion. I had three surgeries in 9 months before the fusion. I have never been 100% since. The pain is not as severe or crippling, but there is much that I am unable to do. I cannot stand for more than 20 minutes, cannot walk around for more than 30 minutes and have to alternate sitting with laying down. I take Vicodin 1-2 times each day for the pain. I also have numbness in the left foot from the middle toe to the pinky and around the outside of the foot to the heel. My concern now is that I hear a "clicking" when I get up from sitting or lying down. I live in Minnesota and the winter is brutal! I suffer more with extreme cold and damp weather. Is this something to be concerned with or just another item to learn to accept? Is it possible to have an MRI after a fusion?
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I had back surgery in March 2013 that left me with mechanical instability, acquired spondylolisthesis and lots of pain.
I have 2 ortho spine surgeons telling me that I need a bi-level spinal fusion surgery to repair the damage, but after the botched first surgery, the thought of another surgery scares me to death. Plus, since surgery is what spine surgeons do, the recommendation seems obvious.
I also started seeing a new pain management doctor (we moved to a new state) and he is suggesting that I consider a spinal cord stimulator trial, with surgical implantation if we find that it helps the pain.
So...I'm left confused. I see the positives and negatives of each, but I'm just not sure if one makes more sense over the other. I think that my spondylolisthesis will worsen over time and could pose a threat of nerve damage, while the spinal cord stimulator is designed to mask pain and does nothing to address the instability.
I'd love to know if anyone else has faced a similar decision...or has thoughts, ideas, comments, suggestions for considering one over the other.
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I had an l4/l5 fusion 11 weeks ago. During the day I'm doing really well. Starting my phased return to work and going on my exercise bike. Have little discomfort during the day other than if I reach incorrectly or sit for too long etc.
I am really struggling at night. As soon as I get into bed in any position I am in immense pain. I struggle to sleep and wake up constantly through the night. My physio has changed all my exercises to ensure nine involve laying down so at least now I only have to worry about night times.
Has anyone else had this problem?? Anyone got any advice?? Am taking ibuprofen during the day and codydramol at night but doesn't seen to help.
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after contracting cervical spondylosis through an industrial accident i have taken many different forms of medication, namely diclofenac, tramadol and co-dydramol, none work, two disc replacements later, c5-c6 c6-c7, still symptoms persist, tramadol are horrendous, sleepless nights itchiness mild vertigo drowsiness, a truly awful drug, diclofenac caused some form of breathing difficulty, although im not an asthma sufferer, i think the only possible cure for this illness is a spinal fusion, my surgeon seems reluctant in doing this as he is trialling new discs, i never wanted to be a guinea pig, i just wanted to be cured, four years later im worse than ever, no work cant drive cant sleep at night, any ideas?
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I'm 5 months post op from MIS fusion of l4/l5 and in pain.
Had microdiscectomy at the same level november 2013 without any relief. The back pain only got worse. The disc was completely dehydrated and I was offered the fusion 6 months later. Not that much pain after the operation but it has increased a lot. Severe back pain in the lower back and all the way up to the shoulders.
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Two days ago I was in the gym exercising my shoulders and whilst I was lifting weights, I moved my back whilst seated and I heard a 'click' sound in my back, followed by pain in that area of my lower middle back. I immediately stopped exercising and haven't gone to the gym since.
I don't know what I was thinking by moving my back like that, but since it happened there is a lot less pain and it feels like the pain may be totally gone in the next 48-72 hours hopefully.
On the night of the injury I found it hard to turn onto my side when in bed, but now I can do it without any problems. Now I can only feel some pain when I turn my upper body to the left or right or if I try to stretch my lower back.
Would anyone be able to give me some advice such as what type of injury I have or whether this may have a long term effect? Is it a very positive sign that the pain is decreasing each day?
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I am a 40 year old male that has had two back surgeries. First Surgery February 2014 Lumbar Spine Posterior Discectomy Micro-discectomy on L4 & L5. Surgery failed no improvement. My Second surgery March 2015 Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (alif) surgery on L4, L5, & S1 with cage implants and bone grafts harvested from my own hip bone. I experience sciatica on my right leg and most frequent on left leg ;shooting pain down my right/left hip/buttocks, goes down the back of the leg. The last 3 years left foot numbness. My worst pain is in bed getting up is very painful. Before my ALIF surgery I suffered from sciatica foot numbness and pain in mostly my left leg region. After 6 weeks post ALIF surgery or so I started getting pain in my buttock/hip region. This actually started during my physical therapy. At first I was doing water therapy this is when it started. My last day of water therapy I was literally about to go to ER from P.T clinic. From there on it just had gotten worst, no real improvement. I went back for more P.T sessions stretching and other exercises . What Physical Therapist did notice that my hip motion was very limited and not much improved happen during all my sessions about 40 or so. Its being about 10 months after surgery and 4 months of P.T. and pain on hips doesn't go away. I have to be careful going up or down stairs. Getting out of bed or moving around in bed its a battle. I have spoken to my surgeon and he says it will take more time for recovery and possible have to live with this pain as a fact of life. I have also spoke to other doctor s and pretty much same response. Once thing I just found out recently is about Hip Bursitis. I was diagnosed with Arthritis. My surgeon keeps on saying its my Arthritis causing pain but prior to ALIF surgery I never had this buttocks pain , specially getting in and out bed. I was wondering if anyone has had same symptoms after spinal fusion surgery having Hip Pain From Arthritis or Hip Bursitis?
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I went to physical therapy for TMJ 4 days ago, I'm 31 years old. While massaging my jaw the physical therapist went on to my neck, and without me knowing out of nowhere cranked my neck super hard and it popped 3 times on the left side. My neck has been stiff on the left ever since with some pain and when I walk I hear loud clicking crackling/pop rocks sounds in my neck right before it meets the shoulders. Did he injure me? anyone else experience this? will it go away.
I was so upset he cracked my neck like that he isn't even a chiropractor but said afterwards when I got upset with him that he knows chiropractor movements.
I've never been to a chiropractor so I don't know how it compares but it seems really hard and forceful when he did it. Its weird that when I move my neck I don't hear the sound, only when walking. Someone please advise me on this.
Also what type of doctor should I see for this issue, i'm going to schedule an appointment tomorrow, but don't know the type of doctor who would be best. My GP just gave me ibuprofen and said it should go away on it's own.
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My last back surgery was a T12-L5 fusion to correct scoliosis. I would say it's a failed back surgery because my back is so weak I must use either a cane or walker most of the time. I have constantly had a burning pain in my groin and lower back for which I take oxycodone and use ice to relieve the pain.
Now the question: for more than a year (the surgery was 2 years ago) I have had swelling with fluid around one of the T12 screws. X-rays were done then and again the last of May and both show the screw has backed out somewhat but is still intact. In fact, the more recent x-ray is exactly like the first one, so it seems it isn't moving. My neurosurgeon said he could remove the screw and cut the rod down if I wanted him to. At the time, I said, "No, not yet." That was a couple months ago. However, the edema is getting larger, moving to the right side of my spine and moving lower. It's also getting almost impossible to get a good seating position because of it.
Sorry to be so long about this, but I'm wondering if any of you have had this problem, and if so, what did you do about it? At the moment, I'm facing a total shoulder replacement surgery in 2 weeks, and then possibly eye surgery after that, so I can't do anything soon, it seems. Just trying to see what my options are.
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I'm three weeks out from l5-s1 fusion. For the last week I'm having the same pain I did ore surgery but on the other side. I'm really getting worried. It's different pain than post surgery pain. It's my right butt cheek and right calf pain. It's there all the time. Like a sharp knife in the muscle pain with tingly numbness. If I don't have a disc to herniate, what could this be? I'm done with pain and surgery. I can't take this any more
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My L4-L5 synovial cyst that I had removed two months ago has recurred again - this was the 2nd removal, so I've now grown 3 synovial cysts from the same dysfunctional facet joint.
One surgeon has recommended removing the bad facet joint which is causing the cysts and doing a microscopic fusion just at that level on that one side. I have no instability and no back pain issues elsewhere, so this is sounding like my best option, and not a very extensive surgery. I was wondering if anyone has had a fusion with a facet joint removal and how it worked out.
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Having dealt with lower back pain for 20 something years and having had all the therapies the doctors could throw at me (traction, aqua therapy - read hot tub- inversion table, multiple PT sessions, electrical stimulation, po narcotics, epidural steroidal injections and more). It has now come to the point that surgery is the next option.
My spinal surgeon wants to fuse L2 to the sacrum due to multi-level disc bulging and herniation at the end of April 2014.
Then people have steered me in the direction of what Laser Spine Institute can do and I actually have approval from insurance to have treatment there and the process of getting treated there is also underway parallel to the above mentioned surgery.
So my dilemma is what to do. LSI offers what seems to be a minimally invasive, faster recovery option, but with newer technology that is not necessarily proved to give long lasting results.
On the other hand a full lumbar traditional fusion statistically gives relief to 30%, 30% get worse and 30% stay the same as for pain relief and with a 3-6months recover. And once you get fused like that, you paint yourself way into a corner if it is not an improvement for you.
The traditional surgeon does not have much good to say about LSI, but I am thinking of course he is not going to recommend that since he does the traditional approach.
Doing the LSI treatment does not exclude a traditional fusion later, however we have great insurance now, with great short term disability coverage and now is the ideal time to do a traditional fusion and be able to have the months of recovery without worries.
Reading about LSI people have varied opinions, many people say they have had great results and others say they are a quackery out to get people's money. Our insurance have said they would cover treatment though.
Don't know what to do.
Does anyone have experience with someone getting lumbar spine treatment at LSI and what was the experience.
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Everytime I swallow or clench my throat I hear a loud clicking Sound in my ears. A few months ago I had 2 inner ear Infections.
Is the sound from the Eustachian tubes and is it a form of eustachian tube dysfunction?
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has anyone ever had pain on the cheek bone. I heard it make a loutish click the other day now it feels painful & have these clicking noises in that ear on same side. Is this dry sockets & possibly arthritis. It hurts @ times when I eat. I remember many years ago I think my Dentist said I have TMJ would this be connected as beginning to get on my nerves now, thank you.
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Can anyone tell me if it's normal to feel your hip clicking. I had HR 11 weeks ago and have just started to feel it click when I move.
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Can TMJ cause clicking on only one side of the jaw or does it generally affect both sides? Do different intensity levels
of night teeth grinding affect how much damage is done to the jaw parts? Can TMJ cause mild ear pain?
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Tonight I started to feel something weird in my throat. I don't really know how to describe it, but I feel something in my throat, like something's there or stuck when I swallow, but there's nothing there. It doesn't hurt, my throat doesn't feel strange at all, and my breathing is fine, but it's just unsettling because I have really bad anxiety and every time anything happens with my throat, I get really anxious and scared, which leads me to have an anxiety attack, so I've been looking online for some answers, but so far I haven't found much.
I have been sick for the past week and I've been coughing a lot (I almost lost my voice), so maybe I've hurt my throat or something? I don't really feel it when I'm drinking something, but it does feel a little more rough to swallow than usual, even with my cold.
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I have noticed it before. It usually happens when I have watched porn or something that makes me have a big load.
Just as I have the first ejaculation, there is a discomforting pop in my stomach, just above the penis, like 3cm above and 3cm to the left of my shaft.
Is this normal? Where could the sound originate from?
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I'm really suffering with my health anxiety at the moment it's throat cancer and I'm driving myself demented
Started about 2 weeks ago when I swallow getting the odd clicking popping sensation eating and drinking appear to be ok and sort of relieve it for 10 mins then it's back no pain when swallowing Throat just feels tight.
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My knee has started clicking when going down the stairs the odd time when i sit,My knees can be very painful at times,other times sore,but this clicking been for months now,any idea's
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About a year ago my ex partner pushed me forcefully in the throat. Immediately I told him that he had done something to my neck. I gripped my throat with my hand to hold it back in place. I had experienced a popping in my throat and knew something was wrong. From that day to this I have had trouble swallowing my own saliva. Eating is difficult and I stopped drinking for fear of the bone clicking out of line. It usually happens when my head is turned to the left side and I either yawn or swallow. This immediately causes my larynx to pop out and it is petrifying as you think you are going to die. This has caused me to have panic attacks and a fear of swallowing. I recently had the start of kidney failure due to not drinking enough due to fear of swallowing. When I try to swallow my own saliva I cannot complete the motion and continuously feel if I have a thick lump in my throat and to swallow I have to swallow hard which causes me to have a sharp pain in my jaw and pain going from my throat to my ear, which feels tender all the time. This injury was reported to the police and I have now had an ultrasound and being sent for further investigations in the ENT dept. I am waiting for an appointment now. I have started to search the web for information on the larynx .. What does it look like, how does it work etc. and came across your site where I have read about other people having exactly he same larynx popping out problem. It truly is frightening and gives me such discomfort and I constant reminder of the assault. I wonder if this can be operated on to relieve the pain and discomfort.
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