Back and Neck area bones popping

[bradvo]

I'm just over 2 months now since surgery, I had left shoulder pain before the operation , not long ago my left shoulder pain became almost
unbearable.
I even ask my doctor for a cordisone shot for relief which he refused, thought I would bleed to death ....
Any way I have been taking a hot shower or bath then rubbing the usual over the counter rubs into the sore areas for temporary relief.

Saturday night my wife and I took our boat out and that night sleeping I heard another POP near the neck area, didn't think that much about it until later the next day and realized that my shoulder is soooooo much better.
I can actually tolerate it now, only thing I can think while putting 2 plus 2 together on this is that one of them earlier bone pops must have either been pinching a nerve or moved a ligament over a little ??

Anyone else experience this kind of healing condition. I have had more bone popping experiences in the past month then I have ever had.
Got me thinking that maybe I should see a Chiropractor to check alignment , I have only been to one once before.
Any thoughts on this ...?
thanks

Brad

 

[yotphix]

Hey Brad,

Can I ask, when you say 'popping' are you indicating the sound that knuckles make when you twist them? Or that your back makes when you get squeezed hard? If so, than I know what you are talking about. I have a pretty gnarly spine at the best of times and the combination of the surgery and the awkward bed positions was brutal for me . Your pain definitely sounds like a pinched nerve.

I do visit Chiropractors periodically, though never set up regular appointments with them. I find that most things can be fixed with some massage and an adjustment or two. If your difficulty persists, I'd suggest going into a chiro's office to ask some questions, and see if you are comfortable with what they have to offer. Many people are afraid of them, and Chiropractors don't help matters when they promise to cure ailments which are not musculo-skeletal in nature. I really like them and find they help me a great deal when I have symptoms similar to what you describe.

I will caution you though, that it might not be advisable to get adjusted while your sternum is so freshly healed. An adjustment has a certain amount of man handling, and might even involve someone putting significant pressure on your back while you are face down. That seems like a bad idea for you right now. I think I first went in at about 4 or 5 months post surgery, and that was fine.

Paul

 

[yotphix]

Hey Brad,

Can I ask, when you say 'popping' are you indicating the sound that knuckles make when you twist them? Or that your back makes when you get squeezed hard? If so, than I know what you are talking about. I have a pretty gnarly spine at the best of times and the combination of the surgery and the awkward bed positions was brutal for me . Your pain definitely sounds like a pinched nerve.

I do visit Chiropractors periodically, though never set up regular appointments with them. I find that most things can be fixed with some massage and an adjustment or two. If your difficulty persists, I'd suggest waiting until your sternum is healed, then going into a chiro's office to ask some questions, and see if you are comfortable with what they have to offer. Many people are afraid of them, and Chiropractors don't help matters when they promise to cure ailments which are not musculo-skeletal in nature. I really like them and find they help me a great deal when I have symptoms similar to what you describe.

I will caution you though, that it might not be advisable to get adjusted while your sternum is healing. An adjustment has a certain amount of man handling, and might even involve someone putting significant pressure on your back while you are face down. That seems like a bad idea for you right now.

Paul

 

[bradvo]

Paul,
Yes the pop sound is what you describe.. more so in neck area then back. I never had the neck pop until the operation, some are really loud sounding to me.

Your probably right about seeing a bone cracker this early , I do recall quite a bit of force when being treated years back when my back went out.

I found an old DR Scholl's vibrator , I'm gonna give this a try for a few days and see how that goes. I used on the back of my neck and all around the sore areas of my
shoulder.
My shoulder still continues to hurt when I raise my arm straight out to the side but much improved over what I had been dealing with. I was ready to try a
sling.

Brad

 

[yotphix]

Sounds pretty awful really. Recovering from the surgery, we have enough on our plates without having a shoulder feeling like it's under attack. One other thing that may help, is to ask your doc for an anti-inflammatory drug. If there is a skeletal problem, it is almost certainly concurrent with a muscular problem (which came first you'll likely never know) and the sharp pains are probably impinged nerves. (Does that sound about right to you? You're in your skin, so you'll know best.) I've had some success with Naproxen, and it doesn't seem to affect my anti-coagulation at all.

My best advice though? Treat yourself to a decent massage. They pretty much rock all of the time, and with an unlimited budget I think I'd have one a day, just after my morning run! Take advantage of a good excuse to get one.

Paul

 

[bradvo]

My Doc will not prescribe anti inflammatory drugs at this point and my surgeon said try advil for a short time. I still have Naproxen from a previous injury but am
reluctant to take it.

I have posted similar thread about this pain but now that I am a little further into recovery ,I did not relate with the bones resetting.

I see my surgeon later this afternoon for my leg problem where vein was harvested, I think I will bring up my shoulder again as well .

Brad

 

[Jkm7]

If your doctor won't prescribe anti-inflammatory, I wouldn't think it a good idea to take one on your own. If he thought it would be safe and helpful, he would have written Rx for you, wouldn't he?

 

[bradvo]

If your doctor won't prescribe anti-inflammatory, I wouldn't think it a good idea to take one on your own. If he thought it would be safe and helpful, he would have written Rx for you, wouldn't he?

Jkm7,
Not sure if this was directed to me , I won't take a supplement without first consulting the pharmacist about the coumadin mix, so I sure as heck won't take prescribed drugs without consent from doc and pharmacist.
I trust the pharmacist more today then the doc when it comes to drug mix.

Brad

 

[Jason]

Brad, your post reminded me of all the popping that my neck and back did after surgery. I had the same situation as you, with a LOT more popping than before surgery. The good news is that it has since gone away, and come to think of it hasn't been happening for quite some time now. I hope your shoulder stays on the mend!

 

[Jkm7]

Jkm7,
Not sure if this was directed to me , I won't take a supplement without first consulting the pharmacist about the coumadin mix, so I sure as heck won't take prescribed drugs without consent from doc and pharmacist.
I trust the pharmacist more today then the doc when it comes to drug mix.

Brad

I agree with your high opinion for pharmacists. I think we sometimes undervalue their very important input. They often know more than doctors about drug interactions etc

 

[bradvo]

I asked today when I got my leg incision drained about the neck and back popping. The PA told me it was from the way we carried our bodies after surgery for so long, now the bones are adjusting back.
I dunno , so I'll take her word for it for now.

To top things off when the lab drew blood they hit a nerve, son of a gun, the pain was felt in my wrist and still hurts.
Next draw will be from the opposite arm.......... and I remember what she looks like ,grrrrrr.