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In fact, ACDF surgeries have an average success rate of between 73% to 100%. Medications. Because of that, I requested a MRI on the cervical spine via my doc's patient portal. I have to also say that the physical therapy and myofascial release I did before spine surgery prepared me well for a great recovery, and I had an excellent surgeon. Answer: C4-C5 bilateral facet joint injection temporarily alleviated the patients pain, confirming the source of the pain as the hypermobility at C4-C5, rather than pseudoarthrosis. WebTypical Physical Therapy after ACDF This is what the patient can typically expect at physical therapy: Pain relief and inflammation are the key concerns at first. A week later, Tom arrived at Dr. Kachmann's office. Ice, electrical stimulation, massage, and other treatments may be used to make the patient more comfortable. If you have already had facet injections in the area of your thoracic pain, you can generally rule them out as a pain generator. Any surgery will come with a set of risks and potential complications to look out for. Paraspinal tissues are intact. The recovery time following ACDF varies. This inflammation can impact the nerves and cause some numbness. One image did stand out. I stumbled across these postings this am and I was like WOW I am not alone.. and I am NOT crazy! Three or four level fusion may require additional days. The only thing they would say is to get another opinion, and I did at Mayo which is where I did get help. Galbraith JG, Butler JS, Dolan AM, O'Byrne JM. Reading your post was like deja vu. I do have extra tightness on one side of my neck and shoulder that pulls into my rib cage. 2 Anteriorly and 1 posteriorly. Late infection after an interval of time after ACDF may present with various symptoms and signs including neck pain, dysphagia, and fever accompanied with laboratory abnormalities such as elevated white blood cell count, ESR, and CRP [ 7, 17 ]. I didn't even take any pain medication at home after my surgery because it was tolerable and I just rested and took my time in healing. You can contact Mayo with that and they will review the imaging. However, an ACDF is still considered major surgery, and complete recovery from an ACDF procedure can take between three to six months. The screws", "@lilypaws yep, I had an ACDF. Some patients may need to start physical therapy about a month after ACDF and continue it for a couple more months. I HAVE STABBING PAIN BETWEEN MY SHOULDER BLADES AND SEVERE MUSCLE SPASMS AND PAIN FROM THE BASE OF MY SKULL THROUGH MY SHOULDER AND DOWN INTO MY RIGHT ARM TO MY ELBOW. In reply to @jenniferhunter. Interested in more discussions like this? I am not an expert in reading CTs, not by any means. There is straightened cervical spine lordosis with preserved alignment, normal marrow signal, and no prevertebral soft tissue swelling. It is very common to have some pain after the surgery, but when pain persists for months there are several possibilities. Doing two or more movements together puts the back at high risk for injury so be careful! On Jan 11th 2007 I had ACDF without plate or screws C6/C7 with only a soft collar perscibed. Facet generated pain will not be demonstrated by an MRI and has to be diagnosed by facet blocks (see website). After the procedure, the surgical area will remain inflamed as the body heals itself. WebWhen symptoms of cervical radiculopathy persist or worsen despite nonsurgical treatment, your doctor may recommend surgery. THE LORD IS GIVING ME THE ONLY STRENGHTH I HAVE. Doing two or more movements together puts the back at high risk for injury so be careful! Six month after surgery to this day I have pain across my upper back. With this new technology, we have the opportunity to advance how we take care of patients with cervical spine disease, Haglund says. For someone like me who does more than 300 ACDFs a year, being able to have this in my armamentarium to avoid having to do bigger posterior fusions or big anterior removal of plates is a huge value added.. Any insight regarding the CT scan image I attached and/or the summary of the shoulder MRI is greatly appreciated! I had no hardware and had to be really careful not to do anything until I fused, but it was at the 4 month mark that I was beginning to fuse and was cleared to begin PT and myofascial release again. Since the patients in this study clearly demonstrate broad problems array of development of more structured multi-professional rehabilitation models including exercises which improve neck muscle strength, endurance and proprioception need to be introduced. Bone healing may take as long as 12 months, but generally, activities are unrestricted after 3-6 months. -No discrete labral tear. Rotator cuff tear (supraspinatus mainly) was the predominant finding in MRI in those who didnt improve after ACDF (n=18, 25.7%, p-value: 0.001). I feel unworthy to even type in this post because I have not had anything done yet and I am not in that type of pain that you, "ctmom," are experiencing. Blood Clots. I had ACDF on C5 C6 about three weeks ago. Bethesda, MD 20894, Web Policies The second week after surgery I started to get headaches, not extremely intense, not a migraine, just a pressure headache. The MRI might note solid fusion but the MRI is generally not a reliable test to determine if fusion is present. MFR might be able to help you even if you don't exactly know the source of the pain. over a year ago, car195579751 Different Treatment Options For Neck Pain: How Effective They Are? See Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulators (TENS) I tend to think that is what I have going on again. So You Can Turn Them Off And Liberate Yourself From Back And Shoulder Pain, A New Non-Drug Treatment For Cervical Dystonia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a moderate disc herniation at the C4-C5 level, and flexion-extension cervical spine plain films showed hypermobility at the same level. Tagged:Shoulder supraprinitus tear after ACDF and increasing thoractic pain. I wear a helmet and make sure I ride in control, or I get off if the horse's mind is somewhere else. Similar areas of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament at these levels. No disc protrusion or mass effect. Other goals of surgery include: Improving neck pain. I also have left side neck pain in the morning that I didn't have much of until now. 2002 Jun;22(2):179-86. doi: 10.1055/s-2002-36541. The most common symptoms of nerve damage after surgery are usually numbness, tingling, burning, muscle weakness or atrophy. The average recovery time is 4 to 6 weeks. 8600 Rockville Pike subacromial subdeltoid bursitis). One of the biggest issues we see after surgery is scarring around the nerves (1). My range of motion is normal except that I cannot touch my chin to my chest when I tuck my head, but it is darn close. Many times the symptoms are temporary, for example, many patients have nerve problems after surgery that only last for a It is very common to have some pain after the surgery, but when pain persists for months there are several possibilities. Despite a rather small study obtained the stability of 6-month and 3-year results indicates that short-term results might be sufficient for evaluating effects of the treatment. WebMuscle pain after Cervical Fusion Surgery may be due to a new shoulder injury. The recovery time following ACDF varies. Both herniations were central (pushing into the cord, right up the middle) and I never had numbness or tingling, just pain/tightness. C3-C4: Minimal right uncovertebral hypertrophy. This surgery involves the removal of a protruding disc from the spine for relief of pressure on the spinal nerves, followed by reconstruction. It feel like I have done 500 pushups or really strenuous exercise every single day. As I told you before I have a bad neck too, but PT seems to help, but my back is a mess. WebA physical therapist will help you regain muscle and joint strength and restore full range of motion in the cervical spine. Hello. The artificial disc was removed and an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) with iliac crest bone graft was performed to reconstruct the C6-C7 level. It is FREE! Patients may continue to feel some degree of pain three to six months after spinal fusion. I seemed to bounce back fairly quickly with the first one. I still have to maintain posture and spine alignment or my TOS will get worse, and I work on my PT exercises at home because I can't go to appointments because of social distancing. March 26, 2018 Three months after undergoing C5-T1 anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), an active 60-year-old man from Florida began to experience recurrent neck and left shoulder pain. You may have a problem with a rib head where it inserts into the spine. I am now 10 months out from the ACDF. So very frustrated that I still have issuesand they are worse. It did help get rid of the pain in my left arm and neck for a little while. Typically this is nothing to be concerned about. What Can, Besides A Physical Injury, Cause Collarbone And Shoulder Pain? Epub 2006 Dec 2. I had ACDF on C5 C6 about three weeks ago. Disc dessication with loss of height T8-T9 with mild posterior endplate degeneration and small central disc protrusion without mass effect. Computed tomography at Duke confirmed solid fusion at all 3 levels but incomplete fusion at C6-C7. Mayo is very thorough in examining all the issues a patient has in a multidisciplinary approach and it is a team effort where the doctors do consult each other and right away, so they are very efficient. like you i can not sleep with out taking sleeping pills, my husband says i cry in my sleep i hurt so bad. Take care Jenniferhunter. Of course I will be discussing this with the surgeon on Monday but wondered if anyone had thoughts on this image. Many times the symptoms are temporary, for example, many patients have nerve problems after surgery that only last for a Incorrect Screw Placement Screws and plates are utilized to stabilize the neck during Cervical Fusion Surgery. Keep in mind your body has to heal on the inside & calm down from the trauma of Except for a worsening in expectations of surgery fulfilled (p = 0.04) there were no significant differences between 6-month and 3-year outcome. Along with the neck pain, I am also having shoulder pain. Spinal fusion is a common form of back surgery used to treat several kinds of back problems, including scoliosis, vertebral weakness, and herniated discs. It may take weeks or months to fully recover. Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a type of spine surgery used for the treatment of neck or arm pain caused by cervical radiculopathy. See Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulators (TENS) The PubMed wordmark and PubMed logo are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The artificial disc was removed and an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) with iliac crest bone graft was performed to reconstruct the C6-C7 level. The stenosis in Tom's cervical spine was serious, causing spinal compression at four levels. Doctors generally say that nerve pain can take up to a year to resolve, sometimes as long as 18 months depending on how long the nerve was compressed. If i had known it was going to be such a pain after my surgery i would have looked for better options. Thank you for choosing Dr. Corenman as your healthcare provider. The screw can be inserted incorrectly and advanced into a nerve or facet joint causing pain and weakness. Keep in mind your body has to heal on the inside & calm down from the trauma of WebThe ACDF helps to relieve symptoms such as neck pain, numbness and tingling in the arms, shoulders, or hand, shooting pain in the arms, weakness of hands, or lower extremities. THANKS FOR ANY REPLY! I see my neurosurgeon on Monday, but I'm really nervous about what could be wrong. the movement of the shoulder is being affected because of the weakness). I have been in & out of therapy, trouble sleeping and tired of popping pills. The thoracic spinal cord demonstrates normal signal and caliber w/o syrinx. I understand your concern with that image. The last couple of weeks, by neck has started hurting pretty bad. Rejection of a graft or other structures. Its a slow healing process, but in the end, the operation may end up being successful. Compared with the results before surgery patients had improved in pain intensity (p = 0.001), neck pain (0.001), numbness (p = 0.02) and were more 'satisfied' with having their neck problems (p = 0.01). Re: ACDF surgery 6 months after! Case Description:A 45-year-old male initially underwent a C3-4 and C5-6 anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF).At age 49, 4 years later, he presented with worsening dysphagia accompanied by neck and right upper extremity pain. We are working on stabling the bone and so on. Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a type of spine surgery used for the treatment of neck or arm pain caused by cervical radiculopathy. But I am having excruciating muscle spasms/tightness in my thoracic spine and trapezius muscles and in between my shoulder blades. Small central disc bulge T10-T11 without mass effect. Long-Distance Consults & Medical Legal: 888-888-5310, Request a Diagnostic or Surgical Second Opinion, Thoracic / Shoulder Blade pain after ACDF 6 months post op, Shoulder supraprinitus tear after ACDF and increasing thoractic pain. Cervical Spondylosis (Arthritis Of The Neck): Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Complications Of Anterior Cervical Discectomy And Fusion Surgery, What to Expect After Surgery to the Cervical Spine, Possible Complaints After Neck Fusion Surgery. !he read all of my issue and details and his replies really helped me in decidingi am now confident about my decision and i now totally understand the procedure thanks to the in-depth information providedthank you ever so much ! Welcome to the board. -Left long head of the biceps tendon is intact. Operative outcomes for cervical myelopathy and radiculopathy. It also is normal to have some swallowing difficulty. The site is secure. The most common post-operative neural disorder is C5 nerve palsy. After the procedure, the surgical area will remain inflamed as the body heals itself. There may be a herniation at a level above or below and an MRI would reveal this possibility. After ACDF, youll want to return to your favorite activities as soon as possible, and while the recovery time might be lengthy, a recent study showed that the procedure reduced arm pain in 93-100% and neck pain in 73-87% of standard patients. and screws. Choosing a fusion let me avoid hardware and I agreed to stay in a neck brace until fused which was at 3 to 4 months. Permanent Restrictions After Spinal Fusion Three to six months after surgery: You can advance your level of activity but avoid lifting, twisting and bending in combination. It feel like I have done 500 pushups or really strenuous exercise every single day. Complications with anesthesia. A cervical epidural should have yielded at least short term relief if the symptoms originated from the nerves of the spinal canal. It might. My fusion is at C5/C6 and it doesn't do much at all for head range of motion. WebThe orthopedist sent Tom for an MRI and, the same day, referred him "right away" to Michael Kachmann, MD, a neurosurgeon with Mayfield Brain & Spine. Similar areas of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament at these levels. A number of potential diagnoses are possible. However, nearly all cases resolve spontaneously within 2 years, thus identifying patients who require more detailed or invasive work-up is a challenging task for clinicians. -Tendinosis at the insertion of the left subscapularis and supraspinatus tendons. During the surgery, the spine surgeon accesses the cervical vertebrae from the front of the neck. What Causes Shoulder Pain After Drinking Alcohol? Spinal fusion is a common form of back surgery used to treat several kinds of back problems, including scoliosis, vertebral weakness, and herniated discs. i was so confused and lost about which procedure i should treat my back pain with.Dr.Corenman is just so kind to make time from his schedule to help me :')! Join Date: Sep 2004. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON. Neither of the shoulder issues was the source of my ongoing pain, it was caused by my spine (cervical stenosis) and TOS. My original symptoms were bilateral, symmetrical muscle aches/burning in my arms (wrists, forearms, deltoids). Murrey D, Janssen M, Delamarter R, Goldstein J, Zigler J, Tay B, Darden B. Spine J. Go to the Spine Health Support Group. Maintaining stability of the spine. I was sent back for a C and T MRI. I would certainly prefer a conservative approach of course. Posts: 9,238. The artificial disc was removed and an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) with iliac crest bone graft was performed to reconstruct the C6-C7 level. Strengthening the spine can reduce pain and inflammation and help improve functionality and mobility. In younger and/or more physically fit individuals, recovery time can range anywhere from 46 weeks. Measurements have earlier been obtained before and 6 and 12 months after ACDF. These usually get better over the next few weeks. THE ONLY THING MRI SHOWS IS A BOOMERANG SHAPE IN MY NECK WHERE THE TITANIUM PLATE IS. Do not use nicotine for at least three months. I also have some numbness in my left hand, which is similiar to what I felt before my surgery. The hospital team will monitor several metrics to determine the best time to discharge you. -T2 bright signal is present in the subacromial subdeltoid bursa; however, this does not fill with intra-articular contrast. PMC Both herniations were central (pushing into the cord, right up the middle) and I never had numbness or tingling, just pain/tightness. WebA physical therapist will help you regain muscle and joint strength and restore full range of motion in the cervical spine. To the layman (me), it seems like my neck fusion was successful, and now my thoracic has some issues. Core strength in the entire spine supports everything in the body including the neck. Foley KT, Mroz TE, Arnold PM, Chandler HC Jr, Dixon RA, Girasole GJ, Renkens KL Jr, Riew KD, Sasso RC, Smith RC, Tung H, Wecht DA, Whiting DM. WebIn the end, after recovering from anterior cervical fusion surgery, most patients report significant improvements and a decrease in pain. Incorrect Screw Placement Screws and plates are utilized to stabilize the neck during Cervical Fusion Surgery. Youre giving the patient possible significant neck pain. Connect with thousands of patients and caregivers for support and answers. March 26, 2018 Three months after undergoing C5-T1 anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), an active 60-year-old man from Florida began to experience recurrent neck and left shoulder pain. Ice, electrical stimulation, massage, and other treatments may be used to make the patient more comfortable. WebPain in the back of the neck and between the shoulder blades is common after ACDF surgery. Thanks again for your response! One of the biggest issues we see after surgery is scarring around the nerves (1). WHEN I STRETCH, IT FEELS LIKE I AM SEPERATING MY SPINE AND I HAVE INTENSE PAIN WHEN RETRACTING FROM THE STRETCH. You can probably do all of this now. Hello, I am currently 6 months out from a two level ACDF (c4-c6). I prepared myself mentally for a great surgical recovery and worked a lot on deprogramming my fears and it all worked. I understand your concern with that image. A thoracic MRI would reveal this disorder. The expected length of a hospital stay after an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion usually overnight for one or two level procedures. Following surgery the body begins its natural healing process and new bone cells grow around the graft. Cervical fusion is generally considered safe, however, it is major surgery. Other goals of surgery include: Improving neck pain. So when i called them again they told me to go see an orhropedic guy. I do know that I have a bulging lumbar disc that cracks on rotation, and I have less issues with that because of core strength. When I contacted Mayo 4 years ago, I wrote to a specific surgeon and asked that he review my imaging because I read papers he co-authored and thought his area on interest would be a good match for what I needed. There is nonacute endplate Schmorls node T7-T8 with small central disc protrusion without mass effect. Posts: 55. Posts: 55. 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. I hope we can all figure it out soon and get on with our lives. I have not been seeing my PT because of COVID-19, but I continue on my own as best I can. ALL IN ALL, I GUESS I NEEDED THE SURGERY BECAUSE OF THE HERNIATION, BUT I HAVE WORSE NECK & SHOULDER MUSCLE PAIN THAN BEFORE. The risk factors for C5 nerve palsy are male gender, OPLL, and posterior cervical approaches. government site. Late infection after an interval of time after ACDF may present with various symptoms and signs including neck pain, dysphagia, and fever accompanied with laboratory abnormalities such as elevated white blood cell count, ESR, and CRP [ 7, 17 ]. If I do something that stresses my neck, like lifting something heavy, I tend to cheat and use my neck muscles to help, then I will get a neck spasm. Spinal fusion is a common form of back surgery used to treat several kinds of back problems, including scoliosis, vertebral weakness, and herniated discs. Maintaining stability of the spine. Connect with thousands of patients and caregivers for support, practical information, and answers. Chiropractic treatment can be effective if this is the case. Office Exercises: Computer Related Neck And Shoulder Pain Solutions, Cervical spine fusion for herniated disk in neck, Neck And Shoulder Pain While Working At A Computer, Cure Shoulder Pain- 6 Top Secrets to End Shoulder Problems Revealed, Recovery After Posterior Cervical Spine Surgery, Recovering From Anterior Cervical Discectomy And Fusion Surgery. I see him on Monday to go over the images. If the cervical facets are causing pain, it is possible that they are referring to the mid thoracic spine but less likely. The best way I have found to do that is horseback riding. My surgeon constantly reiterates your neck is fused, its not your neck, frustrating. The risk factors for C5 nerve palsy are male gender, OPLL, and posterior cervical approaches. My upper traps and entire upper back is constantly in spasm. Take any medications that your doctor prescribes for pain and constipation. What I am not sure about is what kind of artifacts could be caused by the hardware itself on the imaging, so I don't know if the screw is pushing into the spinal canal or right up to it. The second week after surgery I started to get headaches, not extremely intense, not a migraine, just a pressure headache. I WENT THROUGH 2 YEARS OF PAIN MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES TRYING TO AVOID SURGERY, BUT I HAD A HERNIATED DISC TOUCHING MY SPINAL CORD AND 1 BULGING RIGHT BELOW IT, ALSO HAVE DDD THROUGHOUT SPINE. It was from C4-C6 with two spacers and a plate with six screws. Six month after surgery to this day I have pain across my upper back. WebThe orthopedist sent Tom for an MRI and, the same day, referred him "right away" to Michael Kachmann, MD, a neurosurgeon with Mayfield Brain & Spine. As others have mentions, drs seemed stumped by the pain issue. I didn't take one muscle relaxer or pain pill after the surgery. The results are as follows: Findings: Lower posterior fossa is normal. There has been interval anterior cervical discectomy and fusion C4-C6 and C5-C6 with apparent osseous integration of the intervening bone graft material. On Jan 11th 2007 I had ACDF without plate or screws C6/C7 with only a soft collar perscibed. The screw can be inserted incorrectly and advanced into a nerve or facet joint causing pain and weakness. If you don't get a satisfactory answer from your doctors, you may want to see a neurologist for another opinion who is not associated with the medical centers of your current doctors. I can get sciatic pain because of my pelvis alignment shifting and do stretches for that, but after this last ride, it feels fine. 1998-2023 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Hi this is lilypaws Did you have a fusion on your neck? I knew the pain was temporary healing pain, and for awhile, I was tired because my muscles had atrophied, but gradually muscle came back because I was using it. C4-C5: Canal is decompressed status post fusion and discectomy. I highly recommend Dr. Corenman and the Steadman Clinic. Some patients may need to start physical therapy about a month after ACDF and continue it for a couple more months. I'm in physical therapy and even the stretches the therapist is having me do causes arm pain. https://trainingandrehabilitation.com/how-truly-treat-thoracic-outlet-syndrome/. I have continued with MFR since spine surgery which helped me recover from that, and make more progress on TOS. This is the most common question after three-level cervical fusion surgery. Hi, Gilmore - I also had cervical surgery about 6 months ago C4-7, corp C4-5. Rothman Orthopaedic Institute offers several options for patients with spine disorders. Some patients can to return to their daily activities within a week after the ACDF surgery. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the I know I have posted before here but just wondered if anyone else feels like this. 2014 Feb 6;15:34. doi: 10.1186/1471-2474-15-34. Here is my patient story. However, nearly all cases resolve spontaneously within 2 years, thus identifying patients who require more detailed or invasive work-up is a challenging task for clinicians. @lindyflock Thank you for asking. @amywood20 When Mayo is open again for appointments, I think that would be a good decision to go there. Case Description:A 45-year-old male initially underwent a C3-4 and C5-6 anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF).At age 49, 4 years later, he presented with worsening dysphagia accompanied by neck and right upper extremity pain. After surgical intervention (ACDF), 48 patients (68.6%) noted the cessation of shoulder symptoms (pain, weakness, and numbness) during their last visit. The most common symptoms of nerve damage after surgery are usually numbness, tingling, burning, muscle weakness or atrophy. Some patients can to return to their daily activities within a week after the ACDF surgery. Some of the key findings were: WebIt is not uncommon to have pain in the neck following fusion surgery which slowly gets better over 12 to 18 months. Hello, I am currently 6 months out from a two level ACDF (c4-c6). The more I open that up and release the tightness, the better my arm feels and I breathe better too. This is the most common question after three-level cervical fusion surgery. Back on feb 28 i have 2 disc fusions in my c5/7. Any surgery will come with a set of risks and potential complications to look out for. Confusing MRI, cervical disectomy and fusion surgery complications, C4/5 & C5/6 Fusion with TM100 Plate and Screws - Still pain, numbness much improved, Winged scapula (RH side) following C5 C6 Anterior disectomy, longterm pain after anterior cervical fusion, anterior cervical discectomy and fusion C5/6. Typically it takes at least 12 months or longer to completely heal from this surgery. An ACDF is a type of spine surgery used to treat neck issues by removing. It is our goal to provide the highest level of care and service to our patients. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Conditions of Use linked below. If I don't get satisfactory answers with the neurosurgeon I am either going to go back to the shoulder doc ("if" the surgeon thinks it's a shoulder issue) or make an appointment with Mayo. Hope you are", "@jenniferhunter thanks for your insight. The pain still got worse. An epidural injection may help relieve symptoms at the level of the degenerative disc. The last couple of weeks, by neck has started hurting pretty bad. Unauthorized use of these marks is strictly prohibited. The screws do seem kind of long like they could be breaking through to the spinal canal. Join Date: Sep 2004. Also, discograms are a pre-surgical test which is again not generally recommended in the thoracic spine. Should You Push That Shoulder As Far As It Will Go? Epub 2005 Dec 12. I don't know if it's technically MFR though. The recovery time following ACDF varies. 2021 Oct;37(10):1096-1108. doi: 10.1080/09593985.2019.1683921. This procedure (along with all other spine surgery procedures) requires the surgeon to navigate delicately around, and between nerves and muscles. Along with the neck pain, I am also having shoulder pain. The risk factors for C5 nerve palsy are male gender, OPLL, and posterior cervical approaches. Medications.