3 months post surgery pain

Just wanted to say hi @Aby.  I haven't had any experience personally but I have heard many that do, hope the physiotherapy helps you.  I believe it's something to do with the muscles on the shoulder near to where you have surgery that can be affected and you have had dissection on both sides so it sounds like it.

Hi Aby,

I had Total Thyroidectomy and Bilateral Radical Neck Dissection surgery this past November 8th (61 Lymph Nodes removed) and have experienced similar symptoms in my right shoulder and arm.  In my case, and I am sure in yours as well, nerves or parts of several nerves were damaged or had to be sacrificed during the surgery due to cancer invasion.  My right recurrent laryngeal nerve (right vocal chord nerve), part of my Spinal Accessory nerve and at least one other nerve whose name I cannot recall had to be removed.  And other nerves were stretched and damaged in the surgery.  This has led to significant muscle wasting in parts of various right shoulder muscles for me.  I have yet to have an official appointment with a physical therapist (slow paperwork process) but my sister is a PT and she spent an hour on the phone with me giving me various exercises to do which have helped.  You will get the same or similar exercises from your PT.

The good news is, I now have much better mobility in that right arm and less pain.  I can now windmill that arm all the way up over my head (albeit with more effort than for the left arm) and though the muscle wasting in my right shoulder and right upper chest is still visible, I can now do pushups and even a few pullups.

Listen to your PT, do the exercises as assigned and heed any warnings regarding movements you should not do (until the muscles regain strength, your should joints will be very vulnerable to dislocation or even a rotator cuff tear).

Best wishes,

John, RN

Hi John,

Im glad to know you're in less pain and have more movement. I have more movement deffinately than i did 3 months ago but the pain is getting to me more than anything. Hopefully with these exercises it will become less. I dont think i had any nerves removed, at least the surgeon didnt say i did so im guessing they maybe bruised?? Il ask at my next appointment

Take care,

Aby

Hi Aby,

I also had a bilateral neck dissection in November 2020. I recently read a copy of the surgical notes and it's amazing how much pulling and prodding the nerves go through as they clear the cancer, even if they don't have to sacrifice any of them.  

I started physiotherapy the day after my surgery with the team physiotherapist. I mostly experienced numbness across my shoulders, and experienced strange nerve pain/sensations as the nerves started to reactivate, but not pain like you describe. I would say I now have full mobility, it probably took several months of doing the exercises daily.  It will never feel the same of course. 

If at all possible, I would make sure that your physical therapist has experience of working with people who have undergone bilateral neck dissection. 

I hope you get some relief soon. Mind yourself.

Hi MC ire

Thank you for replying im glad to hear you gained full mobility i pray i do to. I only started physio 11 weeks after surgery when i enquired about it with my consultant as he thought the physio came to see me in hospital but no one ever did so now im behind in my recovery   hopefully within a couple of months now i be on my way .

Take care

Aby x