Question
In 1994 I met with my family doctor reference a neck ache and numbness in ring finger/third digit and fourth digit.  After taking medication the pain went away for awhile but it quickly returned.  You see I'm a 911 dispatcher and type close to 5 to 6 hours a day along with answering a couple of hundred phone calls.  I used to hold the phone with my neck and I truly believe that's what started this problem.  A year later I returned to family doctor to complain about the pain again.  I had a MRI done to find two herniated disk at c5-c6.  I saw a neurosurgeon who basically stated if you can live with it you should.  When it gets where you cannot live with it that when we'll do surgery.  I later took up a friend idea of seeing a chiropractor.  Within 5 visits I could feel my fingers.  I continued to see him for the next 3 years every other week.  My insurance soon stated that they wouldn't cover the appointments.  So I found a surgeon and had a plate (Anterior Fusion) to hopefully fix my problem.  After the surgery I was fine for roughly two months and it started back.  I returned to the surgeon who found that I had a torn rotator cuff also.  So I had surgery to fix that. Now two years later the problem is more nagging that at anytime.  I saw 5 different doctors to try and find a fix.  A month ago I had TOS surgery.  I can feel my fingers now but the back of my neck still hurts.  One of the surgeons did ordered up another mri and milagram.  Milgram looked good.  Mri showed the two bone grafts are solid on the plate surgery.  This doc wants to go in to the back of my neck and fuse the back area of c4-c6.  There's times when I bend over and reach with my right arm that the feeling is like a tins unit on high power.  The spot moves from c4 down to t1-t2.  Most of the time it's where the trap muscle attaches to the neck. I believe c4-c5 may be t1.   I had 3 series of shots also to try and help with the pain and they worked for a couple of weeks then right back to where I'm at.  
So I've had 3 surgeries in 4 years.  Neck, Shoulder and TOS.  First and third helped for a short period of time and the problem returned.  

Any help is greatly appreciated.  

Answer
Dear Jeff,

Sounds like you have really been through the ringer.  Unfortunately, now that you have undergone an anterior fusion, you have predisposed yourself to additional fusion surgeries above and below the original surgery.  All of the research on surgical fusions show that in a few years (5 to 10) after fusion the joints above and below become degenerated and unstable and the result is that additional fusions are needed to stabilize the area.  

I do agree with you that your job is most likely contributory, if not the initial culprit of your problems, and poor ergonomic issues and posture can have negative effects quickly.  What I would recommend that you look into is a technique called Chiropractic Biophysics.  It concerns the structural remodeling of the spine to promote improved weight bearing and to regain the normal spinal structure.  It requires some traction of the spine, and this is still possible with an anterior fusion.  If you get a posterior fusion, then it is no longer possible.  Check out www.idealspine.com for more detailed information.  

Another option you may want to explore is accupuncture.  I have referred patients out for accupuncture before when chiropractic care was not fully effective, and they got great results.  Otherwise, I think you need to prepare yourself for a future of pain management and surgery.

Good luck Jeff.

Respectfully,
Dr. J. Shawn Leatherman
www.suncoasthealthcare.net