Neck pain and tightness after dissection
Comments
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Lyrica (Pregabalin)
Hi King Cole,
It seems different pains medications work for some and not for other and for the various types and causes of pain. After Surgery I was given Lyrica and it did nothing but I had no nerve involvement - just a simple excision of a tonsil tumor (well it left a huge raw cavity in my throat for quite a while so the pain was huge for about 5 days) They gave me a shot of Pethadine when I started frothing at the mouth.
After I finished Rads and Chemo it was very bad shape and on Morphine IV them Liquid + Vicodine. None of that was working much and I was put back on Lyrica which is often prescribed for Nerve related pain and it worked a treat. It is not for everyone but maybe worth asking your Docs about it.
As you move through this journey, you may be in need of pain medications through treatments. Just a warning that dehydration and constipation can become serious problems so be aware of keeping well hydrated and also keep you stomach working throughout treatments.
Hope you get some relief soon. Keep us posted.
Scam0 -
what if . . . .Scambuster said:Lyrica (Pregabalin)
Hi King Cole,
It seems different pains medications work for some and not for other and for the various types and causes of pain. After Surgery I was given Lyrica and it did nothing but I had no nerve involvement - just a simple excision of a tonsil tumor (well it left a huge raw cavity in my throat for quite a while so the pain was huge for about 5 days) They gave me a shot of Pethadine when I started frothing at the mouth.
After I finished Rads and Chemo it was very bad shape and on Morphine IV them Liquid + Vicodine. None of that was working much and I was put back on Lyrica which is often prescribed for Nerve related pain and it worked a treat. It is not for everyone but maybe worth asking your Docs about it.
As you move through this journey, you may be in need of pain medications through treatments. Just a warning that dehydration and constipation can become serious problems so be aware of keeping well hydrated and also keep you stomach working throughout treatments.
Hope you get some relief soon. Keep us posted.
Scam
Hi - my husband had a radical neck dissection and larengectomy on Oct 1. While he was in the hospital he did have some pain meds. As soon as he got home, he refused taking all pills. He has all of the symptoms you mentioned: tightness, nerve pain, a feeling of a noose around his neck. Some days he cannot move his head and neck at all. And he tells me some days it hurts him to even "talk," swallow, eat, or use his electrolarynx.
So are there any non-meds ways of easing the discomfort?0 -
Ideas
There are some things you can do that may help. A relative made me a scarf sort of thing, filled with rice (don't ask me, I just live here), that I would stick in the microwave for a couple or three minutes, which made it sort of a comfortable heating pad, I guess. I would wrap this around my neck and it seemed to help quite a bit.
Exercising the neck...simply... can also help...simple stretches and turns. Massages are also helpful, and you might think about going to a physical therapist who can handle that with the proper knowledge of the muscles involved.
In an case, pain management is critical! If you are in pain, you are more prone to hang it up. If, as scambuster suggests, pain meds are not working, go to your docs and seek ones that WILL work. Again, pain mgmt is a critical aspect of success.
In the end, it should all be fine. There may be some stricture-type of feeling forever (I am survivor of radical neck dissection and tongue resection, Oct. 05 and still feel some tightness on right side of neck, where the surg occured), but there does not have to be unbearable pain, even at your early stage.
It gets better.
Take care,
Joe0 -
(see below for some possible alternatives....meanwhile...)mswijiknyc said:what if . . . .
Hi - my husband had a radical neck dissection and larengectomy on Oct 1. While he was in the hospital he did have some pain meds. As soon as he got home, he refused taking all pills. He has all of the symptoms you mentioned: tightness, nerve pain, a feeling of a noose around his neck. Some days he cannot move his head and neck at all. And he tells me some days it hurts him to even "talk," swallow, eat, or use his electrolarynx.
So are there any non-meds ways of easing the discomfort?
This compelling need to refuse pain meds is usually the result of one or two or three issues, the first being the need to be macho, the second, and more common, the fear of becoming addicted, the third being difficulty in swallowing pills.
It is hard to speak to the first issue. We are what we are and if we are too hard-headed to take the medications that will make us feel better, there is little that can be done, I suppose.
The third can be remedied often by changing to smaller pills or to liquids. Depending on whether the pills are time-release or not, it may be possible to cut them up or pour them from the capsules (always ask doc before doing this).
The second, which I hear more often, is pretty much nonsense if you have good doctors. People who NEED pain meds generally WANT to get off of them, and they generally have doctors who are monitoring their intake well. If your significant other has some previous drug-related issues that are of concern to him, these should be brought to the attention of doctors, but, really, the doctors will probably say that they are not concerned about people in pain taking pain meds...that is what they are designed for (the meds, not the docs
).
Best wishes to you and your significant other.
Take care,
Joe0 -
Tight Sensationsoccerfreaks said:Ideas
There are some things you can do that may help. A relative made me a scarf sort of thing, filled with rice (don't ask me, I just live here), that I would stick in the microwave for a couple or three minutes, which made it sort of a comfortable heating pad, I guess. I would wrap this around my neck and it seemed to help quite a bit.
Exercising the neck...simply... can also help...simple stretches and turns. Massages are also helpful, and you might think about going to a physical therapist who can handle that with the proper knowledge of the muscles involved.
In an case, pain management is critical! If you are in pain, you are more prone to hang it up. If, as scambuster suggests, pain meds are not working, go to your docs and seek ones that WILL work. Again, pain mgmt is a critical aspect of success.
In the end, it should all be fine. There may be some stricture-type of feeling forever (I am survivor of radical neck dissection and tongue resection, Oct. 05 and still feel some tightness on right side of neck, where the surg occured), but there does not have to be unbearable pain, even at your early stage.
It gets better.
Take care,
Joe
Had a radical left dissection in April. I have had a pretty consistent sensation ever since of tightness in my neck/throat as if someone had a grip on my throat.
It is not painful as much as it is uncomfortable and I have gotten pretty used to it. I have accepted it as part of the "new me" experience.
I do have what I call occasional flashes of pain like a 3-5 second sore throat. These are a little more worrisome as I don't know if it is due to the surgery, nerve regeneration, scar tissue, or worse of all.....cancer. It goes away before I can really pinpoint where it was or what it feels like. I even find myself putting my fingers down my throat to see if I can feel any strange bumps or growths. Fun stuff.0 -
Joels RightJoel4 said:Tight Sensation
Had a radical left dissection in April. I have had a pretty consistent sensation ever since of tightness in my neck/throat as if someone had a grip on my throat.
It is not painful as much as it is uncomfortable and I have gotten pretty used to it. I have accepted it as part of the "new me" experience.
I do have what I call occasional flashes of pain like a 3-5 second sore throat. These are a little more worrisome as I don't know if it is due to the surgery, nerve regeneration, scar tissue, or worse of all.....cancer. It goes away before I can really pinpoint where it was or what it feels like. I even find myself putting my fingers down my throat to see if I can feel any strange bumps or growths. Fun stuff.
I had Implant, Removed Implant, and traches inserted, plus rads on throat, it is tight to stretch relieves a few minutes, it is the new, I asked about surgery to cut anything or removes scare tissue, I have no adams appple anymore from all the cutting, Plastic Surgery is out of the question, radiation killed everything hopeful to mend and to correct the srugery paths all over my throat, Yeah I know Battle Scares, I Know what your going threw, and Joel is right it feels like hard cartiledge, or someone is choking you it's so tight, i asked if It could be stretched in the throat, No one can answer that question. So..I was hoping for a little more comfort. Take Care, Dennis0 -
I hate to say it, but i'mdennis318 said:Joels Right
I had Implant, Removed Implant, and traches inserted, plus rads on throat, it is tight to stretch relieves a few minutes, it is the new, I asked about surgery to cut anything or removes scare tissue, I have no adams appple anymore from all the cutting, Plastic Surgery is out of the question, radiation killed everything hopeful to mend and to correct the srugery paths all over my throat, Yeah I know Battle Scares, I Know what your going threw, and Joel is right it feels like hard cartiledge, or someone is choking you it's so tight, i asked if It could be stretched in the throat, No one can answer that question. So..I was hoping for a little more comfort. Take Care, Dennis
I hate to say it, but i'm still in a lot of pain every day from my neck dissection. Very limited mobility, a lot of tightness and sometimes burning nerve pain. When I finally got off my Fentanyl patch, I realized how much pain that was masking in my neck. I do neck stretches and yoga, but my neck is still bad. It will be two years in January that I had my surgery.
You could try topical perscription lidocaine. Probably out of all narcotics I have taken, the fentanyl worked best. I understand his reluctance to take pain meds. I never took anything more that ibuprofen till I had cancer. I had a tongue biopsy with 7-8 stitches and didn't take narcotics. I finally caved with the neck dissection and took like vicoden. Radiation I was on 75 mcgs of fentanyl and still in unbearable pain.
He really should take the pain meds. Being free of pain and being able to eat and rest and be pain free helps your body heal and recover more quickly.
Good luck.0 -
I had surgery a month agosweetblood22 said:I hate to say it, but i'm
I hate to say it, but i'm still in a lot of pain every day from my neck dissection. Very limited mobility, a lot of tightness and sometimes burning nerve pain. When I finally got off my Fentanyl patch, I realized how much pain that was masking in my neck. I do neck stretches and yoga, but my neck is still bad. It will be two years in January that I had my surgery.
You could try topical perscription lidocaine. Probably out of all narcotics I have taken, the fentanyl worked best. I understand his reluctance to take pain meds. I never took anything more that ibuprofen till I had cancer. I had a tongue biopsy with 7-8 stitches and didn't take narcotics. I finally caved with the neck dissection and took like vicoden. Radiation I was on 75 mcgs of fentanyl and still in unbearable pain.
He really should take the pain meds. Being free of pain and being able to eat and rest and be pain free helps your body heal and recover more quickly.
Good luck.
I had surgery a month ago and I still have some swelling and even my lower teeth hurt sometimes, but I did have the left floor of my my removed. I guess he moved a muscle over to fill in the whole left from removing the floor of my mouth. I had a neck disection and I found out they removed 16 lymph nodes on the left side. It really hurts, I start radiation on 11/29 and it will be directed right under my chin as the cancer was under my tongue. I'm not whining just trying to give facts. The pain is burning, stabbing at times other times not so bad. I'm sorry your still going thru pain after two years. I am taking oxicodone and it helps a little. Oh well I am happy that I'm going to be ok, but this is what I have to go thru to get there.0 -
feel free to whine if you sokingcole42005 said:I had surgery a month ago
I had surgery a month ago and I still have some swelling and even my lower teeth hurt sometimes, but I did have the left floor of my my removed. I guess he moved a muscle over to fill in the whole left from removing the floor of my mouth. I had a neck disection and I found out they removed 16 lymph nodes on the left side. It really hurts, I start radiation on 11/29 and it will be directed right under my chin as the cancer was under my tongue. I'm not whining just trying to give facts. The pain is burning, stabbing at times other times not so bad. I'm sorry your still going thru pain after two years. I am taking oxicodone and it helps a little. Oh well I am happy that I'm going to be ok, but this is what I have to go thru to get there.
feel free to whine if you so desire. sometimes that's all that gets me thru the day. not often too much anymore, but sometimes. if you're gonna whine, this is the place to do it. we all understand. 0 -
pain after resectionsoccerfreaks said:Ideas
There are some things you can do that may help. A relative made me a scarf sort of thing, filled with rice (don't ask me, I just live here), that I would stick in the microwave for a couple or three minutes, which made it sort of a comfortable heating pad, I guess. I would wrap this around my neck and it seemed to help quite a bit.
Exercising the neck...simply... can also help...simple stretches and turns. Massages are also helpful, and you might think about going to a physical therapist who can handle that with the proper knowledge of the muscles involved.
In an case, pain management is critical! If you are in pain, you are more prone to hang it up. If, as scambuster suggests, pain meds are not working, go to your docs and seek ones that WILL work. Again, pain mgmt is a critical aspect of success.
In the end, it should all be fine. There may be some stricture-type of feeling forever (I am survivor of radical neck dissection and tongue resection, Oct. 05 and still feel some tightness on right side of neck, where the surg occured), but there does not have to be unbearable pain, even at your early stage.
It gets better.
Take care,
Joe
In Dec 09 I had a neck resection, radiation, chemo, last year stopping this past june. I was doing well until a few weeks ago when all of a sudden I started having pain in neck, side of face,with swallowing, shooting pain into my ear, keeping my mouth closed. CT scan OK I take both methadone as it works with both types of pain and morphine for in between. I tried neurotin, lyrica and was allergic. I cannot take anti-inflamatory med but dotake pain med for other conditions as I have MS, 12 herniated discs, bleeding internally and have duct obstruction and to the liver. Anyone have any ideas of helping this pain, I do do the excerises.0 -
Stringsnan becket said:pain after resection
In Dec 09 I had a neck resection, radiation, chemo, last year stopping this past june. I was doing well until a few weeks ago when all of a sudden I started having pain in neck, side of face,with swallowing, shooting pain into my ear, keeping my mouth closed. CT scan OK I take both methadone as it works with both types of pain and morphine for in between. I tried neurotin, lyrica and was allergic. I cannot take anti-inflamatory med but dotake pain med for other conditions as I have MS, 12 herniated discs, bleeding internally and have duct obstruction and to the liver. Anyone have any ideas of helping this pain, I do do the excerises.
Hey King,
I finished treatment in April and for about 4 months it felt like from where my right tonsil was it was like a bunch of strings from that one point spreading out and being pulled. It was very painful to move my head certain ways, but that is the best way I can explain it. Very strange feeling that has now gone and there is some tightness that still remains. They sacrificed a nerve that went to my right shoulder and the atrophy that resulted has been my biggest battle. Physical therapy has been the biggest help in regaining strength in my shoulder. I am not any where near as strong as I was but it gets better every week. I still take pain meds when I need them. Remember time is the key with this crappy hand we have been dealt. Stay strong and time will be the greatest healer you can hope for.
Best,
Steve0 -
Thank you Stevestevenl said:Strings
Hey King,
I finished treatment in April and for about 4 months it felt like from where my right tonsil was it was like a bunch of strings from that one point spreading out and being pulled. It was very painful to move my head certain ways, but that is the best way I can explain it. Very strange feeling that has now gone and there is some tightness that still remains. They sacrificed a nerve that went to my right shoulder and the atrophy that resulted has been my biggest battle. Physical therapy has been the biggest help in regaining strength in my shoulder. I am not any where near as strong as I was but it gets better every week. I still take pain meds when I need them. Remember time is the key with this crappy hand we have been dealt. Stay strong and time will be the greatest healer you can hope for.
Best,
Steve
Thank you Steve, the pain is just getting to me. Especially at night. Eating is painful, and the teeth pain. The other day out of the blue I started getting ear pain in my left ear, then the whole side of my head, then it went away. I find the oxcodone (2) and 800 mg of advil have been helping, but doesn't take it away fully. Your right, I'm being impatient, time heals all wounds, right? Fortunately I didn't lose anything with my shoulder, just have some pain sometimes. I was very glad to hear about your wife and her tests, Congratulations and sleep well.
Take Care,
Shelly0
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