Neck, Trap and Sterno muscle issues 4.5 years after treatment...

cardoza33
cardoza33 Member Posts: 81
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hello Friends,

I am 4.5 years out of Stage 4 HPV Tonsil cancer.  I did NOT have surgery but had chemo and radiation.  I have recently had issues with pain in my eye, stiffness in my neck, nerve pain issues, and started down the road of discovery.  I realized I have atrophied Trapezius and sternoclaidomastoid muscles.  The trap and SCM muscle are basically gone.  I have read this is common in neck disseciton patients, but I have not read it is common on patients without surgery.

I had been to several Dr. before I figured out the issue.  I returned to cancer center and am now getting a CT scan to rule out cancer, going to PT and Chiropracter attempting to build up the muscles around these.  Curious if anyone has similar experience?  I have read this condition is caused by damage to the accessory nerves which feeds into both of these muscles.

Thank you and wishing everyone the best.

 

Tony

Comments

  • wbcgaruss
    wbcgaruss Member Posts: 2,482 Member
    #2
    Hello cardoza33

    I have not had an exactly similar experience but last September I was operated on for a cancerous lymph node that was not encapsulated anymore and had grown into the surrounding tissue. The had to peel it off from around my carotid artery and remove some muscle and tissue it had grown into. Thus I can only lift my rm up about half of what I used to in one direction. Why you have so much damage with just chemo and rads I don't know. But radiation burns so it may have burned that much that it damaged the muscle or may be affected the blood flow to your damaged areas. Good luck with PT and chiropractor and praying your CT scan comes up showing NED and nothing to worry about-Take Care-God Bless-Russ

  • cardoza33
    cardoza33 Member Posts: 81
    #3
    Update

    Thank you Russ.  Have a great weekend.

     

    Tony

  • ERomanO
    ERomanO Member Posts: 323 Member
    #4
    Muscle atrophy

    Radiation is pretty harsh on the body, and I don't doubt that it can have a negative effect on the upper musculoskeletal system.  I think we all have neck stiffness as a result and are reminded often to do daily stretching to stave off muscular fibrosis.  When I turn my head it sounds like roacks grinding in my neck.  I'm sure some of this is from age, but it wasn't this bad pre-radiation.  But I'm not sure about atrophied muscles.  That's usually caued by lack of muscle usage.  Having surgery would certainly cause one to not use certain muscles for an extended period, but lack of physical activity is probably the main contributor.  The older we get the more important it is to keep muscles strong.  One of the nurses that administered my 2nd round of chemo warned me of losing muscle mass beyond the age of 50... that there is a point where it just won't come back.  The SCM muscle is a strange one... kind of hard to imagine how it is useful or if you could even tell that it wasn't functioning properly.

    I've been having more nreve issues lately, especially with my left arm falling asleep and have wondered if it could be radiation related.

  • cardoza33
    cardoza33 Member Posts: 81
    edited September 2020 #5
    ERomanO said:

    Muscle atrophy

    Radiation is pretty harsh on the body, and I don't doubt that it can have a negative effect on the upper musculoskeletal system.  I think we all have neck stiffness as a result and are reminded often to do daily stretching to stave off muscular fibrosis.  When I turn my head it sounds like roacks grinding in my neck.  I'm sure some of this is from age, but it wasn't this bad pre-radiation.  But I'm not sure about atrophied muscles.  That's usually caued by lack of muscle usage.  Having surgery would certainly cause one to not use certain muscles for an extended period, but lack of physical activity is probably the main contributor.  The older we get the more important it is to keep muscles strong.  One of the nurses that administered my 2nd round of chemo warned me of losing muscle mass beyond the age of 50... that there is a point where it just won't come back.  The SCM muscle is a strange one... kind of hard to imagine how it is useful or if you could even tell that it wasn't functioning properly.

    I've been having more nreve issues lately, especially with my left arm falling asleep and have wondered if it could be radiation related.

    I actually do work out and

    I actually do work out and coach high school wrestling. I am very active and this still happened. I am learning it is because the accessory nerve has been damaged which is apparently  common with neck dissection. Howevef K did not have surgery.  My Dr said it can happen with radiation damage as well. The SCM damage causes nerve pain in the eye and cheek, which is the orgination of my issues 3 month ago. Thank you for the reply I will report back after CT scan. I am posting this for two reasons.  1. if anyone else has experienced it I would be curious to know what they did. and 2. in case anyone experiences it later they might find this. I am doing PT, Chiro and working out daily. Wishing everyone a peaceful Labor Day.

     

  • Joel4
    Joel4 Member Posts: 263 Member
    edited September 2020 #6
    ERomanO said:

    Muscle atrophy

    Radiation is pretty harsh on the body, and I don't doubt that it can have a negative effect on the upper musculoskeletal system.  I think we all have neck stiffness as a result and are reminded often to do daily stretching to stave off muscular fibrosis.  When I turn my head it sounds like roacks grinding in my neck.  I'm sure some of this is from age, but it wasn't this bad pre-radiation.  But I'm not sure about atrophied muscles.  That's usually caued by lack of muscle usage.  Having surgery would certainly cause one to not use certain muscles for an extended period, but lack of physical activity is probably the main contributor.  The older we get the more important it is to keep muscles strong.  One of the nurses that administered my 2nd round of chemo warned me of losing muscle mass beyond the age of 50... that there is a point where it just won't come back.  The SCM muscle is a strange one... kind of hard to imagine how it is useful or if you could even tell that it wasn't functioning properly.

    I've been having more nreve issues lately, especially with my left arm falling asleep and have wondered if it could be radiation related.

    Nerve Issues

    Hi ERomanO - I have had right arm tingling and numbness.  Just had some MRIs and they seem to point to nerve issues in the Brachial Plexus caused by radiation. Google radiation induced plaxopathy.  More troubling than the tingling and numbness is increasing weakness in my right arm.  For now, just thankful that only my right arm is affected and praying it doesn't detoriate further.

  • ERomanO
    ERomanO Member Posts: 323 Member
    edited September 2020 #7
    ERomanO said:

    Muscle atrophy

    Radiation is pretty harsh on the body, and I don't doubt that it can have a negative effect on the upper musculoskeletal system.  I think we all have neck stiffness as a result and are reminded often to do daily stretching to stave off muscular fibrosis.  When I turn my head it sounds like roacks grinding in my neck.  I'm sure some of this is from age, but it wasn't this bad pre-radiation.  But I'm not sure about atrophied muscles.  That's usually caued by lack of muscle usage.  Having surgery would certainly cause one to not use certain muscles for an extended period, but lack of physical activity is probably the main contributor.  The older we get the more important it is to keep muscles strong.  One of the nurses that administered my 2nd round of chemo warned me of losing muscle mass beyond the age of 50... that there is a point where it just won't come back.  The SCM muscle is a strange one... kind of hard to imagine how it is useful or if you could even tell that it wasn't functioning properly.

    I've been having more nreve issues lately, especially with my left arm falling asleep and have wondered if it could be radiation related.

    Thank you both

    I'll bring up the possibility of nerve damage from radiation when I have my follow up visit in November.

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