I am 11 months ACDF (2 levels) post-op & feeling good!!
Didn't think it would be possible, but I'm finally there (hopefully for good). My neck immediately felt stronger right after my surgery & I didn't have to hold my neck up with my hand anymore. However, I was plagued with side neck muscle spasms (I would run my fingers over the muscles & they would feel like hard pebbles in my neck) and different acting migraines. I just couldn't get it through my docs head that if I could get rid of the muscle spasms, I would feel a lot better. He sent me to 4 physical therapy sessions & sent me home with a cervical traction device, which only made my muscles spasm worse and I wouldn't want to use it. So, in October, we went to the State Fair here in Tulsa & after a couple of hours of walking the fair, my neck muscles started screaming at me. I remembered seeing one of those booths that sell the personal @ home ?Tinge? massagers (not sure if I spelled that right). It has pads you stick to your skin over the tense muscle then you connect to wires that connect to a hand held device that delivers electricity to the muscles in a massaging pattern (several patterns to choose from). So I thought now is as good a time as any to test this thing out to see if it really works, & within 15 minutes, my stiff muscles felt great. I was SOLD! I'm sure I over paid for it when I found it online for 50$ less (I paid $100 for it) but not only was it worth it pain-wise, but I would have paid more than that the next time I had a migraine & went to the E.R. I bought it the first week of October & within 2 weeks, my muscle spasms stopped, & I've warded off 3 migraines in 3 weeks after buying it. I haven't had to use it for almost 2 weeks now. I feel like a normal person again. The unit I bought is called "Mini Masseuse". Just thought I would share my story with anyone who might be in the same boat as I was.