after C7 and C6 ACDF surgery healing process

darby1967

I am about 48 hours out of ACDF disectomy fusion of c7 and c6. Wondering if the pain I am having in the center of the back between the shoulder blades is normal and from spaziming muscles. Hot showers are helping to relieve it, as well as ice packs. taking pain and muscle relaxers but can not lay down to sleep without getting very stiff. After surgery had immediate relief from the shooting pain down the left arm. But now feel like there is pain again there. Wondering if I could have turned wrong and messed something up in the center of the back of the neck or if this is part of the healing that results from the muscles somewhat being disturbed from the surgery overall. the pain comes and goes and hope that its just par for the course...its different than what I had beofre the surgery so I know the surgery worked, I am thinking its just part of the healing...??? Stretching seems to relieve too. The hip is very tender where they took out bone to replace the disc. Walking is not too bad once I got over the first day. Seems like the heavey pain med from surgery once it faded and the prescribed meds and relaxers are adminisered maybe they are not as strong and thus this is just normal healing/pain associated with the surgery in general? I tend to hold alot of stress along the back shoulder blades too thus thinking this is an exaggerated pain resulting from the surgery? comments? similar experiences?