Sorry I haven't been writing much. I spent all of last week in Straubing with a client for her cervical surgery. After a week and a half of endless days and being mostly out of town, I have much to catch up on. I just want to comment on this experience with c-spine and vertigo. I've seen many cases with balance issues associated with cervical spine problems, and even some milder vertigo. However, until last week, I have not had experience with someone who would have described more severe vertigo as a major (possibly even THE major) complaint.
Many of you have already seen the video from 24 hours post-op with dexterity and strength issues seemingly resolve on
Jennifer's surgery blog. She and her husband have not been posting because they've been tooling around Bavaria and traveling home. Hopefully, she'll be updating soon.
I spoke to her this morning. Prior to surgery, EVERY morning included substantial dizzyness and vertigo. Certain movements were certain to cause dizzyness and vertigo. This effected her life on a daily basis and frequently, the vertigo was bad enough to cause nausea and vomiting. (I think the term puking one's guts out comes to mind.) While she's still just over a week post-op, she is telling me that she has not experienced what she used to experience on a daily basis; even when making the movements that ALWAYS caused the dizzyness!
While it's still too soon to declare certain success, but everything looks great so far. The reason I make this special post is that my experience has been that a few doctors will confess that a relationship between the typical c-spine problems and vertigo MAY be possible. However, they really don't take it seriously enough to pay much attention to it. Often, the patients are often considered to be too complex and we scare the doctors away.
No surgeon will (or can) say for certain that there is a relationship between the spinal cord compression and the vertigo, but the process is completely different when this is at least considered to be a reasonable possibility, instead of a contra-indication.
I look forward to Jennifer's first hand account. I worry about her doing too much too soon because she's feeling pretty dang good at just 9 days post-op. Hopefully, her story will give others some hope.
All the best,
Mark