Diving after neck surgery

[vshearer]

I searched the site and found very little info on this. I just had an L3 anterior cervical disectomy. (They stripped three discs 3-4,4-5,5-6 out of my neck and bolted in a titanium plate.) Surgery went great, no more pain.

My question is has anyone else had a similar surgery and if so how has it affected diving as far as maintaining trim. (Horizontal) The reduced ability to "look up" makes for some discomfort, but the alternative is looking down. It does help me remember to arch my back, and since the doc just cleared me for diving (and I have only done a couple of checkout dives) I am curious what others may have experienced.

 

[Kevrumbo]

I've gotta a C5-C6 disc herniation with stenosis and bone spur formation that's going to need eventual surgery, so I'm interested in any responses as well. Currently still suffering from "pinched nerve" symptoms (minor pain, numbness down right shoulder, arm and to index finger) holding my head upright or extending my neck to look upward. . .

 

[vshearer]

I've gotta a C5-C6 disc herniation with stenosis and bone spur formation that's going to need eventual surgery, so I'm interested in any responses as well. Currently still suffering from "pinched nerve" symptoms (minor pain, numbness down right shoulder, arm and to index finger) holding my head upright or flexing my neck to look upward. . .

One thing that I regret. I put up with the pain for about 6 months until it got really bad. Went in and they did an MRI and even I could tell I was in deep doo-doo. The spinal cord was crushed flat. The pain really escalated and before they could get me in for surgery I suffered some nerve damage. It reduced my strength doing overhead lifts by 90%. (I couldn't lift a #10 weight above my head with my left arm.) Now I have most of that back and I am going to the gym regularly to rebuild it. Don't wait too long.

EDIT: It is my understanding if you only have to have one stripped you will hardly notice it is gone.

 

[pasley]

Great question. Hopefully some of the divers here with experience will join in. I know one diver here who has more than a little titanium. He is doing technical deep dives now, but I never though to ask how all that metal affected his weight distribution or the amount of lead he required.

Glad your doc has cleared you to dive again.

 

[TSandM]

One of my regular buddies had cervical disc surgery (I'm not sure what level) about a year and a half ago. Judging from his beautiful form when cave diving, he doesn't have any particular problems keeping his head up.

 

[kombiguy]

I had a cervical laminectomy on c1-c6 due to Brown-Sequard syndrome. A laminectomy is where they remove the lamina from the vertebra, essentially changing the vertebra from an "O" with the spinal cord inside the O, to a "U" shape. This was to relieve pressure on the cord. Eight weeks later I rode( and completed) RAGBRAI, two weeks after that I was diving in Bonaire. I needed a little help lifting some of the gear for a while, but am now back to 100 percent! Hopefully yours will have the same positive outcome!

 

[ScubaSarus]

Ive been diving 7 yrs with ruptured c3-c4 and although have pain at times have not let it stop me from doing lots of NE shore diving and some deep wrecks.

I trim myself to be slightly heads down.

Its all up to your pain threshold. My lower back hurts more when diving. Just go slow and take it easy and ask for help if needed. Also maintain a conservative profile to risk DCS at the injured site although no known cases have been confirmed that I know of of DCS at an injury site.

 

[vshearer]

Thanks to all of you for your replies. I feel much more optimistic now. :sprite10: