Anyone do a compression fracture at C7?

[equisusan]

[QUOTE=Carol Ames;8141680]
Sounds great! but, What pillow is this:confused:?[/QUOTE]

My pillow that I recommended? It’s the mediflow pillow:
Mediflow Original Waterbase Pillow https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003J372NS/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_RpStvb0TX22PF

I had a disc replaced in my neck last summer and it’s the pillow 95% of people seem to use post op but it also helped me sleep after my compression fracture in March. I highly recommend it for neck issues.

[equisusan]

[QUOTE=TullyMars;8137982]
Yes, I had one with 30% compression. Also broke the back of the spineous processes off C-7 and C6. I had many other fractures in my back at the same time. Originally it was very painful. Doctor put me in a body cast for the other breaks and did not really do anything for the neck. Injury was in 1995. Ended up with it being a problem and having surgery to stabilize it as well as remove the spineous process pieces that were just sitting in there. Accident caused me to loose a lot of muscle attachment and I was cautioned that another hit to the head could be REALLY bad for me. Post surgery, it has been the least of my problems. Besides general stiffness and reduced range of motion it is not bothersome. I do wish that they had addressed it sooner and perhaps stabilized it at that point. But that’s another story. The chronic problems I have are from my other fractures at T3, T4…T8, T9… and L4, L5. To address those I had a vertibroplasty on T8, and a fusion of L4, L5 and S1. I came off like a head first arena dart when a dog chased my horse. Spent 8 months in a body cast! Follow their time restrictions religiously and also use all the PT they offer to strengthen the muscles and get range of motion back to good. Good luck and I hope the best possible recovery for you![/QUOTE]

Bless your heart Tully Mars. The PT for the compression fracture is the same as from my artificial disc replacement surgery so I’m game to start at it as soon as they take new X-rays and tell me to get on with it. This hurt much more than my post op but certainly less than all the nerve pain I had before I had surgery.

My surgeon mentioned the bone cement Carol Ames but I guess they don’t do that treatment in necks. Best of luck to all… it’s a longer road to recovery than I expected perhaps complicated by my artificial disc and degenerative disc disease. No osteoporosis for me at least yet.

[TullyMars]

My doctor also would not do the cement in the neck. Currently it is only used in T and L spine is what I understood. I have it at T8. They use it to reestablish the vertebral height and keep it from continuing to micro-fragment. I have to admit I was a terrible patient in so much as I wanted to get back to work and get back on the horse. I was impatient and in hind sight I should have taken more rest time. Including flat on my back time. I think I had more collapse because I was trying to be up and around sooner than I should have. I think the PT to build up the surrounding supporting muscles in the neck are the best thing. Do all the sessions and keep up the exercises. Incidentally, I was 5’11" before the accident and now I am 5’9" tops. But, I think with just the neck and time and PT you will be just fine! The neck was the least of my issues!

[beaujolais]

I just bought this pillow & just started using it. Thanks E.Susan!

It seems nice, but I’ve only used it for a day. It doesn’t put any pressure on my neck like most pillows do. I still need to put a little neck roll in my cervical curve, though, to be comfortable and keep the curve.

Questions: Do you use it water side up or down? Does it always feel very cool/kinda cold? Has it ever leaked?

Thanks so much! I truly appreciate you telling us about it.

[beaujolais]

I just bought this pillow & just started using it. Thanks E.Susan!

It seems nice, but I’ve only used it for a day. It doesn’t put any pressure on my neck like most pillows do. I still need to put a little neck roll in my cervical curve, though, to be comfortable and keep the curve.

Questions: Do you use it water side up or down? Does it always feel very cool/kinda cold? Has it ever leaked?

Thanks so much! I truly appreciate you telling us about it.

[Clair2014]

[QUOTE=sonomacounty;8163263]
I just bought this pillow & just started using it. Thanks E.Susan!

It seems nice, but I’ve only used it for a day. It doesn’t put any pressure on my neck like most pillows do. I still need to put a little neck roll in my cervical curve, though, to be comfortable and keep the curve.

Questions: Do you use it water side up or down? Does it always feel very cool/kinda cold? Has it ever leaked?

Thanks so much! I truly appreciate you telling us about it.[/QUOTE]

sonomacounty - I’ve been using this pillow ever since the OP first recommended it approximately six weeks ago. I use it with the water side down and it has (knock wood) never leaked. I’ve not noticed mine feeling particularly cold or cool but maybe a bit cooler than a normal pillow. I have the smallest recommended amount of water in mine though - not sure if that makes a difference. I absolutely love this pillow. It has done wonders for me. Good luck!

[beaujolais]

Thanks so much, Clair!!

I find it seems cool when my house is cool. I guess it takes on the room temperature. So far, I’m preferring it water side up but I still need to play around with it. It’s only been a few days.

Wishing you & all good disc health!! Much thanks!

[equisusan]

[QUOTE=sonomacounty;8163263]
I just bought this pillow & just started using it. Thanks E.Susan!

It seems nice, but I’ve only used it for a day. It doesn’t put any pressure on my neck like most pillows do. I still need to put a little neck roll in my cervical curve, though, to be comfortable and keep the curve.

Questions: Do you use it water side up or down? Does it always feel very cool/kinda cold? Has it ever leaked?

Thanks so much! I truly appreciate you telling us about it.[/QUOTE]

I’m so glad you are liking it sonomacounty. I always use it water side down. Water side up would certainly make it feel colder. I started with 2 quarts and now use between 1 and 1.5 quarts in mine. You have to play with the water levels some to get it just right for you. They also have a memory foam version which I own as well. The memory foam conforms around your neck and holds its shape better which I like but it is a little warmer than the regular version. If you bought yours from Amazon then you can usually return it if you don’t like it.

None of mine have ever leaked.

[beaujolais]

Thanks Sue! Yes, a superb pillow. I have a large collection of different kinds of pillows, as I guess most disc sufferers do. This one is different and my favorite, I believe. It seems it won’t allow for there to be pressure points on your neck as the water areas just roll those away. I’ve also found it helps my bad shoulder as the times I feel I just need to lay on that side, I scoot this pillow under the shoulder and much less pressure than being just on the mattress.

[equisusan]

[QUOTE=sonomacounty;8167646]
Thanks Sue! Yes, a superb pillow. I have a large collection of different kinds of pillows, as I guess most disc sufferers do. This one is different and my favorite, I believe. It seems it won’t allow for there to be pressure points on your neck as the water areas just roll those away. I’ve also found it helps my bad shoulder as the times I feel I just need to lay on that side, I scoot this pillow under the shoulder and much less pressure than being just on the mattress. :)[/QUOTE]

PS If you ever need disc surgery there is a great fb group called Cervical Disc Replacement Surgery.

[beaujolais]

I’ll go look, thanks!!! Much appreciated.

I truly believe that people should be getting glucosamine/chondroitin at a very young age, as we do fluoride vitamins and perhaps these disc problems would not be so common. Also, there should be more awareness as to heavy backpacks for kids (schools are aware in theory but still have them having too heavy of backpacks) and hard/too heavy to open doors in some businesses/stores/workplaces.

Here is a good site for information on how heavy a door should be to open. As a disc sufferer, I have lots of problems with some doors. Do any of you? Some stores with heavy doors, I just wait till someone else goes in or out, or knock if someone inside can see me. Mistakenly some businesses/employers think just because it is a “fire door” that it has to be crazy heavy to open. This is completely incorrect. If the doors at your workplace are like this you can e-mail OSHA a complaint, they will inspect and then issue recommendations/or other remedies, if warranted.

https://adata.org/factsheet/adjusting-doors-access

[equisusan]

Heavy doors drive me crazy too. I use those womanly hips of mine to open them as much as possible. Ha ha. I also don’t like people shaking my hand as they grip too hard and this is where I had all the nerve pain from my neck prior to and for six months post op.