Post Radiation Neck Fibrosis

Have you tried physical therapy?  My PT works not only on recovering range of motion in my neck and arm/shoulder but he also regularly massages my scar and breaks up the adhesions.  I like to think of them like little plant roots that need to be broken off...kind of like ivy growing on my neck.  Silly, I know but it works for a visual person like me!

I'm not familiar with neck fibrosis but it sounds worse than what I am dealing with.  All I know is that I ws getting worse and worse-my neck wouldn't run and my shoulder and arm were getting hard to use.  I kept mentioning it to my doctors and I wasn't getting much of a response beyond it's something I will have to work through.  I finally insisted on physical therapy and it is doing wonders.

It's worth asking-no one is a better advocate for your health than you are!  Good luck.

On 6/30/2007 Burgkitty Sue wrote:

Have you tried physical therapy?  My PT works not only on recovering range of motion in my neck and arm/shoulder but he also regularly massages my scar and breaks up the adhesions.  I like to think of them like little plant roots that need to be broken off...kind of like ivy growing on my neck.  Silly, I know but it works for a visual person like me!

I'm not familiar with neck fibrosis but it sounds worse than what I am dealing with.  All I know is that I ws getting worse and worse-my neck wouldn't run and my shoulder and arm were getting hard to use.  I kept mentioning it to my doctors and I wasn't getting much of a response beyond it's something I will have to work through.  I finally insisted on physical therapy and it is doing wonders.

It's worth asking-no one is a better advocate for your health than you are!  Good luck.

PT was recommended and tried but since mobility was only a small problem, my son didn't think it was benefitial. I'll ask him about massage, don't think that was ordered. My concern is that  the Dr. cannot palpate the neck thoroughly. Also the carotid artery is very likely  becoming thickened, and at some point an endartectomy may be necessary and this fibrosis will make surgery more difficult. Thanks for your suggestion.