C5 C6 C7 dissectomy & fusion and yoga

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

After years of unhealthy and unwise living, I cleaned up my act, changed the diet, changed the career, added exercise, and found yoga. Five years later and 50 years old, I’m happier than I’ve ever been. I even started yoga teacher training last November and have fallen in love in more with yoga, and the yogic way of life.

As life would have it though, for the past year debilitating left shoulder and arm pain and now great weakness in the arm has led to a diagnosis of cervical vertebrae degeneration which is pinching the brachial nerve. I had to stop weight lifting a while ago, and now, the only option, besides additional pain and my left arm being very weak, is C5,C6, & C7 dissectomy and fusion. It’s going to be next week.

I have a top notch neurosurgeon and great support but with the world of GOOGLE I have read horror stories.

I’ve been told and have read that I may not ever be able to do yoga again. I could probably give up all exercise completely but yoga, that’s another story. I used to joke that disco saved my life, but I believe it might have been yoga.

I’m in a tiny little town in Central PA which blessedly has a yoga studio, but not a whole lot of folks who can help. So, I’ve joined this forum in hopes that there might be someone with more experience or similar situation that might offer their experiences.

Namaste

Jim in Williamsport, PA

#2

Whilst all surgery carries risks I feel certain your surgeon will have discussed the “worst case scenario”. S/he has to do this for legal reasons but what the patient remembers from this conversation often bears no resemblance to what was actually said.

Since you had begun teacher training, you must be aware that yoga is more than just asana which -even if surgery is 100% successful- will not be possible for some time after. However, pranayama, mantra and meditation will always be available to you and it is important to focus on what you can do rather than what you cannot. You may need to change the style of yoga you practise but would that be so bad?

I wish you every success with your surgery and hope you have a speedy recovery.

#3

You are correct of course on all points you have made. Indeed, I am blessed with a teacher who with her own wisdom and length of development from physical yogi to spiritual yogi has de-emphasized asana. Like her, I came from a physical strength training background, and by grace have found yoga to be much more. So much for me, in fact, and because of my spinal degeneration, pain, and weakness, and grace again, was exposed to and now have fallen in love with Yin and Restorative yoga…and thoughts of working with wounded, broken, and the not so able, a wonderful new direction I never would have considered a year ago. I truly thought I was destined for ashstanga or power type practice and teaching. I am blessed as well with my teacher knowing that my teaching abilities and development do not necessarily need to end because of a period of time of recovery.

Thank you for the words.

Namaste

#4

I prefer to feedback on these sorts of things well in advance of surgical solutions. Since that cannot happen here based on the timeline you’ve outlined my reply will be brief.

With that in mind I’ll reaffirm that a yoga practice is always available even when an asana practice or a particular asana practice may not be.