If you are preparing for an upcoming neck surgery, you are probably somewhat nervous, frazzled and maybe even feeling unprepared. With my list of must-have items for after neck surgery, I am hoping to save you some grief before and after surgery and help you to be as prepared as you can be with the items that you will REALLY need.
I did plenty of reading and researching prior to my neck surgery, in hopes of having everything perfect when I came home from the hospital. Well let me tell you, there is nothing like real experience and I found out that many times it is the seemingly inconsequential things that are the most needed. I read plenty of “helpful” articles and suggestion lists before my ACDF Surgery (well mine was actually a ACCF – Anterior Cervical Corpectomy & Fusion), in hopes of making my life simpler post-surgery, but I found that not all were necessary (for me at least).
What I packed for the hospital
iPhone, iPad, phone charger, earbuds, ear plugs, razor, a book, mascara, cough drops and much more.
What I actually used in the hospital
My iPhone {barely} – I was doing well to even focus on visitors, and could barely even see my phone to use it! The ear plugs were handy because let’s face it, hospitals are NOISY!
If I’m being honest, I felt pretty horrible while I was in the hospital, and I did very little. My mouth was SO dry from whatever it is they use during surgery. I just wanted ice chips constantly, or the little sponge popsicle things. I was on pain meds and a bit “loopy”. In light of how I felt, I definitely overpacked!
After surgery (for me at least), it gets tiresome depending on other people. I found myself in tears often because I couldn’t do something for myself. There was plenty of frustration and exhaustion – and those coupled with pain just left me a mess. Every little thing became difficult to do and the aggravation got worse. I cannot express enough how helpful and indispensable the below items were to me during my recovery. Every item made me feel a little more independent, comfortable and less agitated. I call that a win!
Please note, affiliate links are included below, but they are certainly not the reason for this post 🙂
What I couldn’t live without at home after surgery:
Bendable straws
Bendable straws are something I would NEVER have thought of as being essential after neck surgery, but when your neck movement is limited, these are a life saver. If I was reclining a bit, I could adjust the straw accordingly. If I was upright, I could move the straw where I needed it. Sometimes the smallest things are the biggest conveniences when you are frustrated by being so helpless. Buy a huge bag of these – you will need them!
Reusable, Bendable Straws
Disposable, Bendable straws
Ear plugs? Well yes. These might seen like a strange need, so I will explain. After neck surgery, you most likely will not be sleeping in your bed/bedroom for awhile. I didn’t. I spent most of my sleeping hours in the recliner in the family room, as it was the spot that I found to be the most comfortable.
The problem with sleeping here is that our family room is the hub of the home and there was traffic and noise. No matter how quiet everyone tried to be, the noise still interrupted my sleep/naps. When recovering from a major surgery, sleep is precious and any sleep you can get is very welcome. My hubby actually recommended this brand for me, and I love them! They aren’t as big or awkward as some ear plugs are, and are much simpler to use. It might be a little tricky at first, because of your neck brace, but you will get the hang of it!
I purchased two, one for upstairs and one for downstairs. Grabbers are definitely important – and very inexpensive! You’d be surprised how many things you need to pick up or reach for. It’s amazing how many of our movements are controlled by the neck. The grabbers are truly amazing. And if you’re feeling silly you can goose your partner as they walk by just for fun 🙂
After neck surgery you can’t really shampoo your hair for awhile. Dry shampoo will be your friend. There are so many different brands, but this one works well for me. A little goes a long way with any of them – if you use too much, it kind of gums up your hair. Don’t do that, or then you will REALLY want to wash your hair!
Non-slip socks are super important in my opinion. If there is water or other substances on a tile or wood floor, it would be easy to go sliding and/or falling. I just ordered more in fact, as we have hardwood floors throughout the bottom level. I had one pair already, and the ones from the hospital, but these were really baggy and just plain annoying.
This bedrest pillow would have helped me immensely, as I could not get comfortable sitting upright in bed {even though there are like 2,967 different shaped pillows currently on my bed}. They also have them with the headrest, but I don’t believe that would be very comfortable with a neck brace. I ordered this the other day and it should be arriving any time now. I cannot wait!
These cooling towels are the best things that have ever been invented. There has been a heatwave ever since my release from the hospital and these towels are a must-have whether it is hot out or not. My neck and shoulder muscles have been so sore since the surgery, and although ice packs help, they don’t hit all of the areas that hurt. With Frog Toggs, I can simply run them under cold water, wring them out and place them like a cape over my neck, shoulders and arms. They stay cold too, until they dry out (then you just rewet). I am not sure how it works, but it does! I ordered three of these (in a variety of colors) from Amazon, and oh my gosh, they are wonderful!
These down pillows have become my favorite pillows, as I can squish and form them however I need to get comfortable. I wouldn’t get expensive ones though, because after you contort them in a million different ways you may not want to use them as regular pillows again. But that’s entirely up to you.
Extra pads for neck collar/brace. When you go for your collar fitting, ask for extra pads at that time. You will be changing them often, as your neck will get hot and sweaty (ick). I really wish I had 2 extra sets, especially the chin pad, but of course you can only purchase the full set of replacement pads.
Pull-up shirts {buy online or make yourself}
These are SO important, as you shouldn’t lift your arms over your head after surgery. I looked at Target in the Juniors section and found cute little sleeveless sundresses/jumpers/tops. They are the kind that have elastic and fit easily under your arms. You can slip them on over your legs and pull up. Since this was the Juniors section where I found them, and I am obviously not the size of a Junior, I just bought XXL.
I had a friend of mine cut off the excess length and hem them how I like them, so I could wear them as shirts. Not only are they easy to get on, but they are super comfortable! The other thing we did was go to a fabric store and purchase several types. She measured the length, then doubled the fabric (so they wouldn’t be see-through) and added elastic at the top. We made our own pull-up tops!
And finally, an easy little DIY project – Fabric Liners for neck collar pads
If you are having your surgery in the summer months and it gets hot where you live, you will need these! It gets HOT where I live (over 100 degrees!), and my neck sweats profusely thanks to this collar. I had my friend cut out some fabric shapes approximately the same size as my chin pad. We made a bunch yesterday, actually, and I have used them so much. When I am in between changing pads for my collar, I just slip one of these fabric pieces over my chin strap. It feels so good to have dry cloth there, and will reduce the chances of a heat rash. I HIGHLY recommend doing this!
If you want to make your own, just cut a few square or triangle shapes and tuck them under the chest piece. My chest gets so itchy where the trachea piece hits. Adding a piece of clean fabric here is such a relief. When they need to be cleaned, simply rinse in hot or cold water and, squeeze and hang dry.
It’s all a matter of trial and error, but after almost 2 weeks now, I can tell you that the above must-have items for after neck surgery have helped me immensely, and if they can help even a few of you after your surgery, then it will have been well worth the time it took to write this post.
Please let me know how you are doing after your surgery – I wish you the best of luck!
Check out some of our other great content:
- Learn some pain and injury prevention techniques with 4 steps to reduce and prevent low back pain
- Get prepped for hip replacement surgery with our Must-have items
- Start using food as medicine with our Foods to Improve Your Mood
- Get better sleep with our 9 Practical Ways to Prevent Insomnia
Kelly MM
Thank you!!! I am scheduled to go through this surgery too. Sharing your experience has been so helpful to me, and the must-have list is awesome!!! (although I think I’ll get an electric razor).
Now that you’re brace free, how is your mobility and pain?
Jennifer-admin
Hello! I am almost 2 years post surgery now, and my mobility is very good. Pain was gone for a long time, but it has started to hurt a bit again in the last few months (I’ve been overdoing it a bit though). I am going to physical therapy again for “maintenance” and I HIGHLY recommend that you do PT as soon as your doctor lets you, after surgery. Some doctors don’t think it is necessary, but I believe it absolutely is (so fight for this!).
When is your surgery? Which discs are affected? I am happy to answer any other questions you have, and I’m glad this article helped!
Jessica
Hi. A friend of mine is having neck surgery soon, and I came across this article while I was looking for recovery gifts. Thank you so much for the ideas! I just have a couple of questions. You mentioned cough drops and ear plugs. Just wondering how those helped. Her house is pretty quiet, but I was wondering if I might need to get her some. Thanks for your help!
Jennifer-admin
The earplugs definitely helped at the hospital, which allowed me to get some much needed rest. They also came in handy at home, as I spent most of my time in the recliner in the family room (right off the kitchen). Since I tended to fall asleep randomly for the first couple of days after I got home, the earbuds let me to get those much needed naps.
The cough drops were for the sore throat. I had heard that after neck surgery the throat can get dry and sore. I don’t believe I ended up using them.
I wish your friend the very best of luck with her surgery!
Peggy Marcus
I learned today that I require Cervical spine surgery in February. My sister immediately sent me your article. Neurosurgeon told me 3-4 weeks in the brace. Thank you for the tips. How long were you on pain meds as I’m not a big fan of using them.
Happy Holidays
Jennifer-admin
Hello Peggy! I am so sorry to hear that you need cervical surgery too. I believe I was on pain meds for about 2 months, but everyone’s recuperation is different. I think I was also at a disadvantage due to the poor fitting of my neck brace – it really did put me behind. I’m sure if you can tolerate Tylenol or Motrin when you are ready to give up the pain meds, that your doctor will be okay with that. I wish you the very best of luck. I hope you will come back and let us know how you are doing!
Bobbi
I personally was only in pain meds for 4 days. Not much pain, just discomfort
Cassia
I’m going in for ACDF next week – just wondering if you found the bed rest pillow helpful? I read your article and have been thinking about purchasing one as well! Any advice in what did work for you and what maybe you’d do differently would be appreciated!! Thank you!
Jennifer-admin
Hello – I am so sorry for the delay in my response! I hope your neck surgery went well – please write back when you feel up to it. Yes the bed rest pillow was helpful for sure. What I did was put a thin, flexible pillow up behind my head (right above it), that I could fold and bend as needed. It made it kind of a customizable pillow for however I needed to be seated at the time.
KC
Thank you very much for this post. It was very helpful! I just found out today that my friend is most likely going to have ACDF surgery. I had never heard of it before and decided to look up what I could buy her for a “recovery gift basket”. Lo and behold, your blog post was the first thing that came up. You had some great ideas, includling the grabber.
I hope you are doing well now since the surgery has been a few years now.
Jennifer-admin
Hello and thank you so much for stopping by! I am sorry your friend has to have surgery too, but I am hoping she will experience as much relief as I have. It was SO worth it for me. I forget I even had the surgery, quite honestly. I’m glad this list has helped you – the grabber is probably the most important thing. That and the pull up, sleeveless tops! It sounds like she has a very thoughtful friend to help her through this rough time. Please wish her the best from Eighty MPH Mom!
kristi Smith
I had ACDF in 2017 but I am having to go back in for another level so I am currently in a brace. I bought a pack of trouser socks and I cut along the toes and slip that over my neck brace. I can match my outfits and also change them out as they get dirty. After my first fusion I had a hard time swallowing. I bought a bunch of soups that I didn’t end up eating because even hot liquid like tomato soup was a struggle. This time I will be drinking ice cold protein shakes.
Jennifer-admin
That is SUCH a clever idea about the trouser socks! That is so clever. I wish I would have thought of that – especially since my neck brace was always slipping down. I think I need to update my post and include your idea along with some other helpful ideas.
And yes, it is so hard to find something that is easy to eat. I like the idea of ice cold protein shakes, especially in the summer months. That would feel so soothing. When is your next surgery? I wish you the very best of luck! If you feel up to it, please check back in 🙂
Kate Crafton
I am so thankful I found your post! I’ve already had lumbar surgery and thought I had things figured out… Luckily I looked around for helpful hints. I am embarrassed to ask, but has anyone needed a toilet riser post surgery? I probably should have had one for my previous surgery, but unsure about cervical needs. Everyone’s input to this post is appreciated. Thanks so much!
Jennifer-admin
Hello! No need to be embarrassed! That is a legitimate question (and you are smart to think ahead about things like that!). I didn’t need one for my neck surgery. I think if you were too high, you’d be reaching down for the toilet paper and might struggle if you couldn’t find or see it. So I really don’t think it is necessary for that. That’s just my opinion. Hopefully others will chime in. When is your surgery?
Lisa Michelle Waller
A toilet riser is a must.anything that helps is a blessing
Katelyn Ann Latalla
Hi. My mom just had acdf from c2 to ç7. It has been a nightmare. She has really bad breathing issues and coded out in recovery. She is 2 weeks out and still doesn’t have her voice back. She has to yell to talk.shes actually back in the hospital cuz her pain is Soo bad. Does anyone have any ideas about anything to help her sit up in bed. It takes Soo much for her to sit up
Katelyn Ann Latalla
And another question what cervical pillow did you guys get she can’t be too flat
Jessica
Thank you so much for sharing your experience & helpful ideas!! I will be having ACDF at c4-c5. My doctor said it’s outpatient… Seems strange to me! I’ll have to have a quick shopping trip before the surgery…or perhaps convince my mother (who will be driving me to & from the hospital)that she should spend the roughly 3-4 hours I’m in surgery & recovery to buy some of the items you mentioned me in
Bobbi
I am honestly counting my blessing right now. Pain meds only for 4 days that I kept around the clock to
Avoid feeling severe pain.
Swallowing was the worst. Chloraseptic throat lozenges helped some. I’d say much more discomfort with brace than pain. And the definite emotional helplessness doesn’t help.
I still struggle getting comfortable to sleep.
Lyric
Wow Bobbi, we wish you a speedy recovery!
Judie Palmer
I have spinal stenosis and Myelopathy. I will be having posterior cervical surgery. The neurosurgeon will be decompressing C3 thru C7 and fusing C2 thru C7. I will be in a neck brace for 3 months. I will permanently be losing 70% of my neck mobility. A friend of mine sent me your post and I found it most helpful. Going out to purchase some things today (will enjoy driving for one of the last times). Thank you.
Chris
So sorry you won’t be able to drive anymore! That’s a horrible outcome. Can they not use atifical discs at some levels to retain motion and fuse the other levels? Have you asked for a second opinion?
Gilda Hil Paul hill
Thank you for the tips , my husband is going for neck surgery and the list you provided will help alot. Hope you are feeling well . God bless and be with you.
Shanita
Hello
I had cervical spinal stenosis on 7/14/22 after being in the hospital from 6/18/22. It was discovered that I had a compressed nerve on 6/21/22. The hospital I was in Piedmont Henry claimed I needed to be transferred to their other hospital Piedmont ATL for the surgery. I waited 3 weeks, I also had myelopathy and watched Myself deteriorate before they finally transferred me to the other hospital on 7/8/22 and continued to make excuses to delay the surgery. Once I had the surgery, the pain, pins and needles, and burning were relieved but the numbness in my hands remains. My arms also tend to have some numbness in them also. I am now at the inpatient rehabilitation learning to reuse my hands arms and fingers correctly and build up strength in my legs so that I can walk on my own again. The pain from the surgery is nothing besides the sore throat that’s finally getting a little better compared to all of this numbness. I had an ACDF. Are there any tips that you can give me that will help me feel better.
Aleisa
Great advice! I am a strong believer in being prepared. (I have had multiple surgeries and always prepare.) The comments about toilet risers are understandable concern. I have one what handles to steady myself. I highly suggest: practice all daily activities. If you can’t do it, look for ways to adjust your environment. Even practice getting in and out of the vehicle you will come home in. Do you need pillows in the car? Do you need to change the way you get in and out of the vehicle as to protecting your neck? Some other items I have in preparation for my upcoming surgery: temporary hand rail to my front steps to prevent falls. Because of arthritis, I choose tops that snap to make it easy to change and do my own care. Hand held shower head. Battery operated doorbell.(so much easier to push one button for help than using my phone. (Put the door button next to you. The bell part in the main living space so that your helper can hear.) Ginger ale, if you are not a water drinker, lots of alternatives to stay hydrated. iPhone and iPad stands to prevent bending neck while sitting in chair or bed. I take care of our household bills. When I am planing a surgery, I make sure my bills paid or scheduled to be paid the month after surgery.
What about wearing the cervical collar in the shower? How do you manage keeping it dry?