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It’s been about a month since my ACDF surgery, and I just had my first follow-up with the surgeon. Good news — my x-ray looks great! That was reassuring. Based on my progress, I was told I could slowly start weaning off the c-collar and transition to a soft collar at night, as tolerated.
Well… I’ve tried sleeping without the collar a few times, and let’s just say it didn’t go so well. I’d wake up sore and end up reaching for my hard collar to get through the night. So for now, I'm using the soft collar during short rests, but sticking with the hard one at bedtime.
Scar Care: What I’m Using
My incision is still a little red and itchy, which I’ve heard is normal at this stage. My surgeon suggested gentle massage and using silicone products to help the scar soften and fade.
Here’s what I picked up and what’s working so far:
ScarAway Silicone Scar Gel (daytime use) – lightweight, dries quickly
Silicone Scar Tape (overnight) – stays on all night and seems to calm the itching
After just a few days, the scar already looks less red and I’m feeling more hopeful it will fade nicely with time.
Gentle Movement & Headaches
I’ve been continuing basic at-home exercises:
Shoulder rolls
Blade squeezes
Short upright walks
They're helping with that stubborn stiffness between the shoulder blades.
That said — as I’ve started taking the collar off more (especially while eating or sitting in my recliner), I’ve noticed some headaches popping up. I’m pretty sure it’s muscle tension as my neck relearns how to support itself. Hoping it improves with time, posture, and gentle movement.
💬 What About You?
If you’ve had cervical fusion — what helped you most at the one-month mark?
Did you struggle transitioning off the collar?
What scar care tricks worked for you?
Did you deal with muscle-based headaches?
Drop your thoughts and product recommendations below. Let’s keep helping each other through this!
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