Lynnlynn....how long ago was your surgery? You need to ask your dr. about massage and exercise for your neck. I was advised to do that, to loosen up the scar tissue. You can ease that feeling of being strangled and you need to not wait any longer. If you have been out of surgery long enough for good healing already, there is no reason you can't do this yourself. With permission, apply some good face lotion and massage away. Perhaps your dr. will want you to wait longer, or perhaps he would like for you to visit a massage therapist once to get a lesson, but if you don't do some massage, you might be left with the tightness. You can also exercise your neck by turning your head and exercising your jaw.