Spine surgery, be it for the neck and upper back or the lower back/lumbar region is a big decision and should only be consider after proper medical consultation. Most of the time doctors specialists prefer taking conservative or non-surgical treatment options for neck pain, initially, leaving cervical spine surgery as a treatment only after non-surgical treatments fail to show any positive change in the symptoms experienced by the patient.
What Cervical Spine Surgery Treats
Neck surgery is usually performed as an elective surgery to treat two very severe conditions of the cervical spine that are: spinal or nerve cord impingement and spinal instability. Generally, physicians recommend one of both of these two surgical options for the cervical region: Decompression surgery is the operative procedure that is done for spinal/nerve impingement and fusion surgery is generally the choice for spinal instability. In some cases, these two neck surgery procedure are combined, due to the fact that in some cases the spinal compression may also destabilize the spine, making both procedures necessary for a positive outcome for the patient.
Neck Pain Diagnosis and Treatment
Usually patients who are suffering from spinal disorders are often recommended conservative non-surgical treatment options, initially. Only when the symptoms do not show any changes or improvement, neck surgery is performed.
Patients who are candidates for spinal surgery are often required to make certain lifestyle changes. Habits like smoking as well as drinking are prohibited. Doctors usually select the most suitable approach for the surgical procedure (anterior or posterior approach) depending upon the condition of the patient.
Post-op Physical Therapy
Cervical spine surgery is a major procedure and therefore the right post-operative rehabilitation is a must so that the patient recovers in the best way and derives maximum benefit from the surgery. Physical therapy helps a patient recover as quickly and completely as possible. Usually physical therapy involves:
- Pain control after spine surgery
- One-on-One Training after Spine Surgery
- Exercise for Recovery after Spine Surgery
- Education about Exercise following Spine Surgery
If you’re considering cervical spine surgery, be certain to exhaust non-surgical treatments and get a second opinion. If you have any questions, we’re here to help. Just give us a call on our toll free hotline at (888) 779-8716.
