Pain may be in the neck or shoulder & may travel down the arm. Numbness/tingling are typical & sometimes muscle spasms. Patients with significant arm weakness require immediate medical attention.
Surgically, you may be a candidate for a cervical microdiscectomy. In order to access the spine, the surgeon will use tubular dilators (tubes that expand) to create a channel through the neck muscles. The surgeon may then remove a small portion of the lamina & facet joint to reveal the herniated disc & nerve. The portion of the disc that compresses the nerve is then removed.
Another common procedure is an ACDF. It is performed through the front of the spine through the throat area. The neck muscles, trachea & esophagus are moved aside, the disc & bony vertebrae are exposed. 1or more discs may be removed. After the disc is removed, a spacer bone graft is inserted to fill the open disc space. The bone graft & vertebrae are fixed in place w/ metal plates & screws. After 3 to 6 months, the bone graft should join the two vertebrae & form one solid piece, limiting normal neck motion.
Alternatively, discover safe, effective & affordable cervical spinal decompression which provides definitive treatment without surgery or drugs.
Call 919-469-8897 Visit www.TriangleDecompression.com