Should i get neck surgery

However, the procedure can also make the spine less stable. Many people who have a laminectomy will also have a spinal fusion. A laminoplasty is an alternative to laminectomy to relieve pressure on the spinal cord and associated nerves. It also involves an incision on the back of your neck. Instead of removing the lamina, the surgeon creates a door-like hinge instead. They can then use this hinge to open up the lamina, reducing compression on the spinal cord.

Metal implants are inserted to help keep this hinge in place. The advantage of a laminoplasty is that it preserves some range of motion and also allows the surgeon to address multiple areas of compression.

This kind of surgery can treat a pinched nerve in your neck. The surgeon will make the incision at the front of your neck. The implant may be all metal or a combination of metal and plastic. This type of surgery is another option for treating a pinched nerve. The incision is made in the back of the neck. After the incision is made, the surgeon uses a special tool to work away part of your lamina. This allows you to retain more flexibility in your neck.

Generally speaking, you can expect to spend a day or two in the hospital following your surgery. Often, neck surgeries require only night, whereas lower back surgeries typically require longer stays. Your doctor will likely prescribe medication to help relieve your pain. Some light activities or exercises may be recommended following your surgery. However, you may not be allowed to work, drive, or lift objects once you return home from your surgery.

Your doctor will tell you when you can resume your normal day-to-day activities. You may need to wear a cervical collar to help stabilize and protect your neck.

Your doctor will give you specific instructions on how and when you should wear it. This is very important to help restore strength and range of motion to your neck. A physical therapist will work closely with you during this time. Depending on the surgery, your total recovery time can vary. For example, it can take between 6 and 12 months for a spinal fusion to become solid.

Sticking closely to your recovery plan can greatly help toward a positive outcome following your neck surgery. As with any procedure, there are risks associated with neck surgery. Your doctor will discuss the potential risks of the procedure with you prior to surgery. Some risks related to neck surgery can include:. Additionally, the procedure may not work to relieve your pain or other symptoms, or you may need to have additional neck surgeries in the future.

There are also specific risks associated with whether the surgery is performed at the front of your neck anterior or the back of your neck posterior.

But if medication, physical therapy, and lifestyle adjustment barely have an impact on your pain, your doctor may look at surgery. Arthritis and aging are the most common causes of this breakdown. Slipped discs and out-of-place vertebrae can often be fixed with physical therapy exercise or chiropractic care. Most do not cause pain for longer than 6 weeks. But stubborn structures may need nerve surgery to fix it from the inside.

You should talk to your doctor as soon as possible if you have a pinched neck nerve, then have:. The most appropriate surgery for you will be up to your doctor and surgeon. Your surgery will largely depend on which nerve is getting pinched and what is pinching it.

An anterior cervical discectomy and fusion ACDF is one common surgery for pinched nerves in the neck. This could be part of a herniated disc or a bone spur. They enter through the front of your neck, rather than the back, to help preserve the delicate muscles and tendons. This helps you heal faster. They then fuse the vertebrae together. This may reduce neck mobility but can dramatically help stabilize the neck to keep the pressure away. An artificial disc replacement can be used if the whole disc itself is creating the pressure.

This surgery removes the problematic disc. The surgeon then replaces it with an artificial one in the correct position. The foramina are gaps in the vertebrae that the spinal cord passes through. Overgrowth of bone can pinch the cord. A foraminotomy opens up this gap so the spinal cord is no longer crowded. You have a deformity that will not be corrected by non-invasive treatment. Many people have spine or neck deformities from birth that begin causing progressive symptoms as they get older.

Surgery can help correct many of these issues. Neck Injury You have sustained a neck injury that is has not healed properly. This does not just apply to recent neck injuries; sometimes a past injury can begin causing symptoms years later.

Numbness, Tingling or Restricted Movement You are experiencing frequent or chronic numbness, tingling or restricted movement. This can occur not just in the neck, but in the arms or legs as well.

This can be a sign of nerve compression in the neck or spine that may require surgery. This is another sign that surgery may be the next best alternative.