Especially when degenerative disc disease is the cause of your pain, you have a choice of treatments: spinal fusion surgery or disc replacement surgery. We provide both options—and we’ll walk you through the pros and cons of each alternative.
Option 1: Cervical Fusion
This approach to stabilizing the spine has been around since 1891, though how the surgery is performed has improved dramatically through the decades.
In a nutshell, a cervical fusion fuses two or more vertebrae to protect nerves running through the discs. An alternate approach is to remove a disc that’s been badly damaged or has bone spurs pressing on the nerves. A small cage is secured in place of the disc so new bone can grow around the cage. In time, the cage and bone provide lasting spinal stability.
One potential downside of this surgery is reduced motion in the fused area of the spine. A post-surgical back or neck may feel stiff—but many patients find it a welcome trade-off given the pain they were living with before surgery. A healthy regimen of stretching can often mitigate the stiffness and let patients resume all daily activities—pain-free.
Option 2: Cervical Disc Replacement
This surgery has been around since 2000, but we’ve performed it multiple times at Axis Spine Clinic.
In this surgical approach, a damaged disc is removed and then replaced with an artificial disc that mimics a healthy one. This surgical approach maintains your spine’s range of motion and avoids putting any additional stress on adjacent discs—a complication that can occur with spinal fusion surgery.
If there’s any pause regarding this surgery it’s this: It hasn’t been around long enough to know how a prosthetic disc will perform in thirty or forty years. It may be necessary to replace an artificial disc after that amount of time—we just don’t yet know.
What we do know is that a cervical disc replacement can greatly ease pain and that most patients can resume daily activities after just 4 to 6 weeks.
Option 3: No Disc Surgery At All
Before moving to surgery, we’ll work with you to see if physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medication can lessen your pain and resolve your issue.
It’s a win when surgery can be avoided. It’s less expensive, there’s no time lost to recovery, and treatment is far less invasive. We’ll always begin by exploring this alternative with you.
But if surgery is unavoidable, we’ll see that you have all the information you need to decide how to proceed. Yes, we’ll offer our best advice taking into consideration your overall health, the severity of your situation, and likely outcomes from surgery. We have years of experience treating disc problems, and you’ll benefit from them.
But, ultimately, you’re in the driver’s seat.
It starts with your getting the information you need in a clear, concise, caring fashion. So call Axis Spine Clinic at (614) 683-5537 today. We’ll help you take the next step toward a pain-free life.