If a disc has degenerated or slipped to a large extent, or if the surrounding vertebrae and joints can no longer support that part of the spine, doctors may recommend spinal fusion with discectomy. This combination tends to be required on the neck more often than on the lower back.
Depending on the diagnosis, an anterior or posterior decompression and fusion can be performed. The goal of surgery is typically to take the pressure off the nerves and stabilized the degenerated levels. The traditional surgical technique for reduction or elimination of pain from degenerative discs is spinal fusion.
Outcome of surgical management for cervical disc herniation has shown a success rate of 66 to 98% [8].
The more the cervical spine degenerates, the more likely the spinal canal will narrow and put the spinal cord at risk. If the spinal cord becomes compressed, then myelopathy could result and include symptoms such as: Difficulty moving arms and/or legs. Trouble with coordination and/or balance.
Surgical treatment is an option in cases of severe, debilitating lumbar degenerative disc disease, and is usually only recommended after at least 6 months of nonsurgical treatment. Most cases of degenerative disc disease can be managed using nonsurgical methods, and do not require surgery for effective pain relief.
Physical therapy: Participating in strengthening and stretching exercises with a trained healthcare provider. Medications: Taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), muscle relaxers or steroids. Steroid injections: Injecting medicine near your spinal nerves, disk or joints to reduce inflammation and pain.
The success rate for disc surgery is about 90 percent, but even so, he considers it only if symptoms persist for more than 6 weeks.
Your treatment options for cervical disc degeneration
Targeted exercises through physical therapy. Weight loss. Anti-inflammatory medications or injections. Heat and cold therapies.
Stage 3 – Stabilization
This is the late stage of spinal degeneration. At this stage severe remodeling of the bones and decrease of joint space causes for a severe loss of mobility. Bone spurs continue to grow and can narrow the spinal canal, which presses onto the spinal cord or nerve roots.
This can be the case if you've been diagnosed with cervical disc disease, due to arthritis, injury, or another unknown cause. Your doctor can perform surgery to significantly improve symptoms such as balance issues, pain, numbness in your hands or fingers, or a chronic pinched nerve.
Neck Surgery Benefits
After the procedure and recovery time, you'll be able to return to your normal life without having to think about pain every day. Neck pain keeps you from doing what you love and is also mentally exhausting because it's constantly occupying your thoughts.
It's normal to feel pain in and around the area of the surgery and numbness and tingling in the arms and shoulders. Patients may also experience difficulty swallowing as the procedure takes place in the neck. The first 1-3 months are critical in the recovery process as the bone graft is established.
People with degenerative disk disease need to avoid foods that promote inflammation and physical activities involving heavy lifting and twisting. Additionally, a person should avoid smoking, if applicable, slouching, and consuming more than moderate amounts of alcohol.
While there is no way to totally correct degenerative disc disease, for the vast majority of people suffering low back pain, sciatica, neck pain, or arm pain and tingling due to this condition, they can successfully manage their pain and regain their lives – while avoiding surgery.
The degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine usually involves the most mobile segment that is the C5-C6 followed by C6-C7 and C4-C5 disc levels. The degeneration causes decreased water content of the disc or desiccation which leads to tears in the outer ring or the annulus fibrosus.
The degenerative process of the spinal disc may start gradually or suddenly, but progresses over 2 to 3 decades from severe and at times even disabling bouts of pain to a state in which the spine is restabilized and the pain is diminished. Spinal osteoarthritis.
Stage 4 is considered severe DDD because it is challenging or impossible to reverse in many cases. It may still be possible to treat the condition and improve your quality of life though. Typically, treatment will involve some physical activity and exercises to reduce pain levels.
The most common and obvious symptoms of cervical degenerative disk disease are neck pain and a stiff neck. When one of these conditions presses on one or more of the many nerves running through the spinal cord, you also can have pain, numbness, or weakness along your shoulder, arm, and hand.
Following this procedure, you will often need to stay in the hospital for around two days. You will continue to recuperate over the following four to six weeks, after which you can resume light activities. It usually takes two to three months to fully recover.
C5, as mentioned earlier, along with C3 and C4, contributes to the phrenic nerve that innervates the diaphragm. Roots C5, C6, and C7 produce the long thoracic nerve, responsible for controlling the serratus anterior.
The degenerative process of the cervical spine classifies into three distinct stages: (1) dysfunction, (2) instability, and (3) stabilization. Dysfunction occurs between the ages of 15 to 45 years old.
If back or neck pain caused by degenerative disc disease doesn't respond to medication or therapeutic injections, NYU Langone doctors may recommend a surgical procedure. Surgeons may remove some or all of a damaged disc, take pressure off a pinched nerve, or eliminate movement between the bones of the spine.
For symptoms that have lasted at least 6 weeks and that make it hard to do your normal activities, surgery is an option when other treatments haven't helped. Over the long term, surgery and non-surgical treatments work about the same to reduce pain and other symptoms.
A spinal fusion is the most common procedure used for degenerative disc pain. In recent years, artificial disc replacement has become more widely used as devices and surgical methods have improved.