The following is a summary of a story on Duke Health.
Neck pain and shooting pain down the arms are common problems as people get older, often caused by arthritis or wear and tear in the discs of the neck. For some people, medication, physical therapy and other nonsurgical treatments aren't enough. The go-to surgery has been cervical disc fusion, but there's a newer option that could mean a quicker recovery and more spinal flexibility: cervical disc replacement.
The procedure removes a damaged disc in the neck and replaces it with an artificial one. Unlike traditional spinal fusion, which joins two vertebrae together and limits movement in that section of the spine, disc replacement allows the spine to retain natural movement.
Duke spine surgeon Dr. Deb A. Bhowmick explains what to know about the procedure:
- It can relieve neck and arm pain. The procedure can help people with shooting pain down the arms, often caused by a pinched nerve or damaged disc.
- It preserves spinal movement. Unlike spinal fusion, disc replacement allows the spine to keep moving rather than joining vertebrae together.
- Recovery can be faster. Most patients can return to work and other activities within two to six weeks. Fusion patients may face restrictions on lifting and neck movement for up to three months.
- It may reduce future problems. Preserving movement puts less strain on neighboring sections of the spine. Research also suggests patients are less likely to need another operation within five years.
- It's not for everyone. Good candidates generally have a disc problem affecting one or two levels of the neck and haven't found relief through nonsurgical treatments.
- Fusion remains an option. If disc replacement doesn't provide lasting relief, patients can still have spinal fusion surgery later.
Bhowmick recommends talking with a spine surgeon at Duke who can explain the benefits and limitations of both procedures and help determine which approach makes the most sense.
