Overview

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The cervical spine (neck) is made up of seven vertebrae separated by discs. The discs act as shock absorbers and, along with the two small facet joints in the back of the neck, allow for motion in the neck. With the proliferation of mobile phone and computer use, neck pain is an almost universal complaint. Most people can employ some simple stretching exercises and improved workplace ergonomics to manage these symptoms sufficiently. However, some individuals have significant pain, requiring evaluation by a specialist. Their pain can have associated weakness, sleep interruption and inability to perform daily activities.

Typically, this results from significant degeneration of a disc, or a disc herniation. Any interventional treatment for these patients should have the primary goals of addressing pinched nerves in the neck as well as the underlying injury to the disc itself.

I recognize that chronic neck pain enslaves patients. It is also, statistically, one of the hardest health issues to fully and permanently resolve. Chronic symptoms endure long past their clinical expectation and have the potential to be with an individual for a lifetime. There is no condition known for being more prone to turn chronic than dorsalgia -- a group of conditions that produce moderate to intense pain in the muscles, nerves, bones, joints or other structures which are associated with the spine.

Many of my patients fear addressing spine-related issues because treatment is thought to involve complex surgery and a great deal of pain. Historically, surgery on the neck (cervical spine) was considered high risk and associated with a multi-day hospitalization. Another misconception is that spinal procedures mean a prolonged recovery as well as limited long-term quality of life improvements by the patient.

But, the field of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has progressed significantly. Decompressions, fusions, disc replacements, even fractures can now be treated with minimal downtime. In fact, many patients go home right after their procedure. MIS is an advanced surgical technique used to treat spinal disorders in the cervical spine (neck) region.

In fact, minimally invasive neck surgery has become the rule rather than the exception in a modern cervical spinal operation arena. However, even among minimally invasive approaches to surgical care, there are some techniques that are better than others. Therefore, it is important to consider all procedural options when undergoing any type of surgical treatment for neck pain. Patients are always advised to choose the least invasive type of operation that will successfully achieve the surgical goal. This way, they will be able to attain effectual treatment, while reducing collateral trauma to the surrounding spinal tissues.