DO I NEED NECK SURGERY? SEE A SPINE SPECIALIST TO FIND OUT!

After visiting a Spine Specialist for your neck pain, you will most likely begin a conservative treatment plan. This could involve OTC (over the counter) pain medication, prescription pain medication, physical therapy, and/or spinal injections. If these treatment options are not successful, your spine surgeon may determine the need for surgery.  There are several indicators that a patient may need neck surgery. If the patient has…

• Severe neck pain with nerve impingement in their neck, causing arm pain
• Pain has not gotten better with rest, activity modification, physical therapy, injection (at least 3-6 months)
• Suffered a trauma that fractured a part of the spine that could lead to neurological deficit
• Having neurologic deficits (weakness, numbness, tingling from a pinched nerve)
• Cervical Myelopathy (loss of coordination, loss of dexterity of their hands and their MRI shows severe spinal cord impingement)