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)

Patients that fit in one or multiple of these circumstances do not necessarily require surgery, however they should seek medical attention to get the problem examined.

Do you suffer from any of the key indicators that neck surgery may be needed?  Need a referral for a spine surgeon?  OrthoNeuro can help!  We have 7 spine surgeons that can evaluate your symptoms and diagnose the problem.