Minimally Invasive Neck Surgery – Understanding its Advantages over Open Spine Surgery

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Neck SurgeryJust the thought of undergoing neck surgery for a degenerative spine condition like a herniated disc is enough to make anyone a little squeamish. That’s probably because most people envision the traditional form of surgery, where at least one large incision is made in the neck or throat to access the cervical spine, and muscles and other soft tissues are dissected and pulled apart to reveal the cervical vertebrae.

This open spine approach used to be the only option for patients requiring surgery to address some form of neck pain caused by a degenerative cervical spine condition. Thanks to enormous advancements in science and surgical techniques in the past few decades, some patients are now able to undergo a far less invasive form of neck surgery that offers a number of advantages over the traditional form. Read more

Increasing Neck Pain, Low Libido, Weight Gain – Maybe Your Opioid Medication Is to Blame?

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low testosterone opioids and chronic neck pain

Symptoms of chronic pain or signs of OPIAD?

The sharp rise in the use of opioids for pain management in recent years has also led to an increase in opioid induced androgen deficiency. However, awareness of this condition remains poor and so many patients with chronic neck pain are suffering with symptoms of low libido, weight gain, fatigue, and depression that may be treatable with androgen replacement therapy. Is low testosterone to blame for your symptoms? Are your pain medications to blame for your low testosterone? Read more

Learning More About Your Cervical Herniated Disc Diagnosis

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Herniated Disc DiagnosisIf you’re like many people, receiving a cervical herniated disc diagnosis gives rise to mixed emotions. On the one hand, it is likely a relief to finally know the cause of the neck pain and other forms of discomfort that you may have been struggling with for weeks or months. On the other hand, it can be scary to find out that you are suffering from a degenerative condition that has the potential to get worse over time.

The important thing to keep in mind when you do receive your diagnosis is to remain positive and patient. The treatment process many involve a certain degree of trial and error. It is unlikely that any one treatment will provide total relief, but a combination of conservative treatments like exercise, stretching, medication, and hot/cold compresses will probably help to alleviate your neck pain and other symptoms. Read more

Why a Herniated Disc Causes Referred Pain

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Herniated Disc CausesA herniated disc causes many different types of symptoms, from shooting pain to muscle weakness to a pins-and-needles sensation. Depending on the location of the herniated disc, these symptoms can reach as far as the fingers and toes. Why? Because all of the nerves that provide muscle and sensory stimulation throughout the body are extensions of the spinal nerve roots that branch off the spinal cord. If an anatomical abnormality like a herniated disc intrudes on the spaces in the spinal column where the spinal cord and its nerve roots reside, and nerve tissue becomes compressed, pain signals may be sent along the entire path of the compressed nerve.


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Can a Herniated Disc Cause Headaches?

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Herniated discWhile most people wouldn’t automatically think that a herniated disc in the spine could cause headaches, it is important to remember that the spine and the brain comprise the body’s central nervous system (CNS), which regulates sensory and pain signals throughout the body.

Any type of anatomical abnormality in the spine has the potential to affect any of the 31 pairs of nerve roots that branch off the spinal cord. If this occurs, pain signals can be sent along the entire path of the affected nerve, including the nerve branches that extend from that nerve root to wherever it leads in the body. Pain that is felt in the extremities due to a damaged or compressed nerve root in the spine is called referred pain.
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Treating a Herniated Disc in Your Neck

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Herniated disc in the neckIf you have a herniated disc in your neck, you may be experiencing a number of symptoms. A herniated disc is a deteriorating intervertebral disc that has a tear in its outer wall (annulus fibrosus) which can allow the release of its inner, gel-like core (nucleus pulposus) into the spinal canal. This extruded disc material can come into contact with the spinal cord or nerve roots, which is typically the cause of discomfort for patients with this condition. Whether you’re dealing with neck pain and an aching shoulder or numbness, muscle weakness, and shooting pains in your arm, you are probably looking for a way to relieve those symptoms. Read more

Early Treatment for a Pinched Nerve in the Neck

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Treating a Pinched Nerve in the NeckSometimes a pinched nerve in the neck can arise when an anatomical abnormality in the upper, or cervical, spine – such as a bulging disc, herniated disc, calcified ligament, or bone spur – places pressure on the spinal cord or a nerve root. Nerve compression can cause symptoms of localized pain, radiating pain, numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness. The severity and frequency of your symptoms will vary from those of other patients, but it doesn’t mean that living with those symptoms will be any less difficult. There are some initial steps you can take to help relieve your symptoms and make getting through each day a little easier. Read more

Identifying Herniated Disc Symptoms to Help Get a Diagnosis

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Herniated disc symptomsIdentifying herniated disc symptoms can be difficult, as they can be quite similar to the symptoms associated with other spine conditions. Your primary care physician or a spine specialist are the only ones qualified to properly diagnose a herniated disc, but just because you’re experiencing lower back pain doesn’t mean he or she will automatically assume that you have a herniated disc. Physical exams and tests come first. Read more

Recognizing the Symptoms of a Bone Spur in the Neck

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Bone spurA bone spur in the cervical (neck) region of the spine does not often cause recognizable symptoms. In fact, many people develop these excess growths of bone and never even realize they exist. Others might experience nothing more serious than a popping or cracking sound, known as crepitus, that arises when they turn their head left or right. Still others might begin to feel mild stiffness, especially after sleeping or after hours of sitting hunched over a computer keyboard or standing at a work station. Then, there are more severe symptoms related to a spinal bone spur. These can become debilitating, or at the very least cause a person to scale down their level of physical activity. Read more

At What Point Should You Begin to Consider Bulging Disc Surgery?

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Bulging disc surgery is a Bulging disc surgeryperfectly legitimate option for alleviating the debilitating symptoms often associated with spinal nerve compression if – and this is a big “if” – the symptoms remain stubbornly unaffected by the potential benefits of a well-planned regimen of conservative, nonsurgical treatment. The fact is, more than 90 percent of patients who experience nerve compression related to a bulging disc need never consider surgery. And of the small minority who do consider it, many find through a second or third medical opinion that another, nonsurgical option had been overlooked or ignored. Who, then, should actually consent to surgical treatment for a bulging disc?
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