Norwalk
Neck pain can be just as debilitating as lower back pain, making working and enjoying activities difficult. So, when you have neck pain that persists after several weeks of self-care or you have other symptoms like fever, headache, neck stiffness, or weakness, you should seek the advice of an orthopedic neck surgeon.
Neck surgeries can repair a couple of different conditions that may be causing your neck pain. For example, our Norwalk orthopedic neck surgery specialists at CT Spine & Orthopedic may recommend neck surgery if you have a cervical herniated disc or spondylosis. However, your orthopedic neck surgeon in Norwalk, Connecticut will only recommend surgery when all other treatments have failed.
The cervical portion of the spine supports the weight of your head and allows for a wide range of head motions. Conditions that cause neck pain symptoms that occur in the cervical portion of the spine can include:
Herniated, bulging, slipped, or ruptured discs happen when the inner gelatin core escapes from the confines of the hard outer shell. This condition disrupts the environment around the disc because of its abnormal shape and size. This condition can cause irritated and pinched nerves that cause the symptoms you are experiencing.
Spondylosis is abnormal wear on the cartridge and bone of the spine. Over time, this can cause cervical spondylotic myelopathy. This condition compresses and squeezes the spine causing chronic neck pain or spondylolisthesis, which is a disorder that causes vertebrae to slip out of position, pinching or pressing against nerves in the spinal cord.
The doctor will do a careful physical exam and review your medical history before conducting any tests. The doctor will perform a physical exam checking for the following:
Next, the doctor will have you perform a variety of motions with your neck, shoulders, wrists, and hands. If pain or weakness is evident from the movements, this can indicate a herniated disc.
However, to rule out any other problems that may be causing your neck pain, like spondylosis, an X-ray will show the bones in your neck, their alignment, and whether a loss of bone or bone spurs is evident. If the X-ray shows that bones in the spine appear normal, this rules out spondylosis, but other tests will have to be done to confirm a herniated disc.
A spinal MRI will be conducted to show where a herniated disc may be pressing on the spinal canal, while a myelogram can determine the size and location of the bulging disc. Then, it’s time to start treatment once confirmed that a herniated disc is present.
Usually, your orthopedic neck surgery specialist will suggest traditional treatment methods such as pain medications, epidural steroid injections, physical therapy or all three to relieve your pain. However, when those methods do not appear to be bringing you relief, your orthopedic surgeon may suggest minimally-invasive surgery as a last resort.
The surgeon will remove portions of discs or bones to relieve the pressure off nerves. Once the discs or bones no longer touch or pinch the nerves, your neck pain should be reduced after following the surgeon’s advice during recovery.
When you’re looking for an orthopedic surgeon to get back the life you enjoyed before your neck condition became evident, there are several things you should research before settling on one. You should be able to trust that the orthopedic neck surgeon you select is skilled, experienced, and focused on providing the best possible care for your needs. Some things you can research about the surgeon include:
Find out about the orthopedic surgeon’s journey through their years of medical training. This information will tell you a lot about the qualifications they gained during that time. Another piece of helpful information is whether the surgeon is board-certified. Board certification means they have even more extensive training and a higher skill level in orthopedic neck surgery.
Once you find the right Norwalk orthopedic neck surgeon that fits your needs, you can schedule a consultation as soon as possible.
When no other treatments relieve you of neck pain, the orthopedic surgeons at the CT Spine & Orthopedic in Norwalk, CT, can help. With minimally-invasive surgical techniques, recovery times are faster, and you can return to doing the activities you love sooner rather than later. Our Concierge Team can help you navigate and streamline your process.
The CT Spine & Orthopedic surgeons specialize in minimally-invasive cervical spine surgery. If pain medications or epidural steroid injections do nothing to relieve your neck pain, call CT Spine & Orthopedic at (866) 553-0612 or complete our contact form to consult with our orthopedic surgeons.
