Surgery As Your Last Resort From Cervical Spondylosis

Cervical Spondylosis is one of those progressive diseases that are mostly seen in the elderly. This happens when bone spurs, otherwise known as osteophytes, attacks the cervical bones which are responsible for rotating and bending your neck. The disease is also referred to as Neck Arthritis. Early signs of this condition include but are not limited to recurring neck pain, stiffness and headaches. The disease however will not be evident until further diagnosis is done through x-rays and other tests to visualize the neck area.

In chronic stages of Cervical Spondylosis, physiologic and neurologic changes occur and can sometimes alter normal body functions. In severe cases, neck pain can no longer be relieved by homeopathic remedies and other prescribed drugs. Dysphagia, which is observed by difficulty when swallowing, can be observed once the osteophytes which were formed in the spinal discs, comes to a point where it compresses the esophagus. Balance is also an issue as people suffering from Cervical Spondylosis may not maintain balance for long periods of time when standing and especially when walking. Bladder and bowel incontinence can also be disturbing, affecting the normal excretion of waste from the body.

If all options fail, your doctor may turn to surgery as the last resort. This is only chosen as a remedy when the pain had progressed to other parts of the body including your arms and lower extremities. Surgery is primarily performed when neurologic symptoms including falling, numbness and weakness starts to take effect. Your surgeon can approach your spinal cords in several ways, depending on the type of surgery to be done. There are three areas to approach the spinal cord: side, rear and front. During the surgery, osteophytes and fragments of the cervical discs are excavated.

The surgery type will vary on the origin of the underlying pain including the extent of nerve damage, slipped disc and/or narrowed spinal canal. One of the most common procedures is Laminectomy which is done by with a small incision at the rear side of the neck. Bone pieces, which are causing spinal cord compression is removed. Another surgery done by cutting the nerve root is known as Foraminotomy. Discectomy is done when either a whole bone lump or osteophyte is removed.

One of the newest types of surgery for Cervical Spondylosis is Prosthetic Intervertebral Disc Replacement. This procedure is performed by replacing the damaged spinal disc with an artificial disc that has the capability to function as the original disc. The results were promising although further research needs to be conducted to evaluate its long term effect on patients.