Understanding exactly what a cervical neck fusion surgery is often helps when the pain you experience has not responded to other treatment methods. Cervical refers to the vertebrae in your neck and fusion is the process of linking together two or more vertebrae to promote stability and reduce pain. This surgical procedure is often needed when the disc between vertebrae has become damaged from an accumulation of wear and tear or even an injury.
The Process
The discs between each vertebrae act as a cushion or shock absorber that promotes movement. However, when the gel-like center of the disc ruptures and presses on a nerve or pushes out into the spinal cavity, pain results. The purpose of cervical neck fusion surgery is to reduce or eliminate the symptoms for the compromised nerve such as numbness, weakness, tingling and sharp pain running down the shoulder, arms and/or hands.
During fusion surgery, the affected disc is removed and then the vertebrae are linked together permanently. This is typically done on the anterior (front) side of the neck. It is not common, except for fractured vertebrae, to perform the surgery from the posterior (back) side of the neck. A bone graft is typically placed where the disc used to be and then stabilized sometimes with a metal plate and screws. The metal holds everything in place so that new bone growth fuses the graft to the existing vertebrae.
Recovery from Cervical Neck Fusion Surgery
A number of factors can affect your recovery from surgery. First of all, your age and overall health is a leading indicator of how your recovery will go. Second, once post-operative pain, inflammation and swelling goes down, you will likely experience a great reduction in pain in comparison to your pre-surgical state. A good, solid fusion of the bone graft to your vertebrae typically takes several months.
Your activity level after the cervical neck fusion surgery often depends on the strength of your fusion in addition to how you feel. Of course, your doctor will have a list of do’s and don’ts for you to follow, including physical therapy, but your energy levels should also be a good indicator of when to add certain activities, at a scaled back pace, of course.