FAQs - Cervical Fusion

A:You have one or more damaged discs and/or areas of arthritis in your neck. This can be due to a ruptured disc or bone spurs. Discs act as shock absorbers between each vertebra and are located near the nerves that travel down to the arms. If the disc is damaged, a portion of it may bulge, become herniated or even burst free into the spinal canal. This can lead to pain, weakness and numbness in the arms. Losing the normal "shock absorber" function or getting arthritis around a damaged disc can also cause mechanical pain in the neck or shoulders when moving the neck or in an awkward position.

A:The best solution to your problem is to remove the bone spurs and damaged disc from the front of your neck and to fuse the adjacent vertebral bodies.

A:Most patients wear some type of neck brace after surgery. Your surgeon will determine the type of brace and amount of time you wear it.

A:Yes.