Surgery for neck pain
Surgery likely won’t be the first step your doctor takes if you’re experiencing neck pain.
An article from New York University’s Langone Health says that surgery may be an option if more conservative treatments haven’t worked for months. If your problems stem from a disc herniation, the surgeon will remove the bone spurs or disc fragments that are putting pressure on the nerves in your neck to try to relieve your pain.
Another possible surgery is called a spinal fusion. Surgeons will do this if the vertebra in your neck are unstable. Fusing them together gives you more stability and can help reduce pain. This procedure is useful if a slipped vertebra is causing your pain. After neck surgery, you’ll see a physical therapist, who will help strengthen the muscles around your neck so that you can regain normal movement. You might also have to wear a neck brace for a time to keep the neck stable and help it heal.
