How Can Severe Neck Pain After Spine Surgery Be Treated?

Posted on Tue, 12 Sep 2017

Question: I had surgery last XXXXXXX of 2017 using an arrificial disc on c4-c5 ( even though I had reversal lordosis. I also had cervical fusion at c6-c7 ( w/ nuvasive titanium plate). In Oct of XXXXXXX I could not physical therapy because it would be too painful. My pain never got better. I went back to work and the pain tripled. It's 24/7. I have sharp pain on the side of my necks and in the back of my neck and I have a reversal lordosis in my neck. My new surgeon who wanted to wait a year and seen my kyphosis become worse from the bending of the artificial disc forward. I have arthiritis and bone spurs on this level which is c4-c5. The level above as stenosis and neural foramina. It is 2 mm bulging but pressing on my decal sac. He wants to fuse that well because he believes Iwill eventually need it out. Please provide your opinion.

Answered by Dr. Prof. Kunal Saha (9 hours later)

Brief Answer:
A minimally invasive technique called chemonucleolysis could be effective

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.

I have gone carefully through your query and understand your concerns. I think that your doctor's approach is correct. A 2mm bulging disc eventually will worsen the problem (sooner or later).

However, I have another suggestion that you might ask your doctor to consider. There is a minimally invasive technique called chemonucleolysis wherein certain simple agents like ozone are injected into the bulging disc and that causes the disc to just get dissolved away. The resultant empty space gets filled by the body on its own. The following academic literature should be helpful:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC0000/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC0000/

Let me know if I could help further.

Regards

Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar