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Decreasing the Risk of Infection After Cervical Spinal Surgery

vancomycin powder cuts rate of infection after cervical spinal surgeryInfection after cervical spinal surgery is just one possible complication of surgery to treat neck pain. Finding ways to reduce the risk of infection is important, especially as this complication can lead to failed back surgery syndrome, serious scarring, ongoing and worsening neck pain, and even paralysis or death, depending on how serious the infection becomes and how responsive it is to treatment. Read more

New Cervical Disc Approved by FDA

cervical disc device approved fda

Medtronic's newly approved Prestige LP Cervical Disc.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a new artificial cervical spinal disc in late July to be used in disc replacement surgery to treat radiculopathy and/or myelopathy. The Prestige LP Cervical Disc can replace one diseased disc in the neck and is a titanium-ceramic alloy that fits between the top and bottom of the cervical vertebrae. Read more

Multiple Sclerosis and Cervical Spinal Stenosis – Does Neck Surgery Help?

cervical spinal stenosis mutliple sclerosis myelopathyDifferentiating multiple sclerosis and cervical symptoms of spinal stenosis can be challenging and new research suggests that for patients with both conditions preoperative MRI results may not offer a clear indication of the likely success of spine surgery. Typically, people with cervical spinal stenosis can be given a pretty good idea of the benefits they could see after neck surgery, but evaluating patients with concurrent MS and cervical stenosis causing myelopathy appears to offer little indication of its usefulness. Read more

Laminectomy and Fusion for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy

laminectomy for cervical spondylotic myelopathyCervical spondylotic myelopathy accounts for the majority of cases of spinal cord dysfunction in older adults. This common cause of neck pain results from degenerative changes in the cervical spine, including age-related damage to the joints, discs, ligaments, and connective tissue in the neck, that results in spinal cord compression. The treatment for this condition will depend on the extent of the degeneration and symptoms but typically involves laminectomy and spinal fusion. Read more

Treating Neck Pain in Seniors

senior neck pain treatmentConservative therapies are almost always indicated in seniors who have had neck pain for less than six months and who do not appear to have an immediate risk of spinal cord injury, severe nerve trauma, spinal instability or other serious issue. Read more

Common Causes of Neck Pain in the Elderly

seniors neck pain causesOlder adults frequently experience neck pain and back pain, with a variety of anatomical, pathological, and physiological factors involved in the development of symptoms. Arthritis is a common cause of neck pain in seniors attributed to the spine itself, as are discogenic disorders, trauma, tumours, and infection. Other issues involve the muscles in the neck, or nervous system function. Below, we outline some key causes of neck pain, because knowing its origins is essential to getting appropriate treatments and, where possible, for preventing pain recurring. Read more

How Cervical Fusion Could Help Relieve Your Neck Pain

Cervical FusionCervical fusion is a form of surgery that removes a damaged intervertebral disc in the neck, replaces it with a supportive cage or implant, and permanently fuses the adjacent vertebrae. This procedure halts some movement within a motion segment, usually with the goal of increasing stability and relieving neck pain.

The exact cause of pain in the cervical spine can be tricky to pinpoint, largely because the spine is so complex and has many components – vertebrae, facet joints, intervertebral discs, ligaments, tendons, and muscles – all of which must work properly together to ensure optimal functioning. That said, when one or more of these components is damaged, degenerates, or for some other reason begins to function improperly, pain can often result. Read more

Recovering from Cervical Spinal Fusion – Ways to Make Your Rehabilitation Less Arduous

Cervical Spinal Fusion Cervical spinal fusion is a surgery that involves removal of a bulging or herniated disc in the neck (cervical spine), placement of a supportive cage/implant and bone graft material to replace the disc, and the fusing of adjacent vertebrae with plates, rods, and screws. To ensure success of this surgery, the recovery process can be just as important as the procedure itself, so it’s helpful to know how you can make your rehabilitation process less arduous and restore your spine to optimum health. Read more

Minimally Invasive Neck Surgery – Understanding its Advantages over Open Spine Surgery

Neck SurgeryJust the thought of undergoing neck surgery for a degenerative spine condition like a herniated disc is enough to make anyone a little squeamish. That’s probably because most people envision the traditional form of surgery, where at least one large incision is made in the neck or throat to access the cervical spine, and muscles and other soft tissues are dissected and pulled apart to reveal the cervical vertebrae.

This open spine approach used to be the only option for patients requiring surgery to address some form of neck pain caused by a degenerative cervical spine condition. Thanks to enormous advancements in science and surgical techniques in the past few decades, some patients are now able to undergo a far less invasive form of neck surgery that offers a number of advantages over the traditional form. Read more

Recovering from Whiplash – What Are Your Options?

whiplash treatment options for neck pain

What's the best way to treat whiplash and neck pain after a car accident?

Chronic spinal degeneration, stress and muscle strain are not the only causes of neck pain: An acute injury, like a fall or a car accident, can cause whiplash and neck pain that takes weeks, months, or even years to recover from and which may, in some cases, cause permanent cervical spinal problems. Early treatment for whiplash can help prevent chronic problems but the difficulty is that symptoms sometimes do not arise in the immediate aftermath of an accident. Knowing if spine surgery is necessary for whiplash and neck pain or whether a less invasive treatment could be of benefit is difficult but recent reviews are gradually giving us a clearer picture of how best to improve outcome after such an injury. Read more