Neck pain anytime isn’t welcome. Neck pain after
neck surgery is particularly unwelcome…by the patient and the
treating physician! Gentle manual treatment of post-surgical neck pain and any
adjacent-to-the-surgical-level-segment spinal pain conditions at
Cross Chiropractic Center helps many Sandy Springs neck pain sufferers find
neck pain relief.
DDD
Degenerative disc disease (DDD) - the wear and tear
of a or multiple spinal discs – shows itself as low back pain
and neck and arm pain. 40% of people over age 40
have degenerative disc disease while 80% of those over age 80
have it. 10% to 20% of people with disc degeneration in the lumbar spine and up to 30% of those with cervical disc degeneration will not respond
to non-surgical treatments. (1) Degenerative disc disease is reported
to start as early as in the second decade of life. (2)
The artificial disc replacement has existed for some time. An early analysis of its use and efficacy stated
that about 5% of DDD patients were eligible for it. Further,
the review stated that lumbar artificial disc replacement was
79% better than lumbar spine fusion with a major complication
rate of 0% to 13% per implanted device. The rate of major complications at 2
years post-surgery went from 0% to 8.1% per implant. Adjacent
segment disease was said to be 2% in one
11-year-follow-up study, but not conclusive in the clinical
trial data. (1) Cross Chiropractic Center finds that post-surgical neck pain
patients with such adjacent segment disease seek
our Sandy Springs chiropractic care not uncommonly.
ADJACENT SEGMENT DISEASE AFTER CERVICAL SPINE SURGERY
Spine literature has recently addressed
the concern expressed in the prior study about
adjacent segment disease, degenerative changes at spinal segments directly
next to a spinal fusion or disc implant region. The cause for such
pain is described as potentially resulting
from altered stresses on the adjacent levels after
such procedures. In an article geared toward primary
care practitioners who see post-surgical patients with spinal
pain, one such patient who presently had neck pain and cervical
arm pain radiculopathy with a history of having had anterior cervical disectomy and spinal fusion surgery 30 years ago
for DDD. This patient underwent 34 sessions of chiropractic care – a mix
of cervical manipulation, flexion distraction decompression, soft-tissue mobilization
and therapeutic ultrasound – stated that they experienced
relief. (3) Cross Chiropractic Center uses flexion distraction decompression procedures
to gently treat post-surgical Sandy Springs neck pain.
POST-CERVICAL SPINE SURGERY NECK PAIN
Researchers wrote that cervical spine surgeries for
degenerative cervical spine conditions are rising swiftly
and creating post-surgical pain syndromes: chronic
pain, adjacent segment disease, recurrent disc herniation, facet join pain,
and/or epidural scarring. Repeat surgeries may be proposed
though some patients are unable to or unwilling to go through another surgery. Such patients may then consult
with a practitioner who offers manual therapy for desired
relief. Because the clinical practice guidelines are
written but not very clearly for post-cervical
spine surgery management, researchers analyzed published papers
to establish a path of care.
Of 12 articles, 10 studies on conservative care reported favorable clinical outcomes.
(4) That is hopeful! Cross Chiropractic Center shares this hope with our
Sandy Springs neck pain patients who have had cervical
spine surgery for degenerative disease and other issues causing neck pain. Our
gentle spinal manipulation approach called Cox® Technic provides
relieving, doctor-monitored treatment of your cervical spine.
CONTACT Cross Chiropractic Center
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Chris Osterlitz on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes
how he treated a patient who found relief of his neck
pain after a cervical spine surgery following the Cox® Technic System
of Spinal Pain Management which may include nutritional advice to slow the degenerative disc disease.
Schedule your Sandy Springs
chiropractic appointment soon. Unwelcomed neck pain as a
result of degenerative disc disease and/or adjacent segment disease
after a cervical spine surgery may well find desired relief
in your chiropractor’s hands.