Anyone had surgery here for herniated cervical disc?

[Zeze]

I think I posted here last year that my dad was involved in a hit & run.

He is diagnosed with herniated cervical disc and it's impacting his life quite considerably - he is unable to quickly turn his head while driving due to pain, he wakes up in pain if his head comes off of the pillow, he can't sit in a prolonged time, etc.

Because my dad lives far from me and dad being a dad, I can't fully trust/grasp what the doctors told him.

Basically if conservative management fails, a surgery is an option to cut out the protrusion that is offending the spinal nerve. I did some googling and it sounds pretty invasive, but am not sure.

He is against the surgery due to following factors based on my observation:

1) How invasive the surgery may be, its risks, and recovery.
2) Surgery may not be 100% effective after all that risk.
3) Cost and his concern that he may not be able to fully recoup from the settlement.

http://www.mayfieldclinic.com/PE-HCDisc.htm

Do you know anyone who had the surgery? If so, how was it in terms of scope/recovery/effectiveness?

 

[HomerJS]

I had this problem between C6-C7. It caused neck pain especially during physical activity. Also pain and numbness in left arm down to fingertips.

I had multiple steroid injections and 8-10 months of physical therapy. Ultimately I am 90% healed. Get occasional neck stiffness and a little tingling in fingertips.

Did not have to have surgery

My primary sent me to a sports medicine guy and that's the route they took.

 

[lxskllr]

Guy on a job I'm on had it done, and so far, no problems. He was out of work for 10 weeks. I may end up with it if my back gets worse in the future, but so far I prefer being incapacitated for ~10 days a year, rather than have my back cut.

 

[BoomerD]

I have a herniated disk at C6-C7. Had a couple of cortisone injections and some chiropractic care. Doctor talked about surgery...then decided I was doing well enough with the non-invasive procedures that it wasn't necessary. I still have occasional problems...hand goes numb, roving pain in my arm, horrible stiff neck and headaches...but those are pretty intermittent and don't last long. When I have a bad bout of hand numbness/tingling, I see my MD and get a couple of prescriptions for Amitriptyline. That USUALLY works within a month. (one of those oddball uses for an anti-depressant)

Always remember what my orthopedic surgeon said..."There's nothing a good surgery can't make worse."

That's especially true for any kind of back surgery.

 

[Ruptga]

Always remember what my orthopedic surgeon said..."There's nothing a good surgery can't make worse."

That's especially true for any kind of back surgery.

Yes; surgery involving joints or nerves should always be a last resort, and your neck has plenty of both. Your dad may be able to get treatment that helps before surgery, but if the surgery doesn't fix it then nothing will be able to make it right.

 

[Elixer]

For what it is worth, my dad had a Vertebroplasty done on his herniated disc, and it did work out pretty good for him. He said the pain was 90% better than it was, and he just takes some over the counter pain meds to get him over the last 10% when needed. He says it depends on the weather when the pain flares up.

Might want to look into that option.

 

[todpod]

I had c5-c6 and c6-c7 done about 17 years ago, they redid c6-c7 a couple years later due to the failure of the bone graft. It's better then it was by alot but not great. Would make the same decision again today.

 

[Pacfanweb]

I had ACDF surgery on C5-7 two years ago.

Disc blew in a short time, causing terrible pain in the right side of my lower neck, going down my triceps, crossing over to my forearm and to my thumb and first two fingers. It was unbearable.

All of it was gone the minute I woke up from surgery. The only thing that remains is a bit of numbness in my index finger.

Overall recovery is decent. My side-to-side neck movement is slightly restricted, but no more than it was when the pain was there.....plus, I am 50 now so not sure how much I'd still have anyway at this point.

I have a few odd pops/crunches here and there, just figure that's part of having a segment of 3 vertabra that move in unison now.