Many surgical techniques are used to fuse the spine, and your surgeon will choose the type that they feel will bring the most amount of relief while reducing the risk of the surgery as much as possible. Although fusion techniques differ, each procedure has the same goal: to stabilize the spine and reduce pain down the arms and/or upper back and neck.
To achieve their surgical goals, your surgeon will move the nerve so it is not rubbed, and by placing material to eventually “fuse” (meaning grow bone from one bone to the next, so there is no longer a joint that can move) the bones to stabilize the spine and hopefully keep you pain free. As the bone heals from one bone to the next, just like how a cast would be used to splint a broken arm, a cast or support system is needed here too. A framework of screws and rods are used to support and provide a stable environment promoting bone healing. It takes roughly a year for a fusion to solidify, due to this please remember to follow your restrictions and use common sense.
Headaches, neck pain, pain near and around your shoulder blades and into your arms are common post- operative pain/symptoms after a neck surgery. These symptoms are temporary almost always but can take quite some time to resolve.
It is not uncommon to experience temporary increased or the same level of intensity of pain down one or both of your arms or shoulders. This can be due to us “cleaning off” your nerves, swelling, or just remnants of nerve irritation from prior to surgery. Please inform us however, if your pain is gradually worsening.
Please see your primary care physician one week after surgery to have the incision examined. We would like to see you at an Inspired Spine facility institute one month after surgery.
These appointments are occasionally made for you prior to discharge from the hospital by the nursing staff. Please ask the hospital nursing staff or contact our office to confirm these appointments. You should have plain X-rays whenever you come back to clinic for visits.
You can reach Inspired Spine at (952) 225-5266to set up an appointment with our Patient Access Representative team.
Is neck or back pain restricting your daily activities? For 6 months or more? Have non-surgical treatments failed to help?
Over 1,000 patients have benefited from Inspired Spine MIS Surgeries. See testimonials from just a few.
Not all MIS Spine Surgeries are Created Equal.
