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	<title>Cervical Spine Surgery</title>
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	<link>http://cervicalspinesurgery.org</link>
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		<title>Preparing for Surgery</title>
		<link>http://cervicalspinesurgery.org/preparing-for-surgery/</link>
		<comments>http://cervicalspinesurgery.org/preparing-for-surgery/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Aug 2010 07:17:13 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Methods]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[If you are going to undergo cervical spine surgery, there are many things that you should consider in preparation before going to the hospital. These include equipment, your current home arrangements, transportation, and medication. Arranging your home Believe it or &#8230; <a href="http://cervicalspinesurgery.org/preparing-for-surgery/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If you are going to undergo cervical spine surgery, there are many things that you should consider in preparation before going to the hospital. These include equipment, your current home arrangements, transportation, and medication.</p>
<h2>Arranging your home</h2>
<p>Believe it or not, there are many easy things you can do in your home to make life much easier before you have the cervical spine surgery.</p>
<div align="justify">These include:</p>
<ul>
<li>Preparing or buying food before you go to the hospital is important. You may even want to get food catered or get a family member, friend, or caterer to drop off food for you</li>
<li>If you plan on cooking, make sure that the items that you use such as ingredients, utensils, pots and pans are moved to the kitchen counter top or in a place that does not require bending</li>
<li>Placing the telephone next on the bedside table or on a chair</li>
<li>If you live alone, appoint a friend or family member to assist you in cleaning, shopping, and with other household chores.</li>
<li>Put toiletries, clothes and shoes where you can easily reach them without the need to bend</li>
<li>If you own rugs in your home, make sure that these are secured or put them in a cupboard so you will not trip over the rug</li>
</ul>
<h2>What equipment do you need?</h2>
<p>Before <a href="http://www.cervicalspinesurgery.org">having cervical spine surgery,</a> you will need to be fitted for your neck collar (also known as a<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_%28medicine%29" target="_blank"> halo brace</a> or neck brace). This neck brace is an essential part of the recovery process as it helps to keep your neck straight. Other medical equipment may also be recommended to you by your Doctor and Physical Therapist to assist in a speedy recovery. However, you need to make an inquiry with your medical insurer as to whether you are covered for the equipment as insurance plans vary from company to company. Some companies do cover durable medical equipment, in example a walker.</p>
<p>Your coordinator for home care and physical therapist will surely assist in ordering the equipment for you. They will also verify with your insurer as to whether you are covered for the items. This equipment must be ordered before you are discharged from the hospital, and they will deliver it to your home so you will need someone to accept this delivery when it arrives. The equipment that will typically be delivered to your home includes a long-handle reacher, walker, toilet seat extender, and a chair or bench that you can use in the shower or the bathtub.</p>
<h2>Transportation</h2>
<p>This is a bit of a no-brainer. You will need to arrange your own transport to get home from the hospital as it isn’t legal to drive with a neck brace on. In addition, you should not drive until advised by your Doctor as driving requires many neck movements and moving the neck around will just aggravate the issue as it will not heal as well. When you are traveling home by car, make sure that you are either lying down in the back seat or in a reclining position at the front passenger seat.</p>
</div>
<h2 align="justify">Buying medication</h2>
<div align="justify">Before you go for surgery, you need to stop taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAIDs) such as indocin and ibuprofen; and aspirin. Although it may seem bizarre that you are not able to take these pain relievers, you can use alternative pain relief medicine such as extra-strength Tylenol. If you have a heart condition and take Coumadin or aspirin, you will need to inform your Doctor. On the day of the surgery, bring your regular, routine medication along with you.</p>
<h2>Are you a smoker?</h2>
<p>Are you a smoker and you have always wanted to quit? This is truly the perfect opportunity to quit as you need to stop smoking two weeks prior to surgery. After the surgery is completed, you will need to stop for an additional 6 weeks. The reason for this is that smoking actually interferes with the bone graft.</p>
<h2>The night before surgery</h2>
<p>During the night before your cervical spine surgery, you are not allowed to drink or eat after midnight. If you are schedule for a morning surgery, you must not eat any solid food after 9 pm, or drink liquids (including water) after midnight. If you permanently wear any rings such as a wedding ring, you must remove it. This is because your fingers may be swollen later.</p>
<h2>What to bring to the hospital?</h2>
<p>You may want to bring your own clothes and toiletries to the hospital, especially if you are not being discharged straight after surgery. Pack your underwear, loose and comfortable pajamas, a robe, and slippers. Please do not bring any valuables as they may be stolen. If you need to bring any equipment such as a walker or long-handle reacher, ask the person who is driving you back home to bring it for you. Make sure the equipment is labeled, as someone may mistakenly identify it as theirs.</p>
</div>
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		<title>Treatment After Surgery</title>
		<link>http://cervicalspinesurgery.org/treatment-after-surgery/</link>
		<comments>http://cervicalspinesurgery.org/treatment-after-surgery/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Aug 2010 07:12:23 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Methods]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[The cervical spine treatment after surgery is a must for patients who have undergone cervical spine treatment. Our spine is made of 24 bones in that are separated by shock-absorbing discs. These discs are cushion-like that helps us to bend &#8230; <a href="http://cervicalspinesurgery.org/treatment-after-surgery/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The cervical spine treatment after surgery is a must for patients who have undergone cervical spine treatment. Our spine is made of 24 bones in that are separated by shock-absorbing discs. These discs are cushion-like that helps us to bend and move our back. This surgery is performed to relieve any pain, sore, numbness and deformation on the spine. Those who suffer from major nerve-system dysfunction are also required to receive the treatment. It will take for up to one year for a cervical spine treatment patient to recuperate after the surgery.</p>
<p align="justify">The most important thing that every patient of the<a href="http://www.cervicalspinesurgery.org"> cervical spine surgery needs </a> to remember is to take as much rest as they can in order for their body to heal completely. After the surgery, certain sore and aches will appear all over their body especially their back. This is because the surgery is performed on our spine where our spinal cord is and since the nerves in our body are branched out from our spinal cord, it causes our body to ache all over. Since the body tires after the cervical spine surgery it is better for the patient to get a good rest especially right after the surgery.</p>
<h2 align="justify">Physical therapy</h2>
<p align="justify">After the surgery, every patient is require to practice a certain form of exercise with every part of their body in order for them to move about like before the treatment took place. Usually, the doctors will provide a variety of therapeutic exercises for the patients depending on their stage of recovery. Patients are also required to do breathing and practice body mechanics such as walking, sitting and standing. If the patient performs the right exercise, the chances for the spine to heal faster are much better.</p>
<p>As it can take up to one year for a patient who has undergone cervical spine surgery, it is best to avoid vigorous sports such as basketball, football, or hockey during this time. This is because it may aggravate the issue further, or complications may arise as many sports involve a lot of movement or involve bending, tackling, or pushing opponents. What could be worse than almost recovering from the surgery, only to need it again because you were tackled and landed in a bad angle?</p>
<h2 align="justify">Nutrition after surgery</h2>
<p align="justify">A good diet will also help to recover from the surgery. Normally, patients are not allowed to eat oily food. An approved healthy diet requires the patient to consume as much vegetables and fruits as possible. It will be hard for the patients to try and consume food because of the sore from the surgery. That is most probably the reason why doctors constantly advised their patients to consume as much ginger or beans as possible to ease out the wind inside their body. Oily food slows down healing process of the wounds on the inner and outer body. Patients are also required to consume a balance diet of protein and calcium to help strengthen their bones.</p>
<h2 align="justify">Using medication</h2>
<p align="justify">Prescription medication will be provided by the respective doctors. Patients will be given prescription of pain killers. However certain patients will be given<a href="http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/816117-overview" target="_blank"> non-steroidal</a> medications as it will interfere with the healing of the bones. Doctors will also recommend home remedies such as lying with a pillow under the knee to help with the nerves, as well as applying an ice pack or a warm cloth on the back or the shoulders to reduce soreness. Patients are also advised by the doctors to consume certain supplements such as calcium and vitamin supplements.</p>
<h2 align="justify">Visiting the doctor</h2>
<p align="justify">Regular or periodic visits with their doctor are a must for every patient. This helps to figure out the healing stage of their body after surgery. X-rays and minimal reflex exercise perform by the doctor can determine the healing stages of the spine. It is much more advisable to consult the same doctor before, during and after surgery as he has a better understanding of your body. Missing a consultation might cause some complications especially at the early stages after surgery.</p>
<p>Cervical spine treatment has many complications and risks as it deals greatly with a persons&#8217; spine and spinal cord. If the spinal cord is mistreated during surgery, it can cause a permanent damage and paralyzed the patients&#8217; nerve-systems. However, the complications after surgery are much worse. Those who have undergone spinal treatment need to be patient with the healing process. A balanced lifestyle can help to achieve faster recovery.</p>
<p>Patients are required to exercise regularly, consume a healthy and balanced diet, consult their doctor periodically, be very careful with their medications and most importantly rest as much as needed during recuperation. Research has proven that normal spine treatment patients requires a steady mental support system so family support and love are very crucial for the patient to be able to recover faster.</p>
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		<title>What To Expect Following Your Cervical Spine Surgery</title>
		<link>http://cervicalspinesurgery.org/what-to-expect-following-your-cervical-spine-surgery/</link>
		<comments>http://cervicalspinesurgery.org/what-to-expect-following-your-cervical-spine-surgery/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Aug 2010 07:03:07 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Basics]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[If you are going to be in hospital for cervical spine surgery, you may wonder what to expect after your operation. Post-operation procedures can vary from patient to patient as recovery speeds are different. In general, most patients stay for &#8230; <a href="http://cervicalspinesurgery.org/what-to-expect-following-your-cervical-spine-surgery/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If you are going to be in hospital for cervical spine surgery, you may wonder what to expect after your operation. Post-operation procedures can vary from patient to patient as recovery speeds are different. In general, most patients stay for a day or two before being discharged from the hospital. Every patient&#8217;s recovery is evaluated, and some patients may stay at a rehabilitation facility after this before heading back to the comfort of their own home.</p>
<div align="justify">
<h2>Before going home</h2>
<p>If you are sent to your home, you will be visited by a Nurse or a Therapist to ensure that your recovery is going smoothly. Before being discharged, you must have some basic motor skills that show that you can look after yourself. This includes:</p>
<ul>
<li>Getting in and out of bed by yourself</li>
<li>Walking around by yourself</li>
<li>Being able to bathe and other personal hygiene activities by yourself</li>
<li>Be coherent and understand all of the instructions provided for your recovery</li>
<li>Being able to climb stairs (if your home has stairs)</li>
</ul>
<p>As the goal of being sent home is to become independent again, you will be encouraged to actively participate so you can do as many things for yourself as you can.</p>
<p>After waking up<a href="http://www.cervicalspinesurgery.org"> after cervical spine surgery,</a> you will be in a neck brace and lying on your back. Although you will have assistance from a Nurse to get out of bed, your rehabilitation program will actually in the evening of when you have your surgery. The rehabilitation program includes walking, climbing up and down stairs, leg exercises, bathing, home management, and dressing.</p>
<h2>Day 1 of hospitalization</h2>
<p>With the supervision of your physical therapist or a nurse, you will sit on the bed&#8217;s edge before attempting to stand up and sit down. They may also try and get you to walk up and down a few times with the help of a walking cane or walking frame. These exercises can assist in easing the soreness in your legs and to prevent blood clots from forming in your legs. Ankle pump exercises will also help to stop fluid from building up in the lower limbs. They will also check to ensure that your feet and legs are moving properly, and that the circulation is good.</p>
</div>
<div align="justify">An incentive spirometer can also help to prevent pneumonia by expanding your lungs. Antibiotics may be administered via intravenous means. Surgical tape, adhesive tape or sutures would have been used to close your incision. A pack of ice will assist in decreasing the swelling. At the beginning, you will be on a liquid diet. If you have no problems with the clear liquid diet, then you will be slowly be given more solid food to eat.</p>
<h2>Day 2 of hospitalization</h2>
<p>Day 2 is usually when patients are discharged. The dressing of your wounds may be changed. As you can imagine after the 2nd day of hospitalization, you may feel some pain or discomfort. Medication will assist in keeping down the pain by eating pain killers instead of having it administered through an intravenous drip.</p>
<p>A session with your Physical Therapist will also ensue. This time, the session will focus more on your mobility and safety to help you achieve greater independence. Although you may still feel some discomfort after having the pain relievers, you need to remember to relax. Take some deep breaths, and follow your Physical Therapist&#8217;s instructions. Those who are able to breathe well and tighten their muscles will recover faster as they have better circulation and lung capacity.</p>
<p>Once all of your bandages have been removed and you feel much stronger, you can take a shower. Prior to surgery, you would have been fitted with 2 different types of neck braces. Take a shower with your neck brace made out of foam called the Philadelphia Collar. Make sure that the Philadelphia Collar is secure when you are shampooing your hair and towel drying yourself.</p>
<p>After showering, lay on your back and place the Miami J Collar by your side. You will need to take off the <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3960291" target="_blank">Philadelphia Collar</a> by undoing the Velcro and removing the front of the wet collar while still keeping your neck very still. Try washing your neck area with water and soap before patting it dry. If you need shave, use a hand-held mirror and shaver while in this position. You may also need a hand-held mirror to inspect the surgical incision to make sure that there are no signs of infection. If you have a family member or friend present, you may want to get them to check the incision to see whether there are any signs of infection.</p>
<p>After this, you need to put on your dry collar. You will do this by holding the front portion of the collar firmly with one hand, before rolling like a log onto your side. Make sure that your neck is very still and then remove the back part of the Philadelphia Collar. You can then wash and dry the back of your neck before putting on the back of the Miami J by rolling like a log and putting the Velcro straps together. Skin irritation may occur, however you must not use oils, powders, or lotions while your incision is still in the healing process. Instead, wear a silk scarf.</p>
</div>
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		<title>Minimally Invasive</title>
		<link>http://cervicalspinesurgery.org/minimally-invasive/</link>
		<comments>http://cervicalspinesurgery.org/minimally-invasive/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:54:12 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Types]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Cervical Spine Surgery Types and Their Complications Surgery can be a really scary prospect.  If you need to go through a surgical procedure, just the thought that your health warrants such an event is scary in itself.  Then, you think &#8230; <a href="http://cervicalspinesurgery.org/minimally-invasive/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Cervical Spine Surgery Types and Their Complications</h2>
<p>Surgery can be a really scary prospect.  If you need to go through a surgical procedure, just the thought that your health warrants such an event is scary in itself.  Then, you think of what may happen during the procedure, and your fear rises even more.  Sometimes, no matter how afraid you are, it is just better to go through with the surgery.  If you neck is badly out of shape, causing you a lot of severe, chronic pain, then you may need to consider going through with cervical spine surgery.</p>
<p>Cervical spinal surgery is necessary when you have bad neck problems.</p>
<p>The cervical spine is the vertebrae that make up your neck. When you have problems with this area of your body, it can definitely affect the quality of your life.  Neck pain can lead to severe headaches that interfere with your everyday life.  When it gets really bad, you may not even be able to do your work or spend time with your family like you would like to.</p>
<p>There are many reasons <a href="http://www.cervicalspinesurgery.org">why cervical spine surgery </a> may be the right choice.  You may have spinal stenosis, degenerative disease or disorder, or a cervical deformity.  Or, you may have gotten into an accident that caused a bad neck injury.  Any of these reasons can warrant going through with the surgery, although it is really up to your doctor.  If you are unsure whether or not you qualify, make a doctor&#8217;s appointment.  With the help of specialists, they should be able to determine if the procedure is right for you.  Although cervical surgery can be very helpful, there are actually several different kinds of these surgeries.  By choosing the right one, you can not only lessen your fear, but lessen the chance of cervical spine surgery complications as well.</p>
<p>The traditional form of cervical spine surgery is fairly invasive. They open up your neck and remove a disc or part of a bone.  They then fuse two of your vertebrae together using a bone graft.  Not only is this procedure painful, but it has a lot of possible complications as well.  for instance, you may incur a spinal cord injury, which can have a lot of <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drastic" target="_blank">drastic</a>  and terrible side effects.  The surgery may also damage areas of your body such as your esophagus, nerves, vocal cords, and carotid artery.  These are only some of the cervical spine surgery complications that can occur.</p>
<p>If you are afraid of these complications, you have other options.  There are less invasive ways to go through with cervical spine surgery.  These usually don&#8217;t fix the problem as well as the more invasive surgery, but it will be much easier to recover from it.  It is up to your doctor on whether or not you qualify for the less invasive surgery.  Some people&#8217;s symptoms and causes for their neck pain are too severe in order to warrant this easier surgery.  Because of this, make sure that you let your doctor know your wishes so that they can formulate the best method for fixing your neck health problems.</p>
<p>Although certain complications can be scary, it is best to make sure that you get better.  There are certain risks with any important surgery, but you will feel a lot better if you go through with it.  In fact, over ninety percent of the people who go through cervical spine surgery see a complete or nearly complete relief of their symptoms.  This is very much worth the fear and price for a lot of people who have severe and terrible neck problems.  This may be the right procedure for you as well.</p>
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		<title>Endoscopic Cervical Spine Surgery</title>
		<link>http://cervicalspinesurgery.org/endoscopic-cervical-spine-surgery/</link>
		<comments>http://cervicalspinesurgery.org/endoscopic-cervical-spine-surgery/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:52:48 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Types]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Invasive and Minimally Invasive Surgeries When you are told that you need surgery to correct a health problem, most people assume that they only have once choice.  That they can either go through with the surgery or keep having their &#8230; <a href="http://cervicalspinesurgery.org/endoscopic-cervical-spine-surgery/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Invasive and Minimally Invasive Surgeries</h2>
<p>When you are told that you need surgery to correct a health problem, most people assume that they only have once choice.  That they can either go through with the surgery or keep having their health problems.  With some procedures, that isn&#8217;t the case.  There are actually several different methods to achieve the same results.  A good example of this is cervical spine surgery.  There is a classic way to go about this, but it has a lot of complications and long recovery times. This isn&#8217;t the only way to go about it, though.  For a less invasive approach, you could get endoscopic cervical spine surgery instead.</p>
<p>While there may be different kinds of surgery in order to achieve the same goal, the reasons for these surgeries are usually the same.  First off, you will be having painful neck problems.  This pain is usually chronic and can cause other problems, such as frequent headaches.  For people who go ahead with these surgeries, their pain is usually chronic, and it interferes with their life.  But just because you have neck pain doesn&#8217;t mean you are a good candidate for the surgery.  You will also need to have the right reasons for that pain.  This includes injury, degenerative disorders, and cervical deformities.  Your doctor and a spine specialist will be able to determine if you are right for this kind of surgery and whether it would help alleviate your pain.</p>
<p>The main <a href="http://www.cervicalspinesurgery.org">type of cervical spine surgery</a> is rather invasive.  The surgeon will cut open the skin and flesh of your neck in order to get at the spine underneath.  They will then remove the part of the spine that is causing the problems.  This is usually either a disc or part of a bone.  Once this is removed, they then need to put everything back together.  This is done by fusing two vertebrae together with the help of a<a href="http://www.umm.edu/ency/article/002963.htm" target="_blank"> bone graft.  </a> Once complete, they will sew you back up and the procedure will be over.</p>
<p>If this sounds painful and invasive to you, you would be right.  Not only is it a tough procedure, but there are many cervical spine surgery complications because of it.  some people may go through the procedure without any complications, but this isn&#8217;t always so common.  There are many cervical spine surgery complications that can really get in the way.  For instance, you may find that certain parts of your body are injured, including your vocal cords, esophagus, carotid artery, or your spinal cords.  It can even damage your nerves.  While this isn&#8217;t completely common, it can happen.</p>
<p>This isn&#8217;t the only way to get the same helpful results, though.  If you want to forgo many of these complications, as well as the lengthy recovery times associated with cervical spine surgery, you could go the endoscopic route.  Endoscopic cervical spine surgery is much less invasive than the regular, more common form of spine surgery.  It has much less negative side effects and a much shorter recovery time.  Not everyone can use this method, though.  Ask your doctor about endoscopic surgery as an option to see if you qualify.  Although they may not pose this to you from the get go, it is very much worth the effort in asking.</p>
<p>As you can see, there is more than one way to get your neck fixed of its problems.  You could go the full surgery route, which has a better success rate for a wider range of people.  If you are concerned about the invasiveness of the procedure, you could choose the gentler surgery of endoscopic cervical spine surgery instead.</p>
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		<title>Cervical Spinal Stenosis</title>
		<link>http://cervicalspinesurgery.org/cervical-spinal-stenosis/</link>
		<comments>http://cervicalspinesurgery.org/cervical-spinal-stenosis/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:50:52 +0000</pubDate>
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		<description><![CDATA[Reasons for Cervical Spine Surgery If you have neck problems, you know how much it can affect your everyday life.  You don&#8217;t be able to move as well or cleanly as other people because you&#8217;ll be afraid of getting a &#8230; <a href="http://cervicalspinesurgery.org/cervical-spinal-stenosis/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Reasons for Cervical Spine Surgery</h2>
<p>If you have neck problems, you know how much it can affect your everyday life.  You don&#8217;t be able to move as well or cleanly as other people because you&#8217;ll be afraid of getting a neck ache.  Not only is the actually pain a bother, but it can affect other aspects of your life as well.  For instance, most people who experience chronic, consistent neck pain also experience many headaches that come along with them.  If your neck pain is particularly bad, you may be able to get it fixed by going through surgery.</p>
<p>Although there are complications that can come from a surgery such as this, it is still a good idea for people who have a lower quality of life because of their chronic pain.</p>
<p>Depending on the reason for your neck pain, you may benefit from going <a href="http://www.cervicalspinesurgery.org">through cervical spine surgery. </a>This is a type of surgery that helps many different people.  One of the reasons that you may need the surgery is because of degenerative disease in the discs of your neck vertebrae.  This happens when the discs shrink, which leads to herniation.  This can also happen if you have arthritis in the vertebrae of your neck as well.  Degenerative disorders can be very painful, so it&#8217;s helpful to go through with the spine surgery.</p>
<p>Another reason why you may need surgery is because of a cervical deformity.  Your cervical spine is the vertebrae in the upper neck region.  If you have a deformity there, you may have swan neck or <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2267648/" target="_blank">hyperlordosis. </a>The surgery will help by straightening out and stabilizing the spine, allowing for easier movement and much less pain.  Spinal stenosis is another reason why you may need the surgery.  This happens when the spinal canal within your vertebrae is narrower than normal.  Surgery can help with this condition.</p>
<p>While these are great reasons to go through the surgery, one of the biggest is because of injury.  When you get hurt, such as in a car accident, the vertebrae in your neck can become damaged.  If this happens, cervical spine surgery is often the way to go, or you may find that you will have constant neck pain from then on.  Whatever your reasons, it is up to your doctor to decide whether or not this kind of surgery is right for you.  Like with any form of surgery, there is some risk involved.  You could get sick or hurt, and possibly even die.  That&#8217;s why you should only go through with the surgery if your condition is very bad.  On the plus side, over 90% of the people who go through with the surgery will feel complete or nearly complete relief of all of their symptoms.</p>
<p>Before you decide to go ahead with the surgery, you should first learn what happens during the procedure.  The surgeon will remove the offending disc or bone, and then fuse the vertebrae together with a bone graft.  Although it sounds scary and painful, this procedure has helped scores of people who have had severe pain in their necks.  That is the goal, after all.</p>
<p>If you do have severe and chronic neck pain, it&#8217;s a good idea to visit your doctor.  They may refer you to a spinal doctor in order to determine if you are right for the spinal surgery.  Even if they highly recommend the procedure, it is up to you whether or not you want to go through with it.  Be sure to look over all of the material that your doctor gives you.  Pay close attention to the side effects and possible complications of the surgery.</p>
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		<title>The Unexpected</title>
		<link>http://cervicalspinesurgery.org/the-unexpected/</link>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:48:56 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Basics]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Possible Cervical Spine Surgery Complications As with any surgery, there are certain complications that can arise that you need to be aware of.  It doesn&#8217;t matter what the surgery is.  If you are going through with it, then you will &#8230; <a href="http://cervicalspinesurgery.org/the-unexpected/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Possible Cervical Spine Surgery Complications</h2>
<p>As with any surgery, there are certain complications that can arise that you need to be aware of.  It doesn&#8217;t matter what the surgery is.  If you are going through with it, then you will need to learn more about the</p>
<p>complications that can arise, as well as the recovery time.  This is even the case for something like cervical spine surgery.  If you are thinking about going through with this invasive procedure, you must first learn more about what happens after <a href="http://www.cervicalspinesurgery.org">cervical spine surgery. </a></p>
<p>Before you can ever even go through with the surgery, you need to meet certain requirements.  This is called cervical spine surgery because it affects the cervical area of the spine.  This is the upper <a href="http://www.cedars-sinai.edu/Patients/Programs-and-Services/Spine-Center/Anatomy-of-the-Spine/Vertebrae-of-the-Spine.aspx" target="_blank">vertebrae </a> that make up the neck.  If you are having problems there, you may be a candidate for the surgery.  The neck pain you have will usually need to be very severe and chronic.  If you have terrible neck pain on a regular basis, this surgery may be right for you.</p>
<p>There are many reasons why you may need cervical spine surgery.  For instance, you might have certain degenerative disorders.  This  happens when you have problems with the discs that act as a cushion between your vertebrae.  This can lead to herniation or arthritis in the area.  You could also have a cervical deformity.  In this case, the surgery will help by straightening and stabilizing your spine, reducing the pain there.  Some people even need the surgery after they have sustained a neck injury.  Whatever your reasons, a doctor may decide that cervical spine surgery is right for you.</p>
<p>This kind of surgery is a bit more invasive than you might think.  They get into your neck and remove either one of your discs or a portion of bone from your spine.  After that, they will fuse the two vertebrae together with a bone graft.  If this sounds brutal, it&#8217;s because it is a very rough surgery.  Because of it being so invasive, there are several important complications that may arise.</p>
<p>In the most extreme cases, a botched cervical spinal surgery may lead to death.  Parts of you may become injured, too.  For instance, you could sustain injury to your spinal cord or nerves, as well as your vocal cords and esophagus.  Although there are many scary complications that can arise, these are very rare.  The benefits of the surgery often outweigh this potential concerns.</p>
<p>After cervical spine surgery, you will find that you have a very long recovery period ahead of you.  Unlike some procedures that let you go home the same day, you will need to stay in the hospital for at least one week after this spinal surgery.  Since the surgery was so invasive, you will need this time to rest and recover.  Although you will spend most of this time in bed, the nurses will help you walk around your room starting on the first or second day of recovery.  This is meant to help you alleviate some of the pressure on your spine.  Although you can normally leave the hospital after only a week, you won&#8217;t be completely recovered until at least five weeks after the surgery.</p>
<p>Now that you know more about this procedure, you should be able to make a better decision on whether or not it is right for you.  If you are particularly scared of the possible complications, don&#8217;t worry.  Even the simplest of surgical procedures have a number of risks.  If you choose the right surgeon, you shouldn&#8217;t run into any problems.  Then, after the surgery, you will have a perfect neck that may never cause you pain again.</p>
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		<title>Recovery</title>
		<link>http://cervicalspinesurgery.org/recovery/</link>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:45:05 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Basics]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Recovering After Cervical Spine Surgery Recovering from surgery can be a difficult process.  Whether you are going in for oral surgery to get your wisdom teeth removed, or for something more complicated, you will no doubt have a long recovery &#8230; <a href="http://cervicalspinesurgery.org/recovery/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Recovering After Cervical Spine Surgery</h2>
<p>Recovering from surgery can be a difficult process.  Whether you are going in for oral surgery to get your wisdom teeth removed, or for something more complicated, you will no doubt have a long recovery time.</p>
<p>Cervical spine surgery is no exception.  If you have terrible, chronic neck pain, then you may have already considered this procedure.  Before you decide whether or not it is right for you, you must first consider the recovery that goes along with this kind of surgery.</p>
<p>Not everyone is right for <a href="http://www.cervicalspinesurgery.org">cervical spine surgery. </a> While you may have bad neck pain, that does not mean you would benefit from the procedure.  There are several health problems that are prime candidates for the surgery, though.  For instance, if you have degenerative disorders, such as painful<a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/herniated-disk/ds00893" target="_blank"> disc herniation</a> in your neck, you may be right for this procedure.  This is also the case if you have spinal stenosis, cervical deformities, or if you have been in a painful and damaging accident.  In order to know for sure, you&#8217;ll need to see a doctor.  Specialists will be able to determine if you are a good candidate for surgery.  If they do think so, there are still some things that you need to consider, including the procedure itself.</p>
<p>Cervical spinal surgery is fairly invasive.  They will open up your neck so that they have access to the spine.  They will then cut out the offending piece, whether it is a disc or a piece of bone.  After that, they fuse the two vertebrae together with the help of a bone graft.  After cervical spine surgery, you will likely feel pretty terrible at first.  This is normal and is all a part of the recovery process.  As you can see from such an invasive surgery, the recovery process can be a bit longer than some people are used to.</p>
<p>After cervical spine surgery, you will need to stay in the hospital for usually at least one full week.  This amount of time varies depending on how well the procedure went, as well as how the surgeon feels about how you deal with the healing process.  Although most of your time in the hospital will be spent in bed, they will request that you get up and walk around starting usually on the first or second day of recovery.  This is needed because it helps alleviate some of the pressure on your spine.</p>
<p>Once out of the hospital, your recovery has only just begun.  You won&#8217;t be fully and completely recovered until around five weeks after the surgery.  During this time, you will need to take it easy.  Avoid any activity that can put stress on your spine; especially your neck.  By avoiding this, you are raising the chances of a successful recovery.  People who don&#8217;t follow this step find that they have not healed well and may need further surgeries.  Since cervical spine surgery is so invasive, it is best to avoid this.</p>
<p>Even after the five weeks are up, you should avoid any heavy work.  For some people who had a particularly tough surgical procedure, you may not be able to do any heavy work for much longer than that.  If you are unsure about your recovery process, your surgeon will be able to tell you more.  They will likely even have literature such as pamphlets and brochures that they can give you that will tell you more.  Use this information in order to help you decide whether or not the surgery is right for you.  While it does work for a lot of people, this kind of procedure isn&#8217;t right for everyone, even if they qualify.</p>
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		<title>Introduction</title>
		<link>http://cervicalspinesurgery.org/introduction/</link>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:42:54 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Basics]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[The Basics of Cervical Spine Surgery When you have neck problems, your life is a bit different from the average persons&#8217;.  You will likely avoid certain actions because you&#8217;re afraid that you&#8217;re neck might get sore. Neck pain also leads &#8230; <a href="http://cervicalspinesurgery.org/introduction/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>The Basics of Cervical Spine Surgery</h2>
<p>When you have neck problems, your life is a bit different from the average persons&#8217;.  You will likely avoid certain actions because you&#8217;re afraid that you&#8217;re neck might get sore.</p>
<p>Neck pain also leads to other health problems.  For instance, many people who have a problem neck also end up with chronic headaches as well.  Some have only occasional neck pain that they can ignore, while others have chronic, severe neck pain.  For people going through the latter, surgery may be the only way that you can lead a regular life.</p>
<p>Before you consider surgery, there are other methods that may be a better fit for you.  Some people use muscle relaxers or other pain medications to help them feel better.  While this is affective for some, others don&#8217;t seem to feel better with this kind of action.  If you pain is particularly bad, you may want to start visiting a physical therapist or a <a href="http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos071.htm" target="_blank">chiropractor</a>.  Either of these specialists should be able to help you with your pain.  At this point, if you still aren&#8217;t feeling better, surgery may be the answer.</p>
<p>If you&#8217;re thinking about surgery, you&#8217;ll need to visit a doctor.  Specialists will be able to evaluate your situation and health to determine<a href="http://www.cervicalspinesurgery.org"> if cervical spine surgery</a> is right for you.  They will, for example, look at the cause of your pain.  Not all causes are covered by the surgery.  What is covered is pain from cervical deformities, degenerative disease, and injury.  They will likely take a look at the spine and vertebrae of your neck with the help of an MRI machine.  With this, they will have a much better idea of whether or not you are a good candidate for the surgery.</p>
<p>The surgery for this is actually fairly straightforward, although it is invasive.  As the name suggests, cervical spine surgery does work on the cervical part of your spine.  This is the upper vertebrae that makes up your neck.  There are other parts of the spine as well.  For instance, the lower vertebrae are called the lumbar spine.  In cervical surgery, they will be working on any problems that are occurring for the vertebrae in your spine.</p>
<p>This kind of spine surgery is often referred to as cervical spine fusion surgery.  This is because of the way that they repair your neck problem.  They first open up your neck so that they have access to your spine.  They then completely remove the part that is causing the problems.  This could be either a disc or part of a bone.  Once removed, they then fuse two of your vertebrae together using a bone graft.  This painful procedure is called sine fusion surgery because of this.  While it may sound scary, it is actually very effective.  More than ninety percent of patients who undergo this procedure come out with their symptoms completely, or nearly completely, all gone.  This is reason enough to go through with the surgery.</p>
<p>Recovery time is a bit harder to handle for some people.  This isn&#8217;t the kind of surgery where you can walk away on the same day.  Instead, you will likely be stuck in a hospital bed for at least a week.  Since they will be working on your spine, you will need a lot of bed rest.  Even after you leave the hospital, you won&#8217;t be fully recovered from the procedure until at least five weeks after the surgery.  Although the recovery is a bit of a hassle, it is still worth it in the end.  You will be able to participate in activities without having to worry about how it will affect your neck.</p>
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