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Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka Offers Relieving Care for Post-Surgical Neck Pain

Neck pain anytime is not 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 Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka helps many Sitka 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 80 years of age have it. 10% to 20% of people with lumbar disc degeneration and up to 30% of those with cervical disc degeneration will not get relief from non-surgical treatments. (1) Degenerative disc disease is documented as starting in the second decade of life. (2) The artificial disc replacement has been around for some time. An early review of its use and efficacy stated that about 5% of DDD patients were eligible for it. Further, the review reported that lumbar artificial disc replacement was 79% superior to 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 varied from 0% to 8.1% per implant. Adjacent segment disease was reported to be 2% in one 11-year-follow-up study, but not definitive in the clinical trial data. (1) Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka sees post-surgical neck pain patients experiencing such adjacent segment disease seek our Sitka chiropractic care not uncommonly.

ADJACENT SEGMENT DISEASE AFTER CERVICAL SPINE SURGERY

Spine literature has recently addressed the concern conveyed in the prior study about adjacent segment disease, degenerative changes at spinal segments immediately next to a spinal fusion or disc implant region. The cause for such pain is explained as possibly resulting from altered stresses on the adjacent levels after such procedures. In an article written for an audience of 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 experiencing anterior cervical disectomy and spinal fusion surgery 30 years ago for DDD. This patient had 34 sessions of chiropractic care – a combination of cervical manipulation, flexion distraction decompression, soft-tissue mobilization and therapeutic ultrasound – reported relief. (3) Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka uses flexion distraction decompression procedures to gently address post-surgical Sitka neck pain.

POST-CERVICAL SPINE SURGERY NECK PAIN

Researchers wrote that cervical spine surgeries for degenerative cervical spine conditions are rising quickly 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 don’t want to go through another surgery. Such patients may then turn to manual therapy for desired relief. Due to the fact that the clinical practice guidelines are written but not very distinctly for post-cervical spine surgery management, researchers reviewed published papers to determine a path of care. Of 12 articles, 10 studies on conservative care recounted favorable clinical outcomes. (4) That is hopeful! Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka shares this hope with our Sitka neck pain patients who have undergone 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 Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Chris Osterlitz on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he discusses how he helped a patient find relief of his neck pain after a cervical spine surgery using the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management which may include nutritional advice to slow the degenerative disc disease.

Make your Sitka chiropractic appointment soon. Unwelcomed neck pain due to degenerative disc disease and/or adjacent segment disease after a cervical spine surgery may well find the hoped for relief in your chiropractor’s hands.

Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka offers gentle care for neck pain after neck surgery.
 
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"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by Dr. James M. Cox I."