Your chronic neck and arm pain may make you one of more than 60 percent of Americans with degenerative disc disease, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). This spinal degeneration in the cervical, or neck, area may be brought on by age, activity or another bone condition, such as osteoporosis.
The UMMC encourages patients with neck pain and other upper-body symptoms to seek diagnosis to determine the cause. Some spinal conditions, such as cervical myelopathy, can be life threatening and will not improve without surgery.
Spondylosis
With wear---years of aging---and tear---such as long-term high-impact sports activity, the components of the spine break down. The cushioning discs between vertebrae can lose shape or rupture. These degenerative discs cause vertebrae to shift, putting pressure on the nerves and the rest of the spine. This osteoarthritis-related form of upper spinal degeneration is called cervical spondylosis. Symptoms include arm and neck pain, stiffness, weakness or numbness.
Stenosis
Bone spurs may form in response to the space left by the worn disc. These can cause progressive neck pain, as well as arm, back or leg pain, as spinal degeneration causes them to rub against bone or nerves. This is spinal stenosis, a serious condition that can lead to damage of the spinal cord. Mild cases may need only stabilization of the degenerative disc area and pain control. More severe cases may significantly narrow the spinal canal and require surgery.
Myelopathy
When the spinal degeneration restricts the nerves at both ends of a vertebra, the result is spinal myelopathy. Impingement of the spinal cord in the cervical area is a critical medical condition. Signs that a degenerative disc may be affecting the spinal cord are neck pain, tingling in the extremities, loss of balance, difficulty walking and loss of bladder or bowel control.
Spinal Fusion
Any of these degenerative conditions may require surgery. Laminectomy and foraminotomy allow the surgeon access to remove abnormal bone growth. This opens up space in the spinal canal. In order to stabilize the vertebrae surrounding a damaged disc or joint, spinal fusion surgery can be performed to strengthen the area. This places a bone graft and hardware in the segment of spine to encourage two vertebrae to fuse.
Disc Replacement
Replacing a damaged disc may eliminate the need to fuse vertebrae. An artificial disc approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September 2007 is now being used in cervical surgery with good results. Whereas fusion may relieve pain but decrease mobility, disc replacement preserves a patient's range of motion in the neck. It is recommended for people with just one disc, not multiple discs, involved. This type of minimally invasive surgery can decrease pain while it increases cervical strength and mobility.
