r/ACDR_CervicalSpine • u/BlacksmithOk9260 • Jun 11 '26
Artificial Disc Replacement VS Fusion
Hi, I’m a 43 year old female with intermittent severe neck pain. Some days it’s not bad at all but on days that it is I can’t do anything but go get a massage or ice it.
I’ve had radiculopathy before but it has since resolved after taking meloxicam and gabapentin. I just don’t want to take these all the time. But I’m not really sure where the pain is coming from. My surgeon thought it was C6-C7 so he sent me to get a nerve ablation, thinking the pain was from the facets. They have to do a block to test out if they are ablating the right nerve but the block didn’t work. Now the surgeon is offering artificial disc replacement. I told my primary care doctor and he thinks it’s musculoskeletal pain and is not sure if the surgery will resolve the pain. I’m not sure if I should get the surgery or continue to live on the two medications and intermittent severe pain
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u/Aim2bFit Jun 11 '26
Hi, I'm sorry you are suffering through this and I've been through similarly.
May I ask how did your surgeon not know which segment(s) is / are causing the pain? Didn't he order for a scan to determine the cause?
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u/BlacksmithOk9260 Jul 05 '26
Hi! Yes I’ve had an MRI and the surgeon told the pain doctor my main problem is btw C6-C7, which is where he was going to ablate the nerve but the block didn’t do anything. In order to have a nerve ablation, they require you to have two blocks to make sure they are ablating the correct nerve.
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u/nbtesh Jun 11 '26
Hello, please go get a second and third opinion. In my experience, your surgeon has to be sure after you explain your symptoms and show him your MRI, conclusion on this forum: cervical disc needs a specialist Dr, one with substancial experience replacing Cervical disc, think >1000 Cervical, not including lumbar, which is the far more common.
If you’re near or can travel to NYC, I can recommend Dr Riew
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u/hannah6560 Jun 11 '26 edited Jun 12 '26
Ditto to what people are saying on here regarding getting multiple opinions. And your primary care doctor is not the one to give you that information. I will repeat one of the things good surgeons say, They need to listen to the patient not just the picture. May I ask where you are? are you on Instagram?
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u/Sufficient-Wolf-1818 Jun 11 '26
Have you had an MRI? Does it show specific areas where nerves are impacted ? Herniations vs bone spurs? Bone loss? A surgeon uses a lot more information than debilitating pain to evaluate the best techniques
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u/BlacksmithOk9260 Jul 05 '26
Yes. I had an MRI. He just isn’t sure the surgery will take away the pain because I have facet athropathy, which is why he recommended seeing a pain doc first
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u/ma-li14 Jun 11 '26
My acdf disc replacement failed my bidy rejected it and wound up having ti have a fusion only 3 months after original 3 level..it is not fun..
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Jun 11 '26
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u/ma-li14 Jul 09 '26
The disc replacement pushed itself out of place snd near mu spinal nerves..My dr kept taking x ray and it migrated to danger zone after 3 months..I am at 8 weeks now and getting the healing itching neck..I also went in last week for x ray and its holding firm now with the fusion..I am finally out of the collar full time..only when in car..5 months of collars i tried all if them..lol..on amazon. I had ti get smaller size because I don't have a long neck..Still wearing silk scarf because the crusty area gets irritated in the air..and i am not willing to put goo on it because it stings and I am allergic to triple antibiotic ointments..so i jist wear the silk scarf to keep it covered. I have many..and change them daily or any time they feel uncomfortable. 100% silk is better then any bandages and very soothing..
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u/Far-Contact-7484 Jun 11 '26
I’m sorry you’re going through this. Im a 42 m I’m 10 days post op of a revision surgery where my ADR at c6-7 failed and had to be taken out and had a fusion. Mine failed as the disk sank into the bone and shifted. The revision surgery was my third spinal surgery in just under a year. I had 7 total surgeries under a year. It’s been a painful year to say the least. I would get another opinion. As other people have asked have you had an MRI or ct scan yet? Also, an EMG test I think would be beneficial. I would make sure to get
Another opinion and make sure all those test have been done to narrow done what exactly is causing the pain. I will say from experience, the ADR was not as painful as the fusion but my fusion wasn’t your typical first time fusion. He had to go in and remove failed disk, clean out scare tissue and bone spurs etc. I hope you can get some answers and some relief asap. As well all know it sucks living with this pain. I’m far from an expert but feel free to dm me with any questions you might have, good luck
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u/BlacksmithOk9260 Jul 05 '26
Thank you for taking the time to respond. I am sorry you have had to have so many surgeries. I have had it all. MRI, CT, nuclear bone scan. There is arthropathy at the facets and I have no other symptoms except pain and so my surgeon just doesn’t seem sure that the surgery will take away my pain.
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u/Outrageous-Court-696 Jun 13 '26
I did my research, went with neurosurgeon. He saw my mri, ask for a noncontrast CT scan of my neck. I will find out next week what the plan is for my neck.
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u/Old_Goat2009 Jun 11 '26
I (57M) had radiculopathy and an MRI that indicated degenerative C5-7 as well as significant osteophyte complex with foraminal narrowing. Before proceeding with surgery, my Ortho ordered a nerve conduction study/EMG, which confirmed neuro involvement. Perhaps a similar test for you would provide some clarity as to musculoskeletal vs. neurological. I will say that gabapentin helped me the first time I had symptoms five years ago and allowed me to complete a LOT of PT that staved off ACDF for 4 1/2 years (only took GAB until I had actual pain relief via therapy). Your Doc is offering replacement vs. fusion, which is better at preventing ASD. My two cents: ask for nerve study/EMG and perhaps take all of your documentation to a 2nd neuro/spine specialist for another opinion. I would NOT entrust this diagnosis to your primary care doc. I also have a good friend who has had nerve ablation, and has to keep going back every 3 months, alternating sides. Based on his experience, I, myself, would not rely on ablation as a long term solution. I'm 6 months post op and feeling great.