Neck Pain

If you need to see a neurosurgeon, your symptoms are usually more than just a stiff neck:

• Localized Neck Pain: A general stiff neck or a dull ache that gets worse when you move a certain way.
• Radiating Pain (Radiculopathy): A sharp, electrical, or burning pain that shoots down one or both arms, often following a specific path.
• Numbness or Tingling: The classic “pins and needles” feeling or an arm, hand, or finger that feels like it’s “asleep.”
• Weakness: Finding it hard to grip things, a noticeable lack of strength in your arm, or suddenly losing coordination.
• Headaches: Neck pain and headaches often go hand-in-hand.
• Loss of Balance or Coordination (Vertigo or Dizziness): This is a red flag and can signal more advanced spinal cord compression.

Neurosurgical neck pain is usually the result of wear-and-tear (degenerative changes) or trauma:

• Degenerative Disc Disease: As we age, the discs between the bones lose moisture and height. This natural process can cause pain and eventually lead to a herniation.
• Cervical Disc Herniation: The inner gel-like part of the disc pushes out, putting direct pressure on a nerve root.
• Cervical Stenosis: A fancy term for the spinal canal narrowing down, often caused by bone spurs or thickened ligaments.
• Arthritis: Osteoarthritis can cause bone spurs that pinch the nerves.
• Spinal Trauma: Injuries from accidents or falls can cause fractures, dislocations, or major disc damage.

An accurate diagnosis is the most critical step to planning the right treatment. Dr. Jaydev Panchwagh follows a thorough approach:

• Detailed Medical History and Physical Examination: He’ll review your symptoms in depth and test your muscle strength, reflexes, and sensation in your arms and hands.
• Imaging Tests:
  • MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) of the Cervical Spine: This is the gold standard. It gives incredibly detailed pictures of the spinal cord, nerves, and discs, clearly showing any compression.
  • X-rays: Used to check the alignment of your spine and look for instability.
  • CT (Computed Tomography) Scan: Excellent for seeing the bony structures and identifying any bone spurs.

The treatment plan depends entirely on what’s causing your pain. Dr. Jaydev always starts with conservative, non-surgical options whenever possible before considering surgery.

Conservative Management:

• Physical Therapy: Specialized exercises to build stronger neck muscles and correct poor posture.
• Medication: Standard over-the-counter or prescription anti-inflammatory drugs and medications specifically for nerve pain.
• Injections: Cervical epidural steroid injections can be a great way to temporarily reduce inflammation and ease the pain.

Surgical Intervention:

When is Surgery Considered? Surgery is the next step only when conservative treatments have failed, the pain is relentless and severe, and imaging tests show a clear, fixable problem like a herniated disc, cervical canal stenosis, or a similar condition.

Types of Surgery: Dr. Jaydev Panchwagh is highly skilled in a wide variety of cervical spine procedures, including:

• Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF): The most common procedure for a herniated disc. The surgeon removes the bad disc and uses a bone graft to fuse (join) the two vertebrae above and below it.
• Laminectomy: Removing a piece of bone (the lamina) to create more space and decompress the spinal cord.
• Foraminotomy: Enlarging the small opening where the nerve exits to relieve the pressure on it.
• Spinal Tumor Removal: Whether it’s an intramedullary spinal tumor (inside the cord), Intradural extramedullary (IDEM), or an extradural tumor, Dr. Jaydev Panchwagh is adept at handling them all.