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Our multispecialty team at Coastal Spine delivers advanced surgical and nonsurgical spine treatment to New Jersey residents from five convenient locations. We’re here to help relieve pain, restore mobility, and improve overall quality of life by solving chronic spine conditions.
Here’s why your specialist may recommend cervical discectomy and how to ensure a successful recovery following surgery.
Understanding cervical discectomy
Neck pain and symptoms like tingling, numbness, and muscle atrophy (weakness) in the arms are often due to bulging discs compressing spinal nerves. When these symptoms don’t respond to conservative therapies, your Coastal Spine specialist may recommend cervical discectomy.
This minimally invasive surgical procedure involves removing a damaged or herniated disc from the cervical spine (neck region), relieving pressure on the nerve roots, and reducing or eliminating pain and other symptoms.
A spacer inserted during the procedure, held in place with a bone graft and tiny bio-friendly screws, maintains spinal stability and ensures long-lasting results.
Recovering from cervical discectomy
Your Coastal Spine surgeon explains the surgery and postoperative expectations before scheduling the procedure.
Individual results can vary depending on your overall health and presurgical course. Generally, however, cervical discectomy recovery includes several phases:
Immediately after surgery
Cervical discectomy is often an outpatient procedure, meaning you return home the same day after several hours of postsurgical monitoring.
Follow instructions carefully once you arrive home, including rest and limited activity until the general anesthesia used during surgery wears off (usually 24 hours).
Sometimes, your surgeon recommends a brief hospital stay after a discectomy. In this case, you’ll likely sleep through most of the visit. But expect frequent awakenings to check your vital signs and pain levels and ensure you’re getting up to move around.
We typically encourage light activities like walking but recommend you avoid heavy lifting, bending, or twisting during the first few weeks.
Incision site care is crucial. Keep the site clean and bandaged as your surgeon directs, and monitor carefully for redness, warmth, drainage, and other signs of infection.
Recovery and rehabilitation
After the initial healing phase, our goal switches to long-term recovery and rehab. Once your surgeon approves it, formal physical therapy to strengthen muscles, improve flexibility, and ensure proper healing is crucial at this stage.
Your therapist also develops home routines that build upon your gains during scheduled visits. Following directions is essential. Skipping exercise sessions or doing more than prescribed to speed recovery can stall your progress.
Your treatment plan, designed to help you regain mobility and develop spine-friendly habits, may include appropriate posture and ergonomics guidance.
Continue prescribed medications, wound care, and activity restrictions as instructed, and keep follow-up appointments to monitor your progress.
You may also benefit from a diet that supports healing, including lean proteins, whole grains, leafy greens, vitamins, and minerals. Foods high in calcium and vitamin D benefit bone health, while proper hydration aids recovery and helps maintain disc health in the rest of your spine.
Returning to normal life
Recovery times vary, but most patients return to work 4–6 weeks after cervical discectomy. More physically demanding jobs may require additional recovery time.
Your surgeon may also restrict contact sports, horseback riding, climbing, and other potentially spine-jarring activities for several months. However, gradually reintroducing exercise, hobbies, and daily activities that support spine health ensures long-term success.
For more information about cervical discectomy or other services we offer, schedule a visit at Coastal Spine today. Call the office near you or request an appointment online.