Which one is better? My myolegram showed without a doubt the disc is pinching the nerves so i am going to get surgery i just dont know which one. Which one would you do? I am leaning toward disc replacement because of range of motion.

This might help:

https://www.spine-health.com/treatment/artificial-disc-replacement/artificial-disc-vs-anterior-cervical-discectomy-and-fusion

I think personally I'd go for replacement. But it's your decision to make...make it after talking with a number of medical professionals, ok?

I talked to one so far and it sounded like both options were good but i think i want the disc replacement also but it would be a longer wait for me which might make things difficult.

I would ask a lot of questions about how long the procedure solves the problem. I know some knee and hip replacements have (for lack of a better term) a "shelf life".

The younger you are the more likely the need for a redo at some point if there is a "shelf life". However as Hie said talk to more than one surgeon before making any decision.

Either surgery will be an improvement over the pain you seem to be experiencing. Then I want a full report since I think this may be in my future at some point.

Well i talked to a surgeon this morning about it. He said disc replacements only been around for about four to five years so they dont know much about them long-term but they can easily be fixed with a fusion down the road he said. But they do know more about fusions. They both require metal. But range of motion will be better with disc replacement. But with my range of motion being bad now both options will improve my range. I could probably get the fusion done sooner also and this colder weather is killing me. The disc replacement will be a longer wait but it may be worth the wait.

Over the years, I have talked to many other people who have had various body parts replaced. We all had a common regret: No having done it sooner. I had both done at the same time. The doctor said that I would curse his name on a daily basis for the first two weeks or so, and then be grateful that it was over. He was right on both counts.

It is a minor nuisance when you have to go through metal detectors. I always tell the monitors ahead of time that both of my knees are artificial, and they they will set the sensors off.

When I was in Europe, I made a point of learning how to say, "My knees are artificial," in the local languages, while pointing to them. No big deal. A quick "wanding" would confirm what I said, and I never had a problem.

Badass, I hope that your experience is like mine: once the post-op pain is over, you will marvel that the pain you have been living with is GONE. Sorry I don't know anything about disc surgery.

You've just reminded me that experience is in my future. I haven't gotten on an airplane since my leg and ankle surgery.

I am going to be robocop after all my surgeries.

I'd like to help you if I could, but I'm sure you know more about it than I do.

Well i know you would help, but you have helped me greatly in other areas of life. Especially with standing my ground.

Cheryl Wrote:
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> I'd like to help you if I could, but I'm sure you know more about it than I do.

Me too, but I'm just 23 and I don't know anything about this.

You are pretty smart for a 23 year old having read your posts. I wish i was as smart as you at 23. I have had to learn a lot of things the hard way thats for sure and i am still learning.

Hydrogel?
I'm sorry. I should stop prying into your pain issues. But fusion if the bones are broken and disc replacement / gel if you have disc issues.

My doctors are OPAortho. People come from Idaho to see Falicov. I'm getting into giving myself up but you know there is a court system where you can look up your Dr to see if he's been sued for malpractice. Falicov has never been sued. You need a second opinion from another Dr, not us.

I have already had two opinions i want to know from a patient that actually had either one done or maybe both.

I’m pulling for you Badass! I’m sorry you’re having to go through this, but it sounds like you’re getting good medical advice. Hugs, Man!!

This surgery makes me nervous because its the neck but i have to do it boner.

You need expert medical opinions about functionality
First

Why? Some folks receiving spinal surgery experience pain as well after their surgeries too. An old acquaintance got a neck vertebrae fusion --
For functionality, because/when untreated it caused arm and hand numbness and tingling; the functionality concern was like arm paralysis he said: "I want to be able to move my arm"

However after the surgery he was often wrinkling his brow raising an arm to massage his back and brush his neck. When I asked him he said it often hurts. When I pursued that since We'd known each other years and years he said the only other choice was worse "I want to be able to throw a ball with my kids" and he progressed professionally to climb to the top in his field despite all that.

He had no Mormon inner conflicts or social ostracism he was in a community where his morality and behavioral stance was applauded / so he may have experience less social change than one awakened to their religious freedom or de-idealization of childhood beliefs which didn't make sense. He had none of that he just fixed his neck to play catch; he attributed his neck vertebrae concern to a former glory (athletic past ) so patting his neck stroking it he believed in himself.

Can you come up with a victor narrative a heroes take of your victories (over past religion) (maybe over a car collision)

Be well

I dont know i just want to be able to turn my head without pain or lay on a pillow without pain. Had a lot of pain in my arms the other day and it kind of scared me so i have to take care of this.

You didn't say if it was cervical or lumbar. If the disc is intact, and it's just a "simple" herniation, there is no need for a disc replacement at all. Even if you have the herniation AND all the pulp removed, you still have the disc--about 80% of it. After some 30 days of light convalescence, you'll be good to go. For years, probably. You should NEVER have a disc fusion in the lumbar region, and a disc replacement will have a longer recovery and poses more complications because there's more to go wrong.

Its cervical, more people are saying to do the disc replacement so i might go with that considering it can be fixed with a fusion down the road if it fails. I dont know how much a fusion will hinder my neck movement like turning my head to the left or the right.

What direction did you end up going? I've been experiencing back pain for a while but things have been getting a bit better with some behavioral changes. Learned a lot from https://www.startstanding.org/sitting-back-pain/ but I'm still weighing my options.

Uh, Adam's not here, man.

Glad you got that!