Cervical Spine
The cervical spine, comprised of seven vertebrae in the neck region, is crucial for supporting the head and enabling movement. Despite its flexibility, it’s prone to injury and degenerative issues. Disorders in this area can cause neck pain and neurological symptoms. Understanding cervical spine anatomy is vital for effective diagnosis and management.
Subscribe to the BlogC1–C2 Screw Fixation: Getting Screwed
These past few years, I have seen an explosion in the number of patients diagnosed with upper cervical instability who are getting C1–C2 screw fixation. This is a surgery that’s a one-way street, like so many, where once you pull the trigger and get the procedure, there’s no going back. Let me explain. What Is…read more
RIP Cervical Disc Replacement: Side Effects Same as Fusion
I’ll never forget when a local surgeon, who was being paid handsomely by disc replacement manufacturers, placed his new credo “friends don’t let friends fuse” on his website. The idea was that now that we had disc replacement technology, keeping some motion in the spine would reduce the side effects compared to fusion. For the…read more Pain After Neck Fusion: Adjacent Segment Disease
This past week, I have have seen several patients with neck fusions. All of whom had pain caused by the fusion. For some, the fusion had helped one problem and caused another. For others, the fusion didn’t help and just made things worse. So what’s going on? An Overview of the Spinal Column To understand…read more Reports of the Death of the C1–C2 Facet Injection Have Been Greatly Exaggerated
In 1897, Mark Twain was on a speaking tour in London when an American newspaper started a rumor that he was gravely ill. This was soon followed by an obituary. When asked by an American reporter in London about his death, Twain quipped, “The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” I feel the same…read more Cervical Disc Replacement Complications: Metal Ions
We ended the 20th century with the idea that we could cut out parts of a person, like a joint or a disc, and insert metal and achieve great things. Then reality got in the way, in that studies began to show that these metal or plastic or ceramic parts wear down and those particles…read more Fix the Neck Curve: Surgery Is Not the Answer
The neck curve is the red-headed stepchild of spine care. Thankfully, spine surgeons, after ignoring this issue for many years, are just starting to realize its importance. Regrettably, the surgeries they’re performing to fix the neck curve are for the most part unnecessary and causing more harm than good, but, heck, you can’t have everything. Let’s…read more Alar Ligament Treatment for CCJ Instability
Due to our high level of expertise in the field, for many years, our practice has collected a group of patients with upper cervical (CCJ) instability. This awful problem has been very difficult to treat, but the patients have been generally happy that any physician knows what’s wrong with them and is willing to do…read more What Causes Straightening of the Cervical Lordosis?
On this page: What is straightening of the cervical lordosis? Why is it a problem? How does it happen? Recent research Treatment options The fact that the neck has a normal curve is an important and often overlooked issue. In many patients with neck pain, this curve goes away, leading to biomechanical problems that can…read more 
