A new study published in the August 2009 issue of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS) finds that two years after anterior cervical neck operations, patients who have arthroplasty (disc replacement) or arthodesis (spine fusion) can be expected to have significant improvement in their headache symptoms.
“This is not a “cure” for all headaches. But, if you have headaches associated with neck pain and dysfunction, surgery for the neck problem can significantly improve the related headaches. And, anytime overall quality of life can be improved with surgical treatment, that is something to note.” said study lead author, Joseph Riina, MD, of Orthopaedics Indianapolis.
The purpose of this study was to determine:
•the prevalence of headaches in patients with cervical radiculopathy (shooting pain in the arm) or myelopathy (spinal cord dysfunction); and
•the effectiveness of anterior cervical surgery (neck surgery from the front) in relieving headache symptoms associated with the cervical disease.
