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Physiotherapy for Neck Surgery
Neck surgery is a surgical procedure which occurs at the cervical spine. This surgery is usually done by an orthopaedic consultant with his team of experienced staff. This surgery is usually done under a general anesthetic if the patient’s health would not be at great risk. Neck surgery is usually an elective procedure by the patient as the conservative treatments have not helped. Some of the common neck surgical procedures are:
- Discectomy
- Spinal fusion
- Stabilisation of vertebrae (fracture, osteoporosis)
- Foramenotomy (releasing compressed nerves)
- Laminectomy
Neck surgery is a common procedure but can leave the patient with temporary symptoms which can affect the rehabilitation process if they are not treated by a clinician such as a physiotherapist. Some of the symptoms which can occur post neck surgery can include:
- Swelling
- Decreased range of movement (if fused the swelling will add to the restriction in movement at other levels)
- Pain
- Decrease strength
- Decreased confidence
The physiotherapist will assess the patient and provided treatments which can help with the above symptoms and restore the patient’s confidence in their neck. The treatments will be used as a combination of treatments throughout the rehabilitation process as the physiotherapist sees appropriate. Some of the common treatments for the rehabilitation post neck surgery are:
- Exercises (range of movement, strengthening and stretching)
- Electrotherapy
- Acupuncture
- Mobilisations
- Ice and heat therapy
- Massage
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