Degenerative Disc Disease

I have Degenerative Disc Disease as well… Its all through my back from 15 yrs of ice hockey, but I only really developed major problems about 4 years ago with pain that started in my elbow…. well I dealt with it for 4 years and finally last Dec (2013) I decided it was time to have surgery. Dr Maroon in Pittsburgh (UPMC) look him up. Leading neurosurgeon, lead doctor for the Pittsburgh Steelers and WWE wrestling. His office looks like a celebrity office is posters etcs…Yet he still works on average smacks like me. GREAT EXPERIENCE!!!! He uses hi own approved device to fuse that is more like a 360 pivot hinge. I have lost zero = 0 rotation at the C5/C6 location where the devise is and the disc above it has actually stabilized and stated to decrease in size. I was only in the hospital for a night. I was up eating and walking around within 2 hrs of surgery. No neck collar, small scar on the front of the neck that at this point isn't noticeable…..

All in all… find a great neurosurgeon and go for it. I was skeptical for 4 years…if I would have know how smooth it was going to go I would have done it back then…

Worse part of the whole deal is muscle spasms post surgery, but if you get neck massages 2-3 a month for a couple of months they go away. Good Luck!