https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8811-1834
Abstract
Cervical disc prolapse can be accompanied by severe pain, numbness, paraesthesiae and muscle weakness. The choice lies between a conservative approach with physiotherapy and pain modulating drugs, such as gabapentin, or a more active surgical approach, ranging from nerve decompression through vertebral foraminotomy through to cervical disc replacement. We relate the experience of a medically qualified patient in having disc prolapse at three cervical levels and what it was like to experience a lonely and difficult post-surgical recovery. Despite this, the patient would still choose active surgical decompression over a non-interventional approach. The reasons for this are discussed from the patient perspective, of which there is little directly in the medical literature.
Statement of Human and Animal Rights
All procedures undertaken in this study were in accordance with local research ethics committee protocols and with the 1975 Declaration of Helsinki on Human Rights.
Ethical Approval
The local Research Ethics Committee did not require ethical approval for the authors to speak to the patient, provided prior written, informed consent was obtained.
Statement of Informed Consent
Written informed consent was obtained from the patient for their anonymized information to be published in this article. The patient approved the final draft of the manuscript.
Acknowledgments
We thank Professor Marsha Y. Morgan for reading the manuscript and making helpful comments on language, style and content. The authors are also grateful to Dr Mark McPhail for helpful advice and suggestions.
Disclosure
The authors report no conflicts of interest.