Hello,

I'm trying to decide on whether I should get ACDF surgery. The MRI showed two herniated disks and a bone spur C4-5 and C5-6. It started with slight pain in my left Trap and then moved to numbness down into my thumb and Index.

A couple of months ago I was having pain and numbness around a 7 -9 on pain scale. Started with Orthopedic and then onto Neurosurgeon. Neither suggested doing any conservative treatments, just go right to surgery. I never have had any weakness or dexterity problems since it started, just pain and numbness.

But now after buying some time around 2 months, my pain and numbness is down anywhere from a 1 - 3.5 on pain scale depending on what I'm doing. When doing stretching, resistance bands and limited dumbbell exercises that's usually when the pain creeps up. I'm able to control it with just Advil and Tylenol.

The one thing is before when I had pain it would last all day, now after exercising the pain will subside back down in about 15 minutes of rest.

My main problem with having the surgery is Adjacent Level Disease. I don't think it's a question of If, but when since the disks above and below are in fair to poor condition. I don't want to end up on a continuous schedule of fusions till I run out of segments.

Any help, comments, real stories would be greatly appreciated. I'm about one month from scheduled surgery just in case.