For a very long time, spinal fusion was done with bone graft material. The donor bone came from a donor bank or from the patient's own hip. This is still a common surgical approach -- especially when only one segment is being fused. No metal or hardware called instrumentation was used.

Whiplash, which occurs if your head is jerked violently from front to back, can and does cause pain in the neck area. However, it's not just the muscles and soft tissues that are hurt, the nerves can be affected too from the violent shake. If there is pressure on the nerves, this can cause numbness or other nerve-related symptoms.

Andy Chien, BPhty (Hons), et al. Hypoesthesia Occurs in Acute Whiplash Irrespective of Pain and Disability Levels and the Presence of Sensory Hypersensitivity.

Whiplash, caused by a sudden jerking movement of the head forward and then backward, is usually the result of being hit from behind, as in a motor vehicle accident. There are other ways that whiplash can occur, such as on an amusement park ride or falling from a significant height.

As researchers learn more about whiplash and whiplash-associated disorders, they have learned about a group of patients who, after sustaining whiplash, end up with chronic whiplash-associated disorders, including hypersensitivity (being too sensitive) and hypoesthesia (a dulled sensitivity to touch).

When it comes to fusion of the cervical spine (neck), there are now many ways to surgically fuse one or more segments. Surgeons are interested in knowing which method provides stability without significant changes in biomechanics.

Neck pain can be caused by many different causes from the known to the unknown. Most people have experienced a "crick in the neck," a sharp pain on one side of the neck that makes it difficult to turn their head. This can be caused by sleeping in the wrong position or perhaps turning your head too fast and pulling on something in the neck. Many types of neck pain are considered to be non-specific neck pain, where there is no clear diagnosis.

Neck pain is a common complaint and can be quite severe. In many cases, it's easy to see what has caused the injury, but there are also many cases where the cause is never found. These are called non-specific neck pain. The doctors aren't saying that the pain isn't there, just that they can't find a cause.

Along with back pain, neck pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders in humans. It's estimated that in one year, between almost 6 percent and 22 percent of people experience some sort of neck pain. While there are many specific causes of neck pain (injury, tumor, arthritis, for example), there are also many times that there is no obvious reason for the pain. This is called non-specific neck pain.

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is a neurologic problem that can cause pain, weakness, changes in bowel and bladder function, and difficulty walking or using the arms and hands. Cervical refers to the cervical spine or neck. Spondylotic means there is bone involvement. In the case of CSM, the vertebral bones with the opening for the spinal cord are the center of attention. Myelopathy tells us the spinal cord is affected.

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CMS) affects the neck and can cause disabling pain and loss of function. Cervical refers to the cervical spine or neck. Spondylotic means the vertebral bones are involved. In the case of CSM, the opening of the vertebral bones that form the spinal canal (where the spinal cord goes) is too narrow. Myelopathy tells us the spinal cord is pinched or compressed by the narrowing of the canal.