The treatment of cervical disk degeneration is based on a clear understanding of the natural course of acute inflammatory processes.
Acute inflammation is the final common pathway through which pain is mediated.
Given adequate time, the majority of these problems resolve spontaneously. Nonoperative treatment should consist of modalities that facilitate the resolution of inflammation and tend to reduce the probability of recurrence. We present a strategy for the conservative management of symptomatic cervical disk degeneration. Whereas, in past years, imaging such as myelography carried such risk that it was done only preoperatively, the advent of newer technologies has lowered the threshold for ordering diagnostic studies. Excessive press coverage and fear of litigation also have led to premature and excessive testing.