The major difference is that in in the neck, the spinal cord is at risk of being compressed. Spinal cord compression can cause arm pain, numbness, weakness or loss of fine motor function with difficulty turning pages of a book, sewing, putting on jewelry, or buttoning shirts. This condition is called myelopathy, and it may worsen, perhaps irreversibly, over time. Treatment is to first establish the correct diagnosis. Non-surgical treatment may include observation, injections or physical therapy.
Surgical treatment includes removing the compressive abnormality.
This may be done from the front or the back of the spine. Anterior cervical discectomy is performed by making a small incision in the front of the spine, pulling the voicebox to the side, identifying the spine and the ruptured disc, and removing the disc. This is usually followed by a fusion across the vertebral bodies using bone or cages as described for the lumbar spine above. This can be performed with endoscopic assistance. The back part of the spine can be approached through a small incision and a small amount of bone is removed providing access to the spinal cord and nerve roots.