Both operations take pressure off a pinched nerve in the neck. The difference is whether that level still needs to move.

Nicholas Clark, MD, is a fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeon specializing in minimally invasive spine surgery for patients with cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine disorders.

Seemingly simple, everyday tasks can cause or exacerbate back pain by placing undue stress on the spine and surrounding muscles.

Most Americans will experience back pain at some point — and many times it’s not a result of injury or illness.