Updated: 5:36 PM EST Jan 18, 2021 Cervical disc replacement surgery replaces a worn-out disc in the neck that can cause pain both in the neck as well as nerve pain going down the arm.Mercy Medical Center s Dr. Charles Edwards II said people who have arm pain that is not getting better with physical therapy and medication are good candidates for disc replacement. In the past, a fusion surgery was used to treat people with disc problems in their neck, Edwards said. The fusion surgery works well; however, it takes away some of your natural flexibility. The advantage of the disc replacement is that it maintains your neck flexibility so you can continue to enjoy a full range of motion. Edwards said, in the field of spine surgery, disc replacement represents the greatest advance they ve had in the last 10 years.