Eichel's injury is not easy, I had this surgery

[Buffalo Rick]

I had a herniated disc in my neck, C6/C7 is the usual place, in the cervical spine.  They did an anterior surgery on me, in my late 30s, and its no picnic.  They go through the front of your neck.  Likely will do a bone fusion if necessary, no way a plate or anything like that.   He is younger so he should be able to get through it. The sooner the better if he needs the surgery.  They will likely try a technique called traction first.  Kind of like pulling your head out of your body.  Using a water weighed bag sometimes.  If it does no good within a week or so, I would say surgery.  But I  have no idea how bad and of course a neurosurgeon will know after an MRI or Myelogram.