We aim to assess the postoperative recovery and efficacy of percutaneous coblation nucleoplasty (PCN) and anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) for the treatment of cervical disc herniation. A retrospective study was conducted. Fifty-two patients in two hospitals who underwent PCN or ACDF were divided into two groups: PCN group (group D, n = 24) and ACDF group (group S, n = 28). The degree of disc herniation, postoperative hospital stay, changes of Numerical Rating Score (NRS) scores and Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores, hospitalization expense and operation time were observed and analyzed at the point of before surgery and 1 day, 30 days and 90 days after surgery. There is no significant difference between the two groups about the cervical disc herniation degree, average NRS scores and average JOA scores. Group D has less postoperative hospital stay, hospitalization expense and operation time (P < 0.05). Significant changes of NRS scores and JOA scores over time were seen (P < 0.0001). The male patients have higher average NRS scores than female patients on the 30th day after PCN. In group S, the male and female patients have similar average NRS scores 1 day after surgery, but on the 30th and 90th days after surgery, the male patients have higher average NRS scores than the female patients. Thus, both PCN and ACDF can treat cervical disc herniation effectively, but PCN can provide milder physical injury and earlier recovery than ACDF.