Spine Surgery Guidelines and Options
Spine surgery is the last option for treating back pains but there are some emergencies that will need immediate surgical procedure. In most cases, spine surgery is considered if therapy does not help alleviate the pain.
Follow the guidelines below before considering spine surgery:
• Find a physician - Look for an orthopedist you are confident with and then work with that doctor for several months before undergoing spine surgery. There are a lot of patients who are not able to complete their evaluation because of jumping from one doctor to another.
• Understand back pain - Back pain is not an easy fix. Most of the time physical therapy and exercise help alleviate the pain. If you are not willing to perform exercises then the results will not be satisfactory.
• Be patient - There are several treatments that you can try for back pain other than spine surgery so do not rush yourself into any surgical procedure. Most doctors advice patients to undergo conventional treatments first for at least 4 to 6 months before undergoing a spinal surgery.
Below are the different options for spine surgery:
• Discectomy - This surgical procedure involves the removal of a disc portion in the vertebra to relive nerve pressure. A herniated disc is the main cause of spine surgery. This spine surgery removes the herniated disc to relieve the nerves from too much pressure.
• Foramenotomy - This procedure is also done to relieve nerve pressure wherein, the nerve is pinched. Foramenotomy also removes bones and tissues that are constricting the nerves as they pass through the spinal column.
• Laminectomy - This spine surgery procedure is perform to release spinal cord pressure. This procedure is usually done for treating spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis. A spinal fusion may also be performed after laminectomy to prevent spinal instability.
• Spine Fusion - Spine fusion is a surgical procedure for eliminating movements between adjacent vertebras. This spine surgery is also performed to treat an unstable spine better known as spondylolisthesis or to some magnitude a previous surgery like laminectomy.
• Spinal Disc Replacement - This procedure is the latest in spine surgery and is still very uncommon. Spine disc replacement is performed to treat different types of back pain while preventing problems linked to spine fusion surgery like spinal instability.
Even if the patient is suffering from severe back pain, it is best to try different conventional treatments before considering spine surgery. Only when non-operative measures fail to treat the symptoms of spinal disorder should spine surgery become a treatment option.
