There are plenty of treatment options, some even promising to “cure” or offer permanent relief if you have back pain especially for people with chronic pain (pain lasting for three months or longer). There is no shortage of ways to approach back pain management from gadgets on the Internet, activities or exercises suggested by well-meaning friends and loved ones, and indeed even the treatments recommended by providers of health care.
In those cases where no traumatic spine injuries have occurred (surgical consideration is evaluated differently for some of these types of injuries), the back operation will usually be taken into account when a combined effort has not been made to offer adequate pain relief. Conservative therapy options may include, to name but a few, physical treatment, injection of epidural steroids, and chiropractic therapy. Whether a spinal surgery should be taken into consideration for persistent (chronic) pain is only determined by a spine specialist.
Do You Need a Back Surgery?
Back surgery can be a choice if your pain is persistent and invalid and conservative treatments have not worked. The back operation often relieves pain or engorgement associated with one or both arms or legs more predictably.
These symptoms are often caused by your backbone’s compressed nerves. For a number of reasons, nerves can be compressed, including:
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Disc Problems – Ruptured (hereditary) discs or rubber-like cushions that separate the backbone can sometimes push the spinal nerve too tightly and affect its function.
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Bone Overgrowth – Osteoarthritis can lead to a backbone spur. This excess bone most often has an effect on the hinge joints of the back part of the spinal column and can reduce nerve space for opening up the spinal column.
Even when your X-rays show you have disc problems and spells, it may be very difficult for you to identify the exact cause of your back pain. For other reasons, x-rays often reveal bulging or burning discs that do not cause symptoms and do not require treatment.
Types of Back Operation
Various back surgery types include:
Diskectomy
This means that the herniated portion of the disc is removed to relieve nerve irritation and inflammation. Diskectomy typically involves removing a vertebra (lamina) from the back part of a ruptured disk, either in full or partial measure.
Laminectomy
This method consists of removing the bone that is over the spinal canal. It extends the spinal canal and relieves the pressure on the nerve caused by the backbone.
Fusion
Spinal fusion connects two or more backbones permanently. It can alleviate pain by providing a spinal fracture with stability. It is occasionally used to remove painful movement from a degenerated or injured disc between vertebras.
Artificial Discs
Implanted artificial discs are an alternative treatment for spinal fusion, because of the degenerated or injured disc, for painful movement between two vertebras. But most people do not have these relatively new devices.
Consider All Possibilities
Consider a second opinion from a qualified spine specialist before you agree to back up the operation. The surgeons may differ on when to operate, what kind of surgery to perform, and if surgery is warranted for certain spinal conditions. Back and leg pain can be a complex issue for diagnosis and treatment by a team of medical professionals. Reach Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management for spine surgery and to explore all the possibilities to correct your problem.
**Disclaimer: This content should not be considered medical advice and does not imply a doctor-patient relationship.
