Due to the prevalence and severity of back pain and spinal problems, there have been numerous surgical procedures invented over the years to help alleviate pain and get people feeling like their old selves again. If you’ve been suffering with the debilitating pain spinal problems can cause, and conservative (nonsurgical) treatments have failed to provide relief, it might be time for you to think about some of these options. Of course, you should discuss your particular condition with your doctor, but for the moment, you can learn about the benefits and risks associated with some of the major types of spine surgery.

Spinal fusion is one surgical solution to back pain, and it consists of joining vertebrae together in order to limit the motion of the spine. While this change may sound restrictive, it usually doesn’t significantly change the patient’s range of motion. Plus, with the spine left in a more stable position, persistent back pain is often relieved. As with any surgery, there are inherent risks in having spinal fusion performed. Aside from some of the more common issues, this procedure can also lead to a unique complication – incomplete vertebral fusion. Should this problem arise, it will likely require more surgery to repair. Keep in mind that smoking is linked to poor health, which can increase the risk that the surgery won’t be successful the first time around.

If your pain is caused by excess pressure on the spinal nerve roots in the spinal column – the nerves that branch off the spinal cord – your doctor might recommend a foraminotomy. This minimally invasive procedure consists of a surgeon making an incision in a patient’s neck, gently pushing aside muscles, instead of dissecting them, to reveal the spine, and then removing some of the bone that forms the foramina on the sides of each vertebra. These foramina are small holes through which nerve roots pass through the spine, and when blocked by a bone spur, herniated intervertebral disc, or another anatomical abnormality, they can sometimes cause nerve root compression and pain, numbness, weakness, and tingling in the upper or lower extremities. By widening these holes, a surgeon can help relieve a patient’s symptoms. A similar operation to the foraminotomy is the laminectomy, which is also designed to relieve a patient’s nerve pain, although by removing a portion of bone from a different area of a vertebra to relieve spinal cord compression.

Perhaps your bones aren’t causing the pain in your back. If that’s the case, you may soon find yourself signing up for a discectomy. This procedure is designed to remove some of a bulging or herniated disc that is pushing against the spinal cord or a nerve root. In some cases, the surgeon will replace a damaged disc with a new, artificial one to help cushion the spine once more. With the artificial discs, the spinal column will not experience the loss in motion it might see with other methods, but it does come with its own risks. For example, there is a small chance the disc could slip after the surgery.

In addition to the risks already discussed here, there is a much larger concern for any patient in agony – what if the surgery doesn’t help enough? Although a surgeon can help you decide which option is your best bet, there’s no guarantee that you’ll experience relief. In fact, you may require subsequent surgeries to achieve the desired result. Not only can this prove expensive, but it could take you an extremely long time to completely recover from your operations.

If you’re considering your spinal surgery options, you can find more information online, but it’s always best to discuss such major decisions with your doctor and surgeon. They’ll be able to tell whether your issues warrant surgery and which type could provide you with the most relief.

Taylor Thomas is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications. As a lifestyle expert, Mr. Thomas is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to health care.

Taylor Thomas is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications. As a lifestyle expert, Mr. Thomas is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to health care. http://laserspine.net/

Author Bio: Taylor Thomas is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications. As a lifestyle expert, Mr. Thomas is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to health care.

Category: Medicines and Remedies
Keywords: spine surgery, spinal surgery, back surgery, back surgeries