Back pain occurring after heavy lifting or after blunt trauma to the spine is most likely the result of a displaced intervertebral disc. A displaced disc causes nerve impingement and may even exert pressure on the spinal cord. The resultant pain affects both the back and either the lower or the upper limbs. The solution to this problem is decompression. There are a number of methods of spinal decompression Conroe patients will be happy to know.
When you visit your doctor for a diagnosis, you will be asked to give a history and then you will be taken through a physical examination with a bias of the back and spine. Apart from a displaced disc, the symptoms may also be caused by bony growths or any disorders affecting the connective tissue structures within the spine. Radiographic images in the form of MRIs, CT scans and plain X-rays are some of the most important investigations here.
The options that are employed in decompressing the spine fall under two major categories. These are the conservative option (traction) and surgical intervention. There is a general recommendation that all patients who require decompression undergo traction first and should only consider surgery if this conservative approach fails to yield results. In this technique, a gentle but steady pulling force is applied onto the spine with the aim of restoring its natural shape.
The force on the spine results in increased intervertebral disc space and reduced pressure. If there is a disc that has slipped out of position, it falls back into this space. This effectively relieves the pressure that is exerted on either the nerve roots or the spinal cord. One session will typically last for a maximum of one hour. You will be allowed home on the same day and come back on subsequent sessions as an outpatient.
There are several contraindications of traction that exist. One of such situations is the presence of fracture to a major lower limb bone. Applying a pulling force on such limbs is likely to aggravate the fractures and should be avoided. A similar scenario may be experienced for limbs that have metallic implants within them. The other conditions for which traction is deemed inappropriate include advanced osteoporosis, pregnancy and pelvic tumors among others.
There are several types of surgeries that are performed in decompression operations. The type that is performed depends on the underlying cause. The surgeries are named depending on the part of the spine that is removed. They include, laminectomy, corpectomy, discectomy, foraminectomy and osteophyte removal among others. Discectomy, for instance, is the removal of the intervertebral disc while corpectomy involves removing the vertebral body (usually with the disc as well).
There are some complications which may be encountered when one undergoes these surgeries. The good news is that their incidence is fairly low. The immediate ones include bleeding from vessels within the spinal region, infections and injury to the nerve roots. In the long term, the main complication associated with spine operations is instability especially if large bony parts have been removed. Fusion may be needed in some cases.
Non-surgical management (traction) remains the main modality used in decompressing the spine. The surgical options should only come in when the other methods have failed. The doctor and the patient need to explore all the possibilities together before they arrive at the final decision.
When you visit your doctor for a diagnosis, you will be asked to give a history and then you will be taken through a physical examination with a bias of the back and spine. Apart from a displaced disc, the symptoms may also be caused by bony growths or any disorders affecting the connective tissue structures within the spine. Radiographic images in the form of MRIs, CT scans and plain X-rays are some of the most important investigations here.
The options that are employed in decompressing the spine fall under two major categories. These are the conservative option (traction) and surgical intervention. There is a general recommendation that all patients who require decompression undergo traction first and should only consider surgery if this conservative approach fails to yield results. In this technique, a gentle but steady pulling force is applied onto the spine with the aim of restoring its natural shape.
The force on the spine results in increased intervertebral disc space and reduced pressure. If there is a disc that has slipped out of position, it falls back into this space. This effectively relieves the pressure that is exerted on either the nerve roots or the spinal cord. One session will typically last for a maximum of one hour. You will be allowed home on the same day and come back on subsequent sessions as an outpatient.
There are several contraindications of traction that exist. One of such situations is the presence of fracture to a major lower limb bone. Applying a pulling force on such limbs is likely to aggravate the fractures and should be avoided. A similar scenario may be experienced for limbs that have metallic implants within them. The other conditions for which traction is deemed inappropriate include advanced osteoporosis, pregnancy and pelvic tumors among others.
There are several types of surgeries that are performed in decompression operations. The type that is performed depends on the underlying cause. The surgeries are named depending on the part of the spine that is removed. They include, laminectomy, corpectomy, discectomy, foraminectomy and osteophyte removal among others. Discectomy, for instance, is the removal of the intervertebral disc while corpectomy involves removing the vertebral body (usually with the disc as well).
There are some complications which may be encountered when one undergoes these surgeries. The good news is that their incidence is fairly low. The immediate ones include bleeding from vessels within the spinal region, infections and injury to the nerve roots. In the long term, the main complication associated with spine operations is instability especially if large bony parts have been removed. Fusion may be needed in some cases.
Non-surgical management (traction) remains the main modality used in decompressing the spine. The surgical options should only come in when the other methods have failed. The doctor and the patient need to explore all the possibilities together before they arrive at the final decision.
About the Author:
When there is a need for info on spinal decompression Conroe customers should visit our official website to get the full details. Take a look at this homepage at http://www.lordexspineinstituteofconroe.com right away!
Posts
Registration of your site
0 commentaires:
Post a Comment