The spine is a very important part of our body, as it holds and protects the nerves and nerve roots for all our appendages. It is, therefore, extremely important that you take care of your spine, and if you have a problem, seek medical care.
The spine is made up of vertebrae cushioned by discs, which have a tough outer layer and a soft inner layer. The discs not only help to hold the vertebrae in place, they also act like a spring absorbing shock, and they allow your vertebrae to do a bending motion. When these discs are injured, the soft part can be pushed out into the spinal canal, irritating or even pinching a nerve. This can cause pain and limit your motion, not only in your back, but also in whatever part of your body those particular nerves go to.
Natural aging causes some disc injuries, when the discs lose their water content so they are less flexible and tear or rupture easier, but some are due to accidents or just extra strenuous activities. The most common symptoms for an injured disc is pain, numbness and weakness, which can be in a leg or arm as well as the back, although, you may have no symptoms whatsoever.
A herniated disc, which is also known as a bulging disc, has a good record of responding well to the conservative treatment of rest and limiting physical activity, if that does not work, however, the laser spine surgery is great alternative to the traditional spinal surgery. Laser spine surgery (LSS) requires less hospital time, less anesthesia and is less invasive than the traditional ones.
There are several different kinds of spinal stenosis, which is a narrowing of the spinal cord causing the pinching of the nerves, which in turn leads to pain in the buttocks, decreased physical activity, and a lack of feeling in your legs. Your doctor will want to check your medical history, give you a physical examination focusing on the amount of pain and movement you have in the affected area, and one or more of the following tests: myelogram, bone scan, MRI or CAT. The conservative treatment for this is rest, supportive devices, such as a brace, physical therapy and pain medication, which is usually tried first unless there is severe progressive nerve involvement. If this does not work and the patient is in good health, but the pain or weakness in their legs limits their ability to stand or walk, your surgical options are various surgeries to take care of it.
The decompressive laminectomy is the most common and requires an incision of three to five inches in your back to remove the roof of the vertebrae and all the materials compressing the nerve. The hospital stay is usually one to three days; however, physical activity cannot be performed for several weeks. The difference between the laminectomy and laminotomy is how much of the roof of the vertebrae is removed. The foraminotomy alleviates the pinching of the spinal root nerve by removing some of the bone around the foramin. This procedure is usually performed along with the laminectomy. The spinal fusion uses pieces of bone, screws and rods to connect two vertebrae together, thus stopping the painful motion between them. This procedure also may be used with the laminectomy or laminotomy.
By keeping a good journal regarding your symptoms, you will be able to significantly aid your doctor in diagnosing your spinal problem. Your spine is too important to take a chance with; you have to take care of it, so that it can take care of you.
