Back pain or spinal pain is a common health condition and at one point or the other we all seem to feel this discomfort. However, back pain that last for a short period of time and is not painful to the point of being chronic is common and not a big thing to worry about. But when back pain becomes a regular fixture in a person’s life, lasting for long periods as well the level of pain is unbearable than the concerned person needs to grow cautious because this type of pain may be an alarm signal for a more serious back condition of disorder.
Spine Surgery – Treatment for Back Pain
Back surgery or spine surgery is not always the first choice for treating back pain. However, there are several cases or back conditions that require spine surgeries. Although, in major back conditions, spine surgery is the last step after a long course of conservative therapy.
Types of Spine Surgeries
The most relevant type of spine surgery options include:
- Formenotomy
- Discectomy
- Laminectomy
- Spine Fusion
Let us take a brief look at each of these procedures
Formenotomy
This is a procedure that is procedure that is performed to relieve pressure on a nerve; however the pressure on the nerve is not only the result of a herniated disc. This procedure involves the removal of a portion of tissue or bone that is probably the main reason behind the pressure on the nerve as it exits the spinal cord.
Discectomy
Under this procedure the herniated disc that is the reason behind the nerve compression is removed therefore relieving the pressure on the nerves.
Laminectomy
This is a usual surgical procedure used for the treatment of spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis. Unlike the above two surgical procedure, Laminectomy is done to relive pressure on the spinal cord.
Spine Fusion
A usual surgical procedure to treat conditions like spondylolisthesis (unstable spine) where motion between adjacent vertebrae needs to be eliminated.
Bulging discs or the seriousness of the spinal injury to the discs usually vary and can be categorize from internal derangements (mild disc strains), moderate to severe disc bulges to even worse like a thorough herniation or disc rupture of the nucleus within the annular wall. When the annulus gets injured,the nucleus starts to press on the wall that is already weak due to the injury to the annulus, which I turn leads the disc to bulge outwards.
Bulging discs are also commonly known as slipped disc and can cause the patient suffering from them pain in the back, neck and legs, numbing as well as pins and needles sensation, cramps as well as spasms. All these physically uncomfortable symptoms are caused when the disc that is bulging outwards starts to press the nerve which exits from the spine.
Bulging Disc Treatment
Most bulging disc doctors believe that these type of injuries can be treated using conservative treatment options instead of surgery. Spinal surgery is only suggested when the condition becomes severe and no improvement is seen even after proper physical therapy or medication. Bulging disc treatment usually include bracing the spine, physical therapy, acupuncture, electrotherapy, soft tissue massage as well as NSAIDs drugs such as ibuprofen.