in question. In cases where there is a spinal fracture, your doctor is likely to try conservative treatments first. However, if the pain doesn’t get better, you usually need surgery.
Common Types Of Surgery
There are some common types of back surgery that your doctor might recommend. The vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are procedures that repair compression fractures. They use bone cement to strengthen the bone.
A spinal laminectomy is used to correct the narrowing of the spine. In this procedure, a surgeon removes bone to open up the spinal column. If you have a discectomy, a surgeon would remove a herniated disc or one that’s compressing a nerve.
Another option is a foraminotomy where a surgeon enlarges the hole where a nerve root exits your spinal canal to release pressure on an affected nerve.
In a nucleoplasty, a plasma laser device is inserted into the spine that uses radiofrequency energy to vaporize tissue that’s causing a herniated disc.
Depending on your condition, your doctor may suggest spinal fusion. This procedure removes the spinal disc between two or more vertebrae and then uses bone grafts or metal devices to fuse the adjacent vertebrae.
Finally, artificial disc replacement replaces a damaged disc with a synthetic one.
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The Risks And Benefits Of Surgery
The main benefits of surgery are that it will ease your pain, improve your mobility, help any deformities that have developed, and help your injuries heal. As with all surgical procedures, though, there are a few risks. This type of surgery is considered risky because it’s so close to the nervous system. You run the risk of paralysis and infections at worst but permanent loss of flexibility at best. Certain procedures also come with longer healing times which means you will be significantly limited for long periods.
Questions You Need To Ask Your Doctor
When you sit with your doctor to discuss surgery, there are a few questions you need to start with. These include information about which procedure is right for you, how it will help you, what the procedure entails, what the possible risks are, how you’ll know if the procedure has worked, and how long your recovery will take. You’ll also need to have a guideline for what your follow-up care will be like after surgery.
The decision to have back surgery isn’t an easy one. Sometimes, it’s the only option if you have certain symptoms or conditions. It’s best to talk to your doctor at length about what the suggested procedures entail so you know what to expect.