May
09

Surgical Spinal Decompression

Surgical spinal decompression may be recommended to you if you have severe back pain.  There are actually several types of spinal decompression surgery, depending on what sort of problem is happening with your spine.

There are a few causes of compression on the nerves and spinal cord.  You could have bulging or collapsed disks, thickened joints, loss ligaments, or bony growths that make the spinal canal and nerve openings narrower.  This irritates the nerves, which can cause a number of symptoms, including pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, and unsteadiness.  In the most severe cases, you could experience partial paralysis and loss of bladder and bowel control.

To fix the problem, the doctor will recommend a procedure based on what is going on in your spinal column.  If you have a problem with a disk, such as a collapsed or bulging disk, that may be removed in order to relieve the pressure on the nerves.  Just a portion of the disk may be removed, or in severe cases, the entire disk may be taken out and the vertebrae fused together.

There are several different procedures that are done is the problem is related to a bone growth.  A laminectomy is where a section of the bony arch of the spinal canal is removed, increasing the room for the nerves inside.  A foraminectomy is where the opening for the nerves to exit the spine is enlarged.  And an osteophyte removal is a removal of bone spurs.

These techniques can work to relieve pain, but there is some risk involved.  Like any surgery, there is a risk of infection, bleeding or an allergic reaction to the anesthesia.  You could also have nerve or tissue damage.  You also will stay in the hospital for about a week, followed by three to six months of rehabilitation, depending on how much of the spine is worked on.

This surgery can successfully treat many types of back pain.  However, a return of symptoms is also possible.  You may want to investigate all natural methods of treatment before resorting to surgical spinal decompression.

Jan
18

Spinal Decompression Surgery

Spinal decompression surgery actually refers to several different types of surgery that may be done to relieve pressure on the spinal cord and nerve roots.  When other objects such as bulging disks, bone spurs, thickened joints, or loose ligaments cause irritation and pressure on the nerves, numerous negative symptoms can result.

Surgery is generally done when a person has the following symptoms:

  • Pain
  • Tingling
  • Numbness
  • Weakness
  • Unsteadiness
  • Loss of Bladder or Bowel Control
  • Paralysis

There are actually several different types of surgeries.  Let’s look at each one:

Diskectomy – Removal of a portion or all of a disk to relieve pressure on the nerve roots.

Laminotomy or Laminectomy – The lamina are the bony arches of the spinal canal.  These sometimes press on the spinal cord.  Surgeons will make the opening larger, or even remove part or all of the lamina.  When this is done, a spinal fusion must be done to stabilize the spine.

Foraminotomy – A procedure to enlarge the openings, or foramin, where the nerves exit the spinal column.

Osteophyte Removal - Removal of bone spurs.

Corpectomy – Removal of the disk or vertebrae.

These procedures are often done in a combination.  Sometimes fusion of the remaining vertebrae is required to stabilize the spine, along with the installation of hardware to hold the spine in place.

Spinal decompression surgery is shown to be successful at alleviating pain and other symptoms in 80-90% of patients who have it done.  Like all surgeries, there are risks.  So it should remain a last resort after other methods of relief have been thoroughly explored.

Jan
17

What Do Doctors Think of Spinal Decompression?

Before you start any treatment plan, it’s wise to ask your doctor about it.  However, doctors’ opinions can vary widely.  So what do doctors think of spinal decompression?

Some think it works wonders.  Chiropractors will swear by it.  And for many people, it can help.  However, there are always going to be those who are better served by other options.

For example, if you have bony growths on your spine that pressing on your spinal cord, then decompression is not going to help you.  You have to have those surgically removed.

If your spine has become compressed due to weight or activity levels, then spinal decompression can help.  This can either be done by a chiropractor, at home using an inversion table, or in surgery.

Before you make a final decision on whether an option like spinal decompression is right for you, talk to your doctor.  If you want, you can also seek a second opinion.  Just make sure whoever gives you advice knows your history, as not every treatment is right for everyone.

Jan
16

Spinal Surgery for Stenosis

Spinal surgery for stenosis is relatively rare. Most cases can be controlled with alternative therapies, like medication and adjustments. However, about 3% of patients with stenosis choose to eventually have surgery.

The goal of spinal stenosis surgery is to relieve pressure on the nerves. Doctors believe that by decompressing the spine, or allowing more room for the spinal cord and nerve roots to pass through, they can alleviate the swelling of the nerves and reduce pain.

If you’ve lost some motor control or strength in your arms and legs, then the surgeon hopes to correct this by doing this surgery. It can also help restore lost sensation, decrease numbness, and increase bowel and bladder control.

There are two procedures that are commonly used in spinal surgery for stenosis. These are:

  • Decompression – the surgeon removes bone and tissue that presses on the nerves.
  • Stabilization – the surgeon tries to limit motion between the vertebrae to prevent rubbing.  This is also known as spinal fusion.

Most doctors will focus on decompression surgery, with occasional instances of stabilization.  There are four different types of decompression surgery.

  1. Foraminotomy – A foramen is the small hole in the vertebrae where the nerve exits the spinal column.  In a foraminotomy, the surgeon makes this hole larger to take pressure off the nerve.
  2. Laminotomy – The Lamina is the bony plate which protects your spinal cord.  In a laminotomy, the surgeon makes the opening in this larger to reduce pressure on the spinal cord.
  3. Laminectomy – When a laminotomy is not sufficient, a laminectomy is done.  This means part or all of the lamina is removed.  This can be done without ill effects in many cases.  The surgeon will need to stabilize the spine using fusion if this option is used.
  4. Indirect Decompression – This is a method of reducing pressure by spreading the bones apart instead of removing bones.  Artificial discs may be put in place, or hardware may be installed to spread out the vertebrae.

Spinal fusion is done when the spine is not stable, such as when a vertebrae is out of line or a laminectomy is performed.  The surgeon removes the disks from in between the vertebrae, and uses a bone graft to encourage the vertebrae to grow together.  Hardware is installed to ensure everything stays in place while the spine fuses.  This process takes several months.  Afterwards, the hardware can be removed or left in place.

Surgery is either open or minimally invasive.  If the surgeon must work on a number of vertebrae at the same time, it usually must be open.  But if just a small area is affected, minimally invasive spinal surgery may be done using laparascopy.

There are risks to spinal surgery.  As with any surgery, there is the risk of a negative reaction to the anasthesia.  The pain may not improve after the surgery.  Injury to the spine may occur.  And there is always the risk of infection.

Recovery from spinal surgery for stenosis takes a few weeks.  You will be able to get out of bed in 24 hours in most cases.  However, you’ll need to sit, stand, and move carefully for several weeks afterwards.  You’ll also need pain medication for 2-4 weeks.

Make sure you follow your doctor’s instructions after surgery.  It will take several weeks to recover.  However, if the surgery is successful, you will start feeling better in just a few weeks.

Jan
15

Powerlifting and Spinal Decompression


One of the risks of powerlifting is spinal compression. Lifting heavy weights multiple times puts pressure on your spine, which can cause the disks between the vertebrae to flatten. If this happens to you, what are your options?

First seek out nonsurgical methods of decompressing. Many people find that a chiropractor can help. You also may want to go easy on lifting while your spine has time to heal.

Another method many people recommend is inversion therapy. Using an inversion table can help take pressure off the spine, potentially decompressing the disks and alleviating pain. There are a lot of good brands of inversion tables out there, ranging in price from around $100 to $500. The more expensive brands generally are sturdier and have more padding. However, the cheaper brands can work just as well. They are just slightly uncomfortable to use.

You can find a good selection of inversion tables at Amazon. The highest rated one there is the Teeter Hang Ups EP-950.

If nothing else works, you can then explore the option of surgical spinal decompression. However, this should always be the last resort. Surgery is harder on your body than other options, and should only be resorted to when those options fail.

Powerlifting is hard on your spine. To avoid injury, wear a weight belt and always use proper form. Avoid lifting more weight than you can handle with proper form. You may progress more slowly with this method, but at least you’ll have a chance of avoiding injury.

Sep
10

A Glimpse Into The Discipline of Chiropractic

“The month of October is the National Chiropractic Month. However, do we know enough about this kind of treatment? Chiropractic, founded in the 1890s by Daniel David Palmer in Davenport, Iowa, is a health care discipline and profession that generally emphasizes diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, especially the spine, under the hypothesis that these disorders affect the general health via the nervous system.

The doctors of Chiropractors, or simply called Chiropractors are practitioners who put emphasis on the conservative management of the neuromusculoskeletal system but without the use of medicines or surgery, emphasizing on the spine. There are also times when chiropractors themselves will refer a patient to a specialist depending on the condition of the patient. Spinal manipulation and other manual therapies that apply to the joints and soft tissues, rehabilitative exercises, health promotion, electrical modalities are some of the common patient treatment in Chiropractic.

There are times when manual therapy professions like massage, osteopathy, physical therapy and sports medicine overlap. The scope of practice of chiropractors varies by state. Each state will also have a different regulation regarding the conducting of laboratory tests or diagnostic procedures, dispense dietary supplements to their patients or the use of therapies like homeopathy.

Patients can enjoy a lot of benefits from undergoing chiropractic treatment. This treatment will relieve pains like back pain, neck pain and other body pains and it will provide easier breathing for a patient. It improves the circulation, digestion, clearer and sharper vision. Increases the resistance of the immune system, enhances sleep, minimizes asthma, bed-wetting and many more.

Most relief methods through this chiropractic treatment are immediate. When visiting a chiropractor, you will immediately experience relief once the doctor realigns your limbs and joints. But sometimes, after a chiropractic treatment, you might be feeling a bit sore and your muscles may ache. This is due to the fact that your body’s physical alignment has been out of balance for so long that it may hurt a bit when it is aligned. But before you undergo the procedure, the chiropractor will inform you on what to expect from the treatment.

Because of the emerging technological advancements, the treatment of chiropractic has become more effective and more reliable. Therefore, you should consider this kind of treatment because this has been proven an effective way of promoting not only physical wellness but also a sense of better well being”

If you need a Chersterfield chiropractor, it’s wise to look for a family chiropractor so you can also bring the children and let them experience the benefits of this type of healing. There are many practitioners of chiropractic St Louis and some of the best ones can also be found in Maryland Heights and St Charles.

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