If you have a condition that compresses your nerves, causing debilitating back pain or numbness along the back of your leg.

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Peregrine Bryant
5 years ago
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1 Below, we have provided some basic information for your benefit. Please use this information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you. Back surgery Back surgery is needed in only a small percentage of cases. Most back problems can be taken care of, with nonsurgical treatments, such as anti-inflammatory medication, ice, heat, gentle massage and physical therapy. When conservative treatments don't help, back surgery may offer relief, but it doesn't help every type of back pain. Trauma, aging, improper body mechanics, and normal wear and tear can all injure your spine. Damage to any part of your back or pressure on the nerves in your spine can cause back pain and other symptoms. If you have ongoing back pain, maybe you've wondered if back surgery would help. Do you need back surgery? Back surgery might be needed: If you have a condition that compresses your nerves, causing debilitating back pain or numbness along the back of your leg. In some instances when you have bulging or ruptured (herniated) discs the rubbery cushions separating the bones in your spine. However, many people with bulging discs have no pain. If you have broken bones (fractured vertebrae) or other damage to your spinal column from an injury that leaves your spine unstable. If you have vertebral fractures and an unstable spine related to osteoporosis. If you've first tried conservative measures and they fail to relieve your back pain or other symptoms.

2 Bone fractures, deformities and other conditions. Direct injury to the spine may cause a bone fracture anywhere along your vertebral column. Osteoporosis, loss of bone density, can weaken vertebrae, causing them to fracture or collapse. In most cases, fractured vertebrae heal without any help. But if the spinal column is unstable, some doctors opt to fuse two or more vertebral bodies together, using bone grafts and metal plates, screws, rods, or cages. The following conditions may require surgery if they're progressive, painful or causing nerve compression Scoliosis, a curvature of the spine Kyphosis, a humpback deformity Spondylolisthesis, the forward slippage of a segment of the spine Spinal stenosis, narrowing of the spinal canal typically from arthritis Radiculopathy, the irritation and inflammation of a nerve caused by a herniated disc Degenerative discdisease, the development of pain in a discas a result of its normal wear and tear Types of back surgery Back surgery may become necessary to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. Surgeons can remove portions of bone to widen the narrowed area in the bones of your spine (vertebrae). Removing the gel-like middle portion of a ruptured disc may also help relieve pressure on pinched nerves. Sometimes your doctor has to remove the entire disc and fuse together the adjoining vertebrae that remain. Different types of back surgery include:

3 Discectomy (also called open discectomy) is the surgical removal of herniated disc material that presses on the nerve root or the spinal cord. The procedure involves removing the central portion of an intervertebral disc, to relieve irritation and inflammation of a nerve, which causes pain by stressing the spinal cord or radiating nerves. It's done as an open surgery and typically involves full or partial removal of the back portion of a vertebra (lamina) to access the disc. Laminectomy is a surgical procedure that involves removing a portion of the vertebral bone called the lamina. Laminectomy may also be done to remove bone spurs in your spine. The procedure can take pressure of your spinal nerves or spinal cord. At its most minimally invasive, the procedure requires only small skin incisions. The back muscles are pushed aside rather than cut and parts of the vertebra adjacent to the lamina are left intact Fusion. Spinal fusion also known as spondylodesis or spondylosyndesis is a surgical technique used to permanently join together two or more bones in the spine, so there is no movement between them. These bones are called vertebrae. It can relieve pain by adding stability to a spinal fracture and is occasionally used to eliminate painful motion between vertebrae that can result from a degenerated or injured disc. Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty are similar spinal procedures in which bone cement is injected through a small hole in the skin (percutaneously) into a fractured vertebra. This procedure can help stabilize fractures and relieve pain. Kyphoplasty, however is a more expensive procedure, which involves a balloon-like device being inserted to attempt to expand compressed vertebrae before bone cement is injected. Artificial discs. Implanted artificial discs are a treatment alternative to spinal fusion for painful movement between two vertebrae due to a degenerated or injured disc. These relatively new devices are still being studied however, so it's not yet clear what role they might play as a back surgery option. Recovering from back surgery Depending on what surgery you have undergone you may be home the same day or you may be in the hospital for a few days to a week as you begin the healing process. The good thing to know is that most people who have back surgery to help reduce back pain and increase their mobility have good to excellent results and see a significant amount of pain reduction and return to their pre-pain range of motion and strength.

4 For some, this occurs right after the surgery but with others it may take some time and rehabilitation. Both of these are normal and nothing to worry about. You will want to limit how much time you rest your back, as the sooner you become active the faster you can return to your normal day to day life. You must be careful and not push yourself too fast and it is always best to follow your doctor s and therapist orders. Your rehabilitation after your surgery will be very important and is something that can help you recover faster from your surgery, as well as help to strengthen your back. Your rehabilitation will be a combination of things that are used to help you get better. Your physical therapist will help you control or manage your back pain; they will help tailor a program for you that will include exercise, stretching and educate you about what you need to know after your back has healed and what you need to do in the future to help protect your spine. Keep in mind also that after your back surgery, depending on what type of surgery you had, it may not be possible for you to get around as well as you used to. Your movements will be very limited and you may not be able to bend or twist your back in many ways as it heals. You may need help getting dressed, showering, taking care of your children or pets, eating, or just doing all the little things that need to be done during the day. Because of this is it best that you have a family member or friend help you up for the first few weeks. You will feel sore, tired, and it is also possible that you may be in pain for the first week following your surgery. It is advisable to take pain medication as prescribed to relieve and control pain. Do not wait until the pain is unbearable to take your pain medication. If the medication you have been given is not helping your pain sufficiently, please let your doctor know this. If you have any of the following symptoms you will need to contact your doctor as soon as possible: Pain that is very severe Swelling or inflammation near the incision Weakness or numbness in your extremities Fever Problems breathing Bowel or bladder control problems All of these symptoms can be a very serious problem and you should never wait to contact your doctor if any of these occur. What to do to help your wound heal Do not drink alcohol. Alcohol is found in adult drinks, such as beer and wine. Alcohol can damage your brain, heart, and liver. Drinking alcohol can also make you more likely to get an infection after your surgery. Furthermore,

5 alcohol could put you at significant risk of falls. Seek professional help from your doctor if you have a problem with alcohol consumption. Eat healthy foods. Eat a variety of healthy foods to give you more energy and help your wound heal faster. Some healthy foods are fruits, vegetables, wholegrain breads, low-fat dairy products, beans, lean meat and fish. Being overweight or obese may delay your wound healing. Eating the right foods can help you lose weight. Stop smoking. Smoking harms the heart, lungs, and the blood. You are more likely to have a heart attack, lung disease, and cancer if you smoke. Smoking can also delay wound healing. You will help yourself and those around you by not smoking. If you have diabetes, keep your blood sugars in the range suggested by your caregiver. It may take longer for your back to heal if you have high blood sugar levels. Ask your doctor or nurse for help managing your blood sugar levels.

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