Headache Help Portland ME | Surgical Decompression Of The Spine

When presented with intractable back pain of a specific sort, your doctor may recommend surgical decompression of the spine. Several procedures are used regularly by well trained surgeons when this type of treatment becomes necessary. The specific surgery will depend upon the injury you have and a complete assessment should be performed before any surgery is scheduled. Laminectomy – In this procedure some portion of the spinal bone is removed to reach the injured spinal disk in order to reduce the pressure upon a bundle of nerves. This operation commonly requires a short hospital stay. Significant restrictions are placed upon the patient after surgery to prevent a recurrence during the healing period. Diskectomy – Here, only the portion of the disk that is causing pain is removed. A small portion of the bone is removed in order to provide access to the extruded disk material. Another related procedure is called a micro-diskectomy and involves smaller incisions and less tissue removed. The goal is the same, to remove disk material that is compressing the nerve root. Foraminotomy – In this operation, the surgeon removes bone and other tissue to make room for nerve roots by expanding the openings through which they travel. This is particularly useful for those who suffer from spinal stenosis, a condition where the spinal canal becomes partially blocked by growths of tissue or bone. A Final Option – Because spinal surgery carries with it not only the usual surgical risks of bleeding and infection but also potential nerve damage, it is considered a final solution to a chronic problem. There are no guarantees that surgery will repair the damage or control the pain. Patients who experience leg pain and numbness as a result of back injuries are more likely to have successful outcomes; those with back pain have a lower satisfaction rating. Long before surgery becomes an option, other techniques should be tried. While some patients do well with physical therapy, others find that injections of a corticosteroid into the injured area provide significant relief of their symptoms. A non-surgical method of spinal decompression is showing some potential as well. Non-surgical decompression involves using a specialized table to provide intermittent traction to a specific region of the spine. Straps are used to hold the client to the table and the location of the straps is based upon where and how much traction will be applied. The table is programmed to provide the treatment and the session may include ice, heat, ultrasound waves or a manual adjustment as well. Non-surgical decompression treatments are often found at chiropractic offices and are used in combination with other procedures. Non-surgical decompression is rarely covered by insurance. The procedure, which takes less than an hour, must be repeated several times a week over a period of weeks or months. While expensive in nature, if it keeps you from needing surgery, it would have been well worth your while. When confronted with chronic, debilitating back pain, some form of spinal decompression may be the best choice of treatment. Consider your options carefully and make an informed decision. HealthSourceOfPortlandWest.com