Surgery can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be. Did you know that spine surgery in Kenya and around the world is becoming more common?
In fact, these procedures are rising quickly due to the popularity of surgeries like spinal decompression, which can provide relief from debilitating lower back pain as well as numbness and tingling down the legs.
Still not convinced that you might need surgery? Here are some signs that you may be suffering from one of the many types of spine surgery.
Causes of Spinal Pain
One of the most common causes of spinal pain is a simple strain or pulled muscle in the back.
However, neck pain that won’t go away could be a sign of osteoarthritis, sciatica, stenosis or degenerative disc disease.
Other causes of spinal pain include an injury, arthritis and tumours. The types of surgery that are used to treat spine pain depend on what is causing the issue.
Pain from an injury can be treated with nerve blocks and steroids; surgery for arthritis may help by removing excess cartilage; stenosis can often be helped with spinal decompression surgery; degenerative disc disease may require spinal fusion surgery or laminectomy, depending on how severe it is.
Signs That Indicate You Might Need Back Surgery
If you have chronic back pain and other symptoms that indicate a more serious condition like:
- Spinal malformation: Imaging tests have shown that surgery may be an option if you have spinal pain brought on by instability or deformity.
- Persistent discomfort that gets worse: Your doctor might advise you to see a spine surgeon if the pain does not go away or gets worse after several months.
- Spreading pain (Radiculopathy): When the pain eventually spreads to your arms and legs, it may be the result of herniated discs or bone spurs brought on by spinal osteoarthritis. In this situation, your doctor might advise surgery.
- Emergency: Additionally, in emergency situations like car accidents or severe conditions brought on by cauda equina syndrome, doctors might advise immediate spine surgery. This condition, which can be brought on by a tumour, an infection, or lumbar stenosis, frequently results in total paralysis.
- Treatment options for back: If you’ve tried anti-inflammatory drugs and physical therapy, or if your doctor has ruled out other causes of your pain, you may be ready for surgery.
What are the different types of spine surgery?
There are two main types of spine surgery, decompression and fusion. Decompression surgery is done when discs between the vertebrae have been pinched and start to push against the spinal cord.
Decompression surgery is done for pain relief by lowering pressure on the nerves in order to reduce pain.
In a spinal fusion surgery, however, two or more vertebrae are connected together with metal rods in order to correct severe curvature of the spine that can’t be corrected without removing bone.
The goal is to make one strong solid bone out of more weak ones that have been fractured.
What can I expect before, during, and after surgery?
If you find that your everyday life is becoming a struggle because of discomfort, stiffness, and pain, orthopedic doctors in kenya may be the best way to regain control.
If you think it might be time for you or a loved one to consider surgery, here are some questions you can answer together with your doctor. It is important that patients discuss their concerns with their surgeon before they go ahead with any type of procedure.
Here are some things to know before going under the knife:
What Do I Need To Be Done?
Some types of surgeries are very specific-say fixing a ruptured disk-while, whereas others involve removing unhealthy bone spurs and smoothing out arthritis.
Knowing exactly what will happen during the surgery will help both patients and surgeons prepare for the procedure accordingly.
Preparation includes making sure your body is as healthy as possible prior to surgery.
Patients should tell their doctors about any medications they’re taking, have had in the past, or are allergic to, if they smoke, and about other medical conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
The more open you are with your doctor about these items, the better he or she will be able to take care of you!
What Happens After Surgery?
There’s no denying that recovery from spine surgery takes patience-patience with yourself and patience from those around you who want nothing more than for you to feel better!
After a major operation like this, it’s normal to feel stiffer than usual and unable to perform routine tasks without feeling some sort of pain.
Getting an opinion on back surgery might be the best decision to ensure that you get the proper care for your back problem.
Doctors of the spine may offer different opinions about the best course of action to take, from waiting to operate to different types of surgery and whether or not to do anything at all for certain conditions.
