Back pain is one of the commonest causes of hospital visits and reduced productivity at the work place. The causes for this complaint are numerous but appear to relate to connective tissue elements of the spine that include the muscles, bones and ligaments. Compression of nerve roots by any of these elements results in pain of varying degrees at the lower back region and the lower limbs. There are a number of options of spinal decompression Conroe patients need to be aware of.
The methods that are used are broadly categorized into non-surgical (conservative) and surgical options. The technique that is used in the non-surgical option is traction. It entails the use of a gentle traction force along the spinal column with the aim of restoring the anatomical position. If done right, pressure on the affected nerves is relieved and the pain subsides. This technique has been found to produce the best results if the cause of the problem is a displaced intervertebral disc.
Traction is applied over several sessions on outpatient basis. With your clothes on, the doctor will position you on an adjustable table and fit a harness around the pelvis and around the trunk. The required force is generated by a computer so that you get just what is necessary in your case. On average, 20 to 25 sessions are required for correction of the problem.
There are a number of circumstances in which the risks of performing traction are likely to outweigh the benefits. Persons that have sustained fractures on the pelvic bones or the lower limbs should not be subjected to the procedure as their injuries are likely to worsen. Large abdominal tumors are also at risk of bleeding and spreading. Other contraindications include spine metallic implants, advanced osteoporosis and abdominal aortic aneurysms among others.
Surgical spinal decompression is considered when the non-surgical option has failed to yield positive results. There are different types of surgeries that can be performed depending on the exact cause of the problem, patient preference and the surgical skill of the doctor. They include discectomy, laminectomy, foraminectomy, osteophyte removal and corpectomy. Each has its own benefits and disadvantages.
In discectomy, a portion of the intervertebral disc pressing onto the nerves is removed. This is done either through the open surgical technique or though endoscopy. Laminectomy involves the removal of the lamina, a part that forms the arch of a vertebra. Corpectomy is removal of a vertebral body (usually together with the adjacent intervertebral disc). Foraminectomy involves expansion of the foramina (the exit point of nerve roots).
There are several complications that may occur after the operation. They include excessive bleeding, infection and damage of nerves at the surgical site. The main long term complication is instability due to removal of connective tissue elements. Often times, there is a need to preform spinal fusion surgery so as to restore the initial stability.
Non-surgical management is by far the main modality of achieving decompression. If the conservative methods fail to relieve the symptoms then surgery can be considered. The doctor and the patient should collectively arrive at this decision after going through the benefits and the risks involved.
The methods that are used are broadly categorized into non-surgical (conservative) and surgical options. The technique that is used in the non-surgical option is traction. It entails the use of a gentle traction force along the spinal column with the aim of restoring the anatomical position. If done right, pressure on the affected nerves is relieved and the pain subsides. This technique has been found to produce the best results if the cause of the problem is a displaced intervertebral disc.
Traction is applied over several sessions on outpatient basis. With your clothes on, the doctor will position you on an adjustable table and fit a harness around the pelvis and around the trunk. The required force is generated by a computer so that you get just what is necessary in your case. On average, 20 to 25 sessions are required for correction of the problem.
There are a number of circumstances in which the risks of performing traction are likely to outweigh the benefits. Persons that have sustained fractures on the pelvic bones or the lower limbs should not be subjected to the procedure as their injuries are likely to worsen. Large abdominal tumors are also at risk of bleeding and spreading. Other contraindications include spine metallic implants, advanced osteoporosis and abdominal aortic aneurysms among others.
Surgical spinal decompression is considered when the non-surgical option has failed to yield positive results. There are different types of surgeries that can be performed depending on the exact cause of the problem, patient preference and the surgical skill of the doctor. They include discectomy, laminectomy, foraminectomy, osteophyte removal and corpectomy. Each has its own benefits and disadvantages.
In discectomy, a portion of the intervertebral disc pressing onto the nerves is removed. This is done either through the open surgical technique or though endoscopy. Laminectomy involves the removal of the lamina, a part that forms the arch of a vertebra. Corpectomy is removal of a vertebral body (usually together with the adjacent intervertebral disc). Foraminectomy involves expansion of the foramina (the exit point of nerve roots).
There are several complications that may occur after the operation. They include excessive bleeding, infection and damage of nerves at the surgical site. The main long term complication is instability due to removal of connective tissue elements. Often times, there is a need to preform spinal fusion surgery so as to restore the initial stability.
Non-surgical management is by far the main modality of achieving decompression. If the conservative methods fail to relieve the symptoms then surgery can be considered. The doctor and the patient should collectively arrive at this decision after going through the benefits and the risks involved.
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