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Back Pain Operation

A back pain operation may seem like a logical choice if you are one of the millions of people who suffer from the debilitating pain of a spine condition. When symptoms of back pain, such as numbness, tingling, weakness, or the inability to move normally threaten to infringe on your daily life, surgery is often a solution that patients consider. But before a decision it helps to know how and why these procedures are used.

Back pain operations are used to treat a variety of conditions, including degenerative disc disease, herniated disc, or bulging disc. These conditions occur when the cartilaginous discs that act as shock absorbers between vertebrae are weakened. As we age, these discs become thinner and drier, making them susceptible to erosion. When this occurs, they can impinge on the spinal nerves, causing back and neck pain.

A traditional back pain operation can take several forms. Your physician may suggest a discectomy, which is the removal of part or?the entire?affected disc. Another type of decompression surgery, which is aimed at relieving pressure on neural tissue, is a laminotomy. This surgery removes the thin, bony "roof" of the vertebrae. A third type of procedure is a foraminotomy. This treatment removes excess tissue from the foramina, or the empty spaces between vertebrae through which nerves travel on their way to other parts of the body. This creates more room for the nerves, relieving pressure and pain.

Unfortunately, a traditional back pain operation may not be effective for everyone. As with any surgery, risks are involved such as infection, negative reaction to the general anesthesia, returning symptoms and more. Luckily, a traditional back pain operation is not your only choice. Minimally invasive, endoscopic procedures may be able to help relieve you of back and neck pain. These laser-assisted, outpatient surgeries allow for smaller incisions, shorter recovery periods, and decreased risk of infection.

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The award-winning surgeons at Laser Spine Institute (LSI) can advise you about the state-of the art procedures and help you decide if this is the right course of action for you. Let LSI treat your back and neck pain so that you can rediscover a life without pain as soon as possible. Contact us today for a free review of your MRI or CT scan.

Please note: Laser Spine Institute currently does not perform endoscopic procedures on the thoracic spine.