Causes and types of back surgery - By: LeenaM

Back pain is something most people experience because of improper posture, stress on the back bone, accidents and deformities. Most back pain cases are treated conservative therapy of a month or so. Only a few sufferers suffer from back pain for more than three months, and may consider back surgery for pain relief.

Back surgery is not always considered when conservative measures have failed. It is usually considered when the spinal nerves get compressed and start causing numbness on the back of the leg.

Possible causes for chronic back pain

Various problems can also lead to a reduction in the amount of spinal space and a pinching of nerves. Sometimes, the discs separating spinal bones bulge or rupture to lead to an irritation of nearby nerves. Then again, there are also many people who suffer from bulging discs, but have no pain.

A bone fracture may occur out of direct injury or because of loss of bone density or osteoporosis. Usually, fractured vertebrae heal without any help. However in case of an unstable spinal column, doctors may fuse two or more vertebral bodies together using screws, rods, cages, grafts and metal plates.

Depending on the condition, there are various types of back surgery that include:
Diskectomy is an open surgery done for removing the herniated disk portion so that the narrowed area in the vertebrae is widened. This then provides relief from nerve inflammation and irritation.

Laminectomy involves removal of the bone on the spinal canal to relieve nerve pressure because of spinal stenosis.

Vertebroplasty involves the injection of bone cement into compressed vertebrae to stabilize fractures and relieve pain. Sometimes, in kyphoplasty, a balloon like device is inserted before the cement to expand the compressed vertebrae.

Two or more spinal bones are permanently connected using spinal fusion. The doctor removes the entire disc, and then surgically fuses adjoining vertebral bones. It is used to eliminate motion pain that results from friction between degenerated and injured disks.

Instead of spinal fusion, sometimes artificial disks are implanted for relief from the pain that arises due to movement between degenerated and injured disks.

However before you opt for back surgery, it is always better to get a second opinion from a qualified spine specialist. Back surgery should always be considered as a last resort, if all other treatments fail.

Moreover, it is better to prevent recurring back pain with regular exercise and stretching for conditioning back muscles, weight control, good body mechanics and by not smoking.

About the Author

The need for back surgery may arise due defects in the spine..The best way to get it done is by visiting Orthopedic Spine Surgeons

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