Spine surgery advices from Dr. Serge Obukhoff? Neurosurgery is the surgical specialization that treats diseases and disorders of the brain and spinal cord. Back pain can sometimes produce neurological symptoms such as numbness, muscle weakness, and loss of bowel and bladder control due to dysfunction at the nerve root. These symptoms are indicators that neurosurgery is required to treat the underlying cause of back pain as opposed to conservative treatments. Procedures to treat back pain under the realm of neurosurgery include discectomy, laminectomy, and spinal fusion surgery. In neurosurgery, there is a higher risk of further nerve damage and infection which may result in paralysis. Find extra information at https://doctor.webmd.com/doctor/serge-obukhoff-4f6fb985-48d7-4a06-912d-3a9414ddf1ca-overview.
In addition, we treat people who have neck and back injuries, spinal deformities, congenital spine disorders, herniated discs, spinal stenosis and sciatica. What should you look for in a good spine surgeon? A good spine surgeon is dedicated to patient care and excellent outcomes, and is willing to learn new approaches and techniques while gaining expertise in standard approaches and techniques. A spine surgeon should also be a good communicator who is willing to spend time explaining their reason for surgery as well as the treatment options they offer.
Most pain in the lower back can be treated without surgery. In fact, surgery often does not relieve the pain; research suggests that 20 to 40 percent of back surgeries are not successful. This lack of success is so common that there is a medical term for it: failed back surgery syndrome. Nonetheless, there are times when back surgery is a viable or necessary option to treat serious musculoskeletal injuries or nerve compression. A pain management specialist can help you decide whether surgery is an appropriate choice after making sure you have exhausted all other options.
Surgery is a controlled trauma. Therefore, we aim to maximize the benefit for the patient while minimizing the trauma of surgery as much as possible. We implement leading surgical techniques and technology as appropriate, and our patients benefit from our surgeons’ academic research to further both minimally invasive and complex spine surgery procedures. We treat the entire spectrum of spinal disorders, ranging from sciatica and cervical radiculopathy to complex brain and spine cancers. Patients also come to us for issues related to scoliosis (curvature of the spine), degenerative disc disease (arthritis of the spine), and patients who have spinal stability problems which are associated with back or neck pain with or without arm or leg pain.
Some factors to consider: Many of your options will involve medications such as opioids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, and local anesthetics. Sometimes more than one drug will be taken. This multimodal therapy can improve pain control while limiting opioid use. Opioids should be used with care to avoid addiction and manage side effects, some of which can be life-threatening. Alternative or complementary methods of pain relief that do not involve medicines should also be discussed.
