What You Need To Know Before Spine Surgery

Spine Surgery? Yes, you’ve heard it right! Back pain is often the most annoying part of the days when it becomes severe. What’s even more troublesome is when pain in the back runs down to the lower limbs, aah, that hurts! Some of the causes can be herniation/protrusion of the spinal cord, narrowing of the gap between the spine or the presence of tumours that can eventually cause spinal cord compression. Don’t you worry! Here is everything that you should before getting spine surgery:

Spinal cord pressure causes pain due to the area of nerve supply that is affected. Therefore even though the problem with the lower back nerves, the pain may extend to the lower limbs.

From complaints that the patient goes thorough physical examination, the diagnosis has led and strengthened again by supporting examination in the form of MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). With MRI, it can be known with the reality of problems that occur and how distinguished the affected spine.

Laminectomy is surgery on the spine by removing a small portion of bone from one or several vertebrae so that it widens the gap between the spines. Laminectomy can overcome pain, tingling, numbness, and various kinds of symptoms associated with spinal cord compression.

Surgery to the spine can cause cerebrospinal fluid to seep in 1-2% of cases. This case can be overcome by lying down for one to two days.

In addition, there is also the risk of nerve damage that causes paralysis and is unable to resist bowel movements. The risk will also increase if surgery is performed on the cervical spine, chest, and narrowing of the gaps between bones due to osteoporosis (bone loss), osteoarthritis (inflammation of the joints in the bones), and tumors.

This risk is increased due to the abnormal and fragile anatomical shape of the bones so that surgery becomes more difficult. In addition to surgery, alternatives that can be given are conservative therapy in the form of warm/cold compresses, physiotherapy, administration of pain medications and inflammation. Injecting painkillers and inflammation through the epidural space that is done to reduce inflammation and pain swelling.

If you do not choose surgery, in the case of protrusion of the spinal cushions the symptoms may diminish and gradually improve.

However, in the case of narrowing of the gap between the spine can cause progressive pressure on the nerve so that permanent nerve damage, tingling, numbness and paralysis can occur if surgery is not performed.

Preventions after Back Surgery

If you decide to have surgery, you should avoid those activities that cause tension in your back muscles and pain.

• Try to reduce excess weight.
• Stop smoking immediately if you are a smoker.
• Get into the habit of sitting up straight and resting your arms on the side of the chair so that the distribution of the load on the shoulders and back is reduced.
• Wear flat shoes and avoid the high heels.
• Use high back chairs after back surgery.

After surgery, blood pressure, pulse rate, leg strength, limb sensation will be monitored periodically. You will be given some pain relief after the spine surgery. Make sure you are able to control when urinating to ensure that there is no nerve damage during surgery. If the healing is good, the stitches will be removed ten to twelve days after surgery. You can return to work six weeks post-surgery if your work is not related to heavy lifting.