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  4. Back Surgery

Back Surgery

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  • Release of the Coracoid Process

    The coracoid process is a bony protrusion on the shoulder blade that extends over the shoulder and connects to the chest and arm muscles. Tension in these muscles can put pressure on the shoulder blade. Pressure on this bone can cause neck pain and headaches, as well as pain in the shoulder and arm. Untreated, this pain can extend all the way into the hand and fingers, as well as into the ribs, lower back and legs.

  • What Is AxiaLIF Back Surgery?

    The AxiaLIF procedure is a minimally invasive surgery that fuses lower back lumbar region bones to relieve chronic back pain. The term AxiaLIF® stands for Axial Lumbar Interbody Fusion, System, and the procedure was developed by surgeons at Hackensack University Medical Center.

  • Removal of Hardware for Back Surgery

    One possible complication of back surgery like spinal fusion is the risk that other complications during recovery could require more surgery, this time to remove the hardware implanted in your back.

  • Required Tests Before Back Surgery

    The exact tests required before back surgery depend on why surgery is being performed, the patient's overall health and the surgeon. The purpose of preoperative tests is to identify physical conditions that may increase the risks of surgical complications, such as cardiac problems or breathing difficulties. The results of these tests can help the medical staff ensures you receive the correct amount of anesthesia, necessary preoperative medical treatment, appropriate monitoring during surgery and the best post-operative pain management and care.

  • Mobile Cecum Syndrome

    The cecum is a section of the intestinal tract. It lies at the junction of the small and the large intestines and is the origin of the appendix. Mobile cecum syndrome describes abdominal pain accompanied by a cecum that is not properly attached to the rest of the abdomen. According to Schwartz's "Principles of Surgery," it is not clear precisely what degree of detachment is sufficiently abnormal to be considered the probable cause of symptoms. Detachment of the cecum can be responsible for an uncommon yet serious condition called volvulus of the cecum, which is distinct from mobile cecum syndrome.

  • Leg & Feet Pain After Back Surgery

    If you are scheduled to undergo back surgery, your doctor will discuss potential complications of the procedure with you. They include risk of infections, problems with anesthesia and issues that can cause leg and feet pain after the surgery.

  • Golf & Back Surgery

    Swinging a golf club generates a tremendous amount of torque, starting in the backswing and moving through the follow through. The torque places stress on the lumbar spine, according to Mark R. McLaughlin, M.D. As a result, it isn't uncommon for a golfer to experience a variety of back problems, some of which may lead to surgery.

  • Recovery Time for Lumbar Back Surgery

    You may undergo surgery on your lumbar region (lower back) for a number of reasons ranging from a herniated disk to spinal stenosis. Total recovery time will depend on many things—namely the extent of your condition before surgery and your general health.

  • Lower Back Surgery for Disc Injuries

    If you are experiencing symptoms like pain in your lower back or muscle weakness in your legs, you could have an injury to one of the intervertebral discs in your back.

  • Recovery Time for Lower Back Surgery

    When you have run out of options for dealing with your lower back pain, you may choose to have surgery. Back surgery is a major undertaking, and before you make a decision, you should understand what to expect during your recovery.

  • What Is Failed Back Surgery Syndrome?

    Failed back surgery syndrome is a term used to describe unsuccessful pain relief from back surgery. The pain may not go away; in fact, it may become worse following spinal surgery.

  • Post-Op Back Surgery Exercises

    Post-op back surgery exercises are supposed to help get you back to work sooner and also strengthen key muscle groups to help prevent future injuries. In most cases, patients are sent to a physical therapist to learn a variety of exercises designed to strengthen core muscles in the abdomen and back. The basic idea is to get you started on an exercise routine that you can continue on your own. There are generally three types of post-op back surgery exercises: stretching exercises, low-impact aerobic exercises and water exercises.

  • Pilates Exercises After Back Surgery

    Americans are no strangers to back surgeries. According to a 2008 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the United States sees about 1.2 million spinal surgeries every year. The same study reported that the percentage of U.S. residents seeking medical attention for back pain increased from 12 percent in 2000 to 15 percent in 2005. It's not easy to recover from a major back surgery, but regularly performing Pilates exercises that are easy on the back can help you stay fit during the healing process.

  • What Is a Coracoid Decompression?

    Coracoid decompression is a surgical technique used to relieve the pain and inhibition of motion that typify coracoid impingement in the shoulder. The coracoid process is one of the bones that stabilize the shoulder joint.

  • Back Surgery Recovery Times

    Injuries sustained from twisting, falling or being hit, as well as the normal wear and tear of daily life can damage the spine to the point of needing surgery. Recovery times from back surgery will vary upon the injury and the type of surgery performed.

  • Symptoms of Spinal Fluid Leakage From Back Surgery

    The cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) surrounds the brain and spinal cord. When the dura (membrane that surrounds the fluid) tears, fluid can leak out. Several things, including spinal surgeries, can trigger a leak, causing several symptoms.

  • Lower-Back Surgery Recovery

    If you have experienced persistent pain in your lower back that has not been resolved through nonsurgical methods, you may be advised to have surgery. Lower back surgery is very common, and it has a high success rate.

  • Bra as an Alternative to Back Surgery

    You are a woman and your back hurts. It may be your upper back or your mid- to lower back. You may even be considering back surgery as an option, but you have heard that surgery can be risky and can make back pain worse. A good, well-fitted bra may be a solution that you can try as an alternative to back surgery.

  • Exercises for Post Operative Back Surgery

    Having back surgery is a major procedure but can drastically improve quality of life, reducing pain and increasing flexibility. After back surgery it is important to follow an exercise routine that helps improve your backs range of motion and prevent stiffness or pain. It is also important to prevent a reoccurrence of back injury.

  • How to Regain Energy & Balance After a Back Surgery

    Any type of surgery is a traumatic event for the body, but back surgery can proof especially difficult from which to recover, owing that the musculature of the back is involved in almost any conceivable activity. Proper recovery from back surgery requires a combination approach, employing dietary principles, rehabilitation exercises, and general training to help restore your energy and balance as quickly as possible.

  • Back Surgery Disc Replacement Therapy

    Back pain can be debilitating when severe. If the back pain can not be treated by traditional methods or a disc has begun to degenerate, then disc replacement surgery may be required. In this surgery, a worn disc is removed through surgical procedure and a replacement disc is inserted. This surgery requires rehabilitation after the operation.

  • How to Determine If You Need Back Surgery

    The back, especially the lower back, is one of the more commonly injured areas of the body. However, despite this frequency of injury, surgery is often not a viable option for many sufferers of back pain. According to the Mayo Clinic, back surgery is often a last resort, as almost all cases of back pain can be healed without resorting to invasive treatment options. Knowing when surgery might be a necessary evil and when it is likely to prove fruitless can help save you money in medical costs, so be careful before electing to pursue the possibility of back surgery.

  • Relief From Scar Tissue From Lower Back Surgery

    After having lower back surgery, scar tissue called epidural fibrosis can form around and near the nerve roots of the spine. The scar tissue causes back pain as well as leg pain because it pinches the spinal nerves. There are minimally invasive surgical procedures and methods to prevent scar tissue to relieve you from back and leg pain that is the result of scar tissue.

  • Material Used Between Discs in Back Surgery

    When one of the spine's vertebral discs become damaged, it often needs to be replaced by an artificial disc. This type of back surgery involves the placement of very specific materials between the spine's natural discs.

  • What Is Failed Back Surgery?

    Failed back surgery is a medical condition that occurs when a surgical outcome is unfavorable. Failed back surgery is predicted in 5 to 40 percent of patients who undergo lower back surgery, according to Virtual Medical Centre. (Resource 1)

  • What Are the Benefits of Water Therapy After Back Surgery?

    Water therapy, also known as aquatic therapy, is used to treat different physical conditions. Aquatic therapy is a type of physical therapy that takes place in an aquatic environment, such as a pool. Aquatic therapy is used for back-surgery rehabilitation.

  • Risks of Back Surgery

    Back surgery is a risky surgical procedure to relieve pressure on the nerves in the spine. Many seek surgery because the pain has become intolerable and has affected the person's mobility. Also, it is a last resort option after other alternative treatments such as acupuncture, epidural injections and spinal mobility exercises have failed. The surgery may provide alleviation but like any surgery, it also comes with risks.

  • Information on Lower Back Surgery

    Lower back surgery may be necessary for patients who do not respond to other forms of treatment. There are several different types of lower back surgery that may help to relieve pain.

  • Alternative Options for Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

    Spinal fusion surgery is a recommended solution for a herniated disk. However, according to Randy V. Curtis, DC, between 10 to 40 percent of patients who have spinal fusion back surgery are left more incapacitated, with an increasingly restricted range of motion, and returning severe pain. Back surgery was supposed to improve your condition, not make it worse. Standard medical treatment means living on pain medication, which can impede daily function. Alternative options are available for failed back surgery syndrome.

  • Back Surgery for Scheuermann's Disease

    Juvenile kyphosis, also known as Scheuermann's disease, causes abnormal curvature of the spine. Scheuermann's disease is most prominent in males between the ages of 13 and 16. Back surgery is one treatment option for juvenile kyphosis.

  • Exercises to Help Learn to Walk After Back Surgery

    The primary purpose of back surgery is to correct alignment in the spine and to relive severe pain. Back surgery is a major undertaking and exercise plays an important role in learning how to walk again and balance your body. Rest and pain control are the initial steps after surgery and ice, heat, and electrical devices are used to alleviate pain and prepare you for physical therapy.

  • Back Surgery C5 & Recovery

    C5 back surgery attempts to resolve a herniated disc, a disc bulge, or tumor located in the spine (between cervical vertebrae 4-5-6), just above the area where the neck attaches to the shoulders.

  • Post-Op Instructions for Back Surgery

    After back surgery, you should refrain from activities that can strain your back for at least six weeks. Be mindful of your surgical dressings and ensure that the pain medication you are taking won't interfere with the healing process. Additionally, if you're a smoker, you may want to consider not smoking during the healing period as smoking delays the healing process.

  • Axial LIF Back Surgery Information

    Axial LIF, or Lumbar Inter-body Fusion, surgery is a procedure that fuses the lumbar of the back together. Axial LIF is less invasive than traditional fusion procedures and has a shorter recovery time--approximately three weeks rather than three months. Instead of traditional open surgery, Axial LIF uses small incisions and tiny surgical instruments to fuse and repair the damaged spinal disc.

  • How Much Does Back Surgery Cost?

    According to the Centers for Disease Control, 14 percent of all new visits to primary care physicians are the result of lower back pain. The CDC also states that 2.4 million adults in the United States suffer chronic back pain and another 2.4 million suffer temporary back pain. The costs of undergoing procedures to alleviate or reduce back pain are varied, and the choice to proceed with back surgery should be determined with the assistance of a physician.

  • How to Recover From Back Surgery With a Stenosis Rod

    Spinal stenosis describes the narrowing of the spinal canal and additional pressure placed on the spinal cord. Stenosis can occur anywhere on the spine, but most often affects the lower or the upper part of the spinal cord. Dr. Steven Garfin, professor and chair of orthopaedics at UCLA reports that though you can be born with this disorder, typically people over the age of 50 are diagnosed with spinal stenosis from aging and normal wear and tear. Surgery, reserved for severe cases, widens the spinal canal and in some cases uses a rod to support unstable portions of the spine.

  • How Is a Rectocele Surgery Done?

    A rectocele occurs when the fascia--the swath of tissue separating the rectum and the vaginal wall--weakens, allowing the rectum to protrude into the vaginal wall. Depending on its size, a rectocele can cause discomfort whenever there is pressure on the affected area, such as during a bowel movement. Rectoceles typically develop in women with age or as the result of major events such as childbirth or pelvic surgery. Several non-surgical methods can repair rectoceles, including inserting a rubber ring called a pessary into the vagina to retain vaginal walls and push back the bulging rectum. However, surgery may be necessary.

  • Back Fusion Surgery Recovery

    Lumbar spinal fusion and cervical spinal fusion are surgical procedures used to correct problems with the vertebrae, or bones, of the spine. The spine is repaired by connecting two or more vertebrae, using bone grafts, metal rods, and screws.

  • Hurler Syndrome Back Surgery

    Hurler syndrome, also known as MPS I, is a rare, genetic disease that prevents the body from breaking down sugars. The resulting buildup of molecular sugar chains can cause damage to many organs. Symptoms range from mild to severe and usually begin in childhood. Some of these symptoms can be alleviated through back surgery; however, the effects of Hurler syndrome can greatly increase risks during the operation.

  • Alternative to Back Fusion Surgery

    A back injury, or chronic back pain due to a degenerative disc, can sometimes lead a doctor to suggest spinal fusion surgery to relieve pain. Spinal fusion is the process of removing the disc between two vertebrae and then fusing the vertebrae together with grafted bone. Johns Hopkins University suggests that only a fraction of the people who get spinal fusion surgery actually receive pain-relief benefits from it. There are alternatives to fusion that can help relieve and manage the pain involved with disc problems.

  • What to Expect After Back Surgery

    The type of back surgery you have will determine the duration of your healing time. Back surgery is an invasive procedure that is usually done to correct nerve damage due to compressed discs. Most back surgeries have successful outcomes.

  • Recovery From Back Surgery

    Back Pain is a common ailment that affects millions of people each day. Fortunately, the majority of back pain sufferers will not need to have surgery in order to recover. However, certain problems such as a herniated disk, discogenic lower back pain, and spinal stenosis may require back surgery. Recovery from back surgery involves a combination of medication, rest, proper diet, and exercise. Back surgery recovery is a slow and steady process, and by following these steps, patients usually have a successful recovery rate and can help prevent further back surgeries from occurring.

  • Back Surgery Procedures

    Many suffer with back pain and are able to alleviate the pain with massage, heat therapy and chiropractic treatments. But some have more severe conditions, and back surgery is the only option for relief.

  • Patient's Guide to Back Surgery

    When a doctor recommends back surgery, you might find yourself asking many questions--why is surgery necessary, what will it entail, what are the risks, how long will recovery take. Being informed about back surgery will help you decide whether to have it.

  • Types of Back Surgery

    Back pain strikes millions of people because of aging, injuries, or normal wear and tear. When therapy and medications fail to work, back surgery may be the only alternative. The type of surgery depends on the injury or condition that must be relieved.

  • Back Surgery Options

    Back surgery is usually the final option when treating back pain. The alternatives of physical therapy, cortisone injections, pain management and many others have usually been tried before you get to the point of surgery. The procedure that is right for you will depend upon many factors, which your doctor will discuss with you.

  • Minimally Invasive Treatments for Back Surgery

    Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is steadily becoming the surgery of choice. When compared to traditional open surgery, the benefits are without question. A patient choosing this new technology greatly reduces their hospital stay, experiences less pain and blood loss and also incurs up to 80% less scarring than with traditional methods. Minimally invasive treatments may soon be the norm, as older methods are discarded for this computer-assisted technology.

  • Alternative to Back Surgery

    Back pain is a common problem many Americans suffer from. Causes range from simple overuse to severe injury. While surgery may be the only solution for some, others can find relief from many of the alternative therapies described below.

  • Back Surgery Pros & Cons

    The need to undergo back surgery might be brought about as a result of muscle strain in the area or ruptured discs. These two causes may not warrant the procedure in case of mild or relative discomfort in the back region. Damage to the intervertabral disc without any form of ruptured discs can bring about recurrent lower back pain. This condition is also known as discogenic back pain, and the patient might need to undergo surgery.

  • Postoperative Care for Back Surgery

    Although most back problems don't require surgery, a small number of patients do find themselves facing the procedure. It's normal for patients to wonder about how unpleasant the post-operative experience might be and whether the qualify of life after surgery will be the same. Fortunately, basic care and therapy can help make the process easier and less debilitating.

  • The Kinds of Back Surgery

    Nearly everyone will suffer from back pain at some time during their life. The degree of back pain can range from mild to so painful that it is disabling. The National Institute of Health says nearly 90 percent of back pain sufferers won't require any treatment. Approximately 5 percent of people have chronic and debilitating back problems. Back surgery is generally performed only in these severe cases when non-invasive measures have been unsuccessful.

  • Failed Back Surgery Symptoms

    Failed back surgery, also known as failed back surgery syndrome, is a condition that presents itself in some people after a surgical procedure has been performed on their back. Often referred to as simply FBSS, this condition is a form of chronic pain syndrome. Recurrent disc herniation is one of the main contributing factors of FBSS, but you may also develop similar problems out of post-operative pressure, scar tissue, joint instability and other disorders, including diabetes, depression or even cardiovascular disease. Certain clean symptoms of the condition can soon follow a back surgery.

  • History of General Surgery

    "General surgery" is a term that describes the treatment of soft-tissue deformities and injuries, but it also can also refer to the general practice of surgery. Surgery specialties includes plastic surgery, brain surgery, heart surgery and orthopedic surgery. "General surgery," in the narrow sense, is practiced primarily for general injuries, conditions that affect the digestive system and removal of cancerous tumors and growths.

  • Returning to Work After Back Surgery

    Back injuries can often be repaired through surgery, however, the surgery can also give you a longer-than-expected vacation from work. There are a variety of factors that determine your ability to return to work after undergoing back surgery, all of which are tailored to each individual and decided upon by your doctor.

  • Back Surgery Infections

    For people suffering from back pain, surgery can be an option. But back surgery is a delicate procedure, and patients must follow post-op instructions carefully. Not doing so can result in further surgery or permanent damage to the spine. Spinal infections are caused when the vertebral columns, the discs, the spinal cord covering or the space around the cord become infected. This can be caused by bacteria or fungus.

  • Laser Surgery for Back Pain

    Marketing of laser surgery for back pain has become big business, and there are no shortage of Websites, radio spots, television ads, and even bus stop billboards declaring the latest and greatest surgical innovations that will cure you of your back pain. In these ads, laser spine centers often cite their safe, minimally invasive techniques, high success rates, and short recovery times.

  • How to Heal from Back Surgery

    Recovery from any surgery may be difficult and painful, but after back surgery, healing may seem like a distant goal. Keep focused and follow the recommendations of your surgeon to ensure that your back properly heals. You can make your post-operative time a smooth and healing transition.

  • Lumbar Fusion Technique

    Over time, osteoporosis, spinal fractures and other conditions may cause the spine to weaken or destroy discs in the spine. These conditions can cause severe back pain. When conservative treatment methods (such as pain medications) fail, a spine surgeon may recommend a spinal lumbar fusion surgery. The two common approaches to this surgery are anterior/posterior and posterior. "Anterior" refers to the front of the body, and "posterior" to the back.

  • About Minimally Invasive Back Surgery

    Advanced technology now enables surgeons to perform surgical techniques, which formerly required long incisions, with minimally invasive techniques where the incisions are very small. This sophisticated technology is continually being refined but is already available for several back/spine problems that cause chronic pain or disability.

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