Everyone gets back pain from time to time, whether after standing, moving, or working for too long and straining their back muscles. People carry tension in their backs all the time. However, it is possible to reach a point in which your back pain can become debilitating. It can cause you to struggle with even the simplest of things, like getting up or sitting down, bending over, and getting comfortable can be tricky if the pain is deep-seated enough. You might struggle to do your job, and you might find it impossible to do hobbies that you used to enjoy.
If you’ve reached such a point with your back pain, surgery might be an option for you. That being said, how do you know if it will be right for you? While you should always consult with a physician about your specific medical conditions and other factors that will affect whether or not a course of treatment is right in your circumstances, you can check out some general advice as a way of getting yourself ready for the options you have.
Types of Spinal Disorders
There are a lot of spinal disorders out there, ranging from arthritis to scoliosis, but there are a few types that are the most common reasons that people have back pain. Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal, which can cause numbness, tingling, pain, and other neurological symptoms. Other people have scoliosis, wherein the spine develops a sideways curve which causes enough pain and dysfunction that they have to get spine surgery to correct the curvature in the spine.
Types of Spinal Surgery
There are many reasons that people need back surgery, and there are several types of surgeries that could be useful. For instance, there’s a spinal fusion, which is when two or more disks are fused together to add stability. There’s also a diskectomy, where a portion of a herniated disk is removed. Otherwise, your doctor might suggest a laminectomy, which is when a portion of the spine is removed to relieve pressure, or you could have artificial disks put in.
When To Consider Spinal Surgery
While some types of spinal surgery can have good success rates, you have to weigh the costs and benefits. For instance, you should consider how much discomfort and pain you’re actually in. Also, consider how much your back pain limits your ability to do things and how much more you would be able to do if you had surgery.
Also, think about what you could do to manage the pain without surgery. Consider if you’ve tried all other avenues, including physical therapy and alternative therapies. If more conservative treatments haven’t worked, back surgery could be the best option for you.
If you’ve been struggling with back pain and neurological sensations associated with a spinal condition, you are likely qualified to undergo spinal surgery. That being said though, be sure to listen to your doctor who may want to exhaust all other avenues of treatment first. After all, as with any surgical procedure, there’s always a degree of risk associated with going under the knife for a procedure. All in all, though, there are avenues to treat your back pain and you should at least put some thought into exploring them.
