Although millions of people have neck and back conditions like herniated discs, bulging discs, or spinal stenosis, many people are unaware of possible treatment options beyond conservative therapies such as pain medication, physical therapy, and chiropractic care. This may be because they’re unsure about the true source of their neck and back pain. While ligament sprains and muscle strains are among the most common culprits, degenerative spine conditions can also cause pain when weakened parts of the spinal anatomy exert pressure on the surrounding spinal nerves.
Nonsurgical treatments should always be attempted before surgery becomes an option. If you have been experiencing symptoms of pain, tingling, numbness, and weakness for several weeks or months due to compressed spinal nerves, and conservative treatment has offered no relief, your doctor may suggest that you consider surgery. If this is the case, contact BEST Health System to learn how our surgical spinal decompression procedures may be able to help you find relief from chronic back pain.
Highly Invasive Surgical Spine Decompression
Spinal decompression is often performed as a traditional open spine surgery that removes the portions of the spine that are causing nerve compression. The surgeon will either access the spine through the front of the body or through the back of the body. Muscles, ligaments, and other soft tissues are either pushed aside or cut so that the surgeon can have complete access to the area affected by the compression.
After the removal of discs, bone spurs, or portions of the vertebrae, spinal fusion is sometimes performed to stabilize the spine. A fusion permanently joins two or more vertebrae with bone grafts and surgical implants. These types of surgical spinal decompression surgeries can involve significant risks, like nerve damage, muscle trauma, and lengthy periods of rehabilitation.
Minimally Invasive Surgical Spinal Decompression
The minimally invasive surgical spinal decompression procedures performed at BEST Health System utilize direct visualization to remove the protruding portions of the spine that are causing neural compression. In some cases, surrounding spinal nerves are also deadened in order to relieve neural stress. Our techniques result in a safer and more effective alternative to highly invasive surgical spinal decompression.
BEST Health System is the leader in minimally invasive spine surgery and can help patients find relief from chronic neck or back pain. To find out if you are a candidate for our spine sparing procedures, reach out to BEST Health System today and we can help guide you through your journey to wellness.
