Your Las Vegas Chiropractor

Surgery For A Herniated Disc can be a very ominous thing to consider, particularly because of all the conflicting information you will find. There are definitely some instances where disc back surgery is required, but more often than not, this is not the case.

In fact, much of the research available today tells us that the success rate of back surgery for a herniated disc is very low, and rarely provides lasting relief (in most cases, the pain comes back within 5 years).

This article will discuss the different options available for back surgery for a herniated disc, but before we discuss that, we need to talk about what a herniated disc is.

The spinal discs are cushions that separate each set of vertebrae in the back. Their primary purpose is to act as shock-absorbers, protecting the bones of the spine from excessive wear and tear with motion.

Each disc is composed of a strong outer covering called the annulus, and a soft jelly center called the nucleus. In the case of a herniated disc, the annulus becomes weak and tears. This leads to the jelly to shift from the center of the disc into the area of weakness, which causes the disc to bulge.

The most serious complication of this condition is that the nerves of the spine are located directly behind each disc of the spine, which is where the disc will tend to bulge if it is damaged. Because of this, the herniated disc will tend to apply pressure on a nerve, which can cause a great deal of pain and disability.

In fact, an interesting fact about the spinal discs that you may not be aware of is that they are not able to feel pain sensations. This may sound odd to you at first, because as you know, this can be a very painful condition to deal with.

But if you think about it, it makes sense that a disc wouldn’t feel pain, because they are absorbing shock all the time. If they could feel pain, you would be hurting all day long, with every movement you make!

So, what actually causes the pain in the case of a herniated disc? It’s actually the pressure on the affected nerve. Even more significant than the pain, though, is the other parts of the body that can be affected by this condition.

Because the nerves of the spine control everything in the body, pressure on a nerve will cause the body part being controlled by that nerve to stop working like it’s supposed to.

A good example of this would be a herniated disc in the lower back. The nerves that would be affected here control the legs, so it’s very common for an individual with this condition to experience pain traveling down the legs, as well as weakness in the legs.

I’ve even seen cases where the pressure on the nerves in the low back becomes so strong that an individual literally drops to their knees because they’ve lost so much strength in their legs.

Now, before we talk about the different types of surgery for a herniated disc available, let me just say one thing, because people often ask if there is a way for them to know if surgery is their only option, and there is.

There are only a couple of situations that actually call for surgery immediately. The first is if you have a herniated disc in your low back, and you are losing control of your bowel and/or bladder. This is very serious and usually calls for surgery right away.

The other circumstance that often requires surgery is when an individual begins to experience weakness in the extremities (either the arms or legs). This is a sign that the nerves have enough pressure on them that they are starting to fall asleep. This is also a very serious sign.

One thing I need to say about that second circumstance, though, is that the weakness I’m referring to is an objective weakness that a doctor can only find through a proper examination. You may feel like you are having weakness, but unless it shows up on the exam, it may not be serious enough to consider surgery.

In other words, your doctor is the only one who will know if you have a true weakness that calls for surgery.

Now let’s talk about the different types of back surgery for a herniated disc commonly utilized today. Even though there is a lot of new research in this field, the two most commonly used types of surgery involve either removing the bulging part of the disc to remove the pressure from the nerve, or removing the entire disc and fusing the vertebrae above and below the disc together.

With both of these forms of surgery, the success rate is very low – only about 16% according to the medical journal Spine. Also, these often result in other complications in the future. With a fusion, the joints above and below the fusion have to work extra hard to make up for the loss of motion, so those joints tend to wear out more quickly, and the problem will eventually spread throughout the back.

In the case of a disc resection, where they remove the part of the disc that is bulging, the condition usually comes back within 5 years, because if you are removing a part of the disc, it creates a weakness in the disc, and also causes scar tissue to develop over time.

Many people ask me about disc replacement back surgery, and other recent discoveries in this field, but at this moment in time, these types of surgery are not as commonly utilized. I believe there is a lot of potential in this field, but they really haven’t perfected this technology yet.

So, here’s the bottom line with back surgery for a herniated disc – always view this as a last resort. The success rate is very low, and unless you fit into one of the categories that absolutely calls for surgery, you should try everything else available first.

So, what other options do you have? After working with thousands of individuals with this condition, I have actually found that there are a number of treatments that are very helpful, and can truly lead to lasting results.

I’ve actually found that it’s a combination of treatments that lead to the best results. If you are interested in avoiding back surgery for a herniated disc, and would like to know more about the combination of treatments that are most effective for healing a herniated disc, you can click here (surgery for a herniated disc) to get all the details.

As non-surgical spinal decompression therapy gains recognition in the chronic low back pain community, more and more upper back pain sufferers may want to learn if they qualify for the DRX9000 treatment. So what kind of information would you need as a patient researching this type of treatment? Take a look next and you may find several of the most important questions a patient could have.

Who qualifies for the DRX9000™ treatment?

Back pain sufferers that may benefit most from non-surgical lumbar decompression may be those with: Pain from a disc bulge that is more than 4 weeks old. If six months post surgery, chronic mid back pain due to a failed back surgery continues. Continual pain from degenerated disks and have not responded well to four weeks of conventional therapy. Patients with four weeks availability for treatment protocol. Patients 18 years or older.

What can I expect throughout therapy?

Throughout each 30-minute treatment session the patient rests comfortably on a heavily-padded bed. After being secured into position by an upper and lower body harness, the mid back pain patient may completely relax by viewing a DVD, listening to music, or simply taking a nap. Usually, each 30-minute session is split into 18-phases where spinal decompressive forces rotate between a maximum and minimum therapeutic level. The cycling of forces in this method appears to produce a pumping action that simulates the natural processes responsible for nourishing the intervertebral disc.

What could I experience throughout the course of therapy?

Several patients may experience light side effects with this form of treatment. Mild muscular discomfort throughout therapy may occur. The feeling would be comparable to what a person may feel at the commencement of a new exercise regimen. Most patients find this treatment rather comfortable and relaxing. For the period of thirty minute sessions, many patients sense a gentle stretch in the lumbar spine and have a tendency to go to sleep. Adjunctive therapies to non-surgical decompression therapy normally involve electrical stimulation and cold therapy. A lumbar support belt and/or exercise are often prescribed to maintain the benefits of non-surgical decompression therapy and advance patient compliance.

Am I able to receive treatment on the DRX9000 if I have had back surgery?

Yes. It truly depends on the kind of surgery you had. If you’ve had plates, screws, cables, and/or any sort of metal implant inserted in your spine you would not be a candidate for therapy.

Are there any exclusions why someone may not be treated on the DRX9000™?

The DRX9000™ cannot help patients with: compression fractures, pelvic or abdominal cancer, prior lumbar fusion, severe osteoporosis, spondylolisthesis (unstable), pars defect, Pathologic Aortic aneurysm, disc space infections, severe peripheral neuropathy, hemiplegia or cognitive dysfunction

May I be treated throughout my pregnancy?

No. Patients who are pregnant cannot be treated throughout any stage of pregnancy.

While under DRX9000™ therapy, will my daily activities be restricted?

During the initial two weeks of treatment, patients are instructed to limit daily activities and may placed on light duty at work. After the second week of treatment, commencement activity is permitted. Patients which have improved by 50% are instructed on several lumbar stretching exercises to be performed in combination with treatment.

After completing my 20 treatments, will I ever need to be treated again?

Patients may be put on a strengthening and rehabilitation program for about 4-6 weeks to help strengthen paravertebral musculature. Patients are to revisit one month after treatment for evaluation and follow-up to see if maintenance DRX9000 treatments are needed.

If you are suffering from mid back pain and would like to learn more about non-surgical decompression therapy and the DRX9000, please contact your local DRX9000 physician.

This information is not intended nor should be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. Speak with your physician before considering any medical treatment method available.

With herbal remedies and alternative remedies to back pain contending almost fruitfully with present medical science, it can be very effortless to get caught up in the view that all treatments for back pain are successful. If you think that way, you could be devastated to realize that certain back pain treatments offer you little or no solace.

There are innumerable back pain treatments that have little or no impact on the person grappling with back pain; either because they have not been scientifically proven to have any impact or because they genuinely have no impact on the degree of back pain;

• Cold compresses: According to the Cochrane collection, cold compresses as a treatment for back pain is not quite successful. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials conducted by this collaboration portrayed that the indication for the application of cold treatment to low back pain is limited. With a splattering of successes reported from individuals grappling with back pain who use cold compresses, it is complex to ascertain its usefulness.

• TENS (Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator): This way of dealing with back pain falls under the branch of electrotherapy and deals with the transmission of electrical impulses to interrupt pain signals being sent to the brain. The Cochrane collaboration once again researched this treatment by studying two randomized controlled trials. The result obtained was inconclusive because of the inconsistent nature.

• Injections: Some back pain conditions are treated with the use of certain injections. These injections vary according to the spot of the pain. The injections include epidural steroid injections and facet joint injections. This mode of treatment can only be successful if the specific location of pain is located and attended to.

• Inversion therapy: This treatment is based on the belief that friction between the back vertebras can be eased by hanging the patient upside down for a particular length of time. Supporters of this technique of treating back pain argue that a separation of the vertebras is obtained thus giving the patient some measure of relief. Again, this technique has no scientific support.

It matters not how much you think you are aware regarding Back Pain information like information about Back Pain Treatment Options as well as Lower Back Pain Therapy, visit Ras Reed’s website and be amazed with really revealing information.

Do you know what extra weight can be the reason for back pain as well? Please learn how to use weight loss calculator to make sure you do the best to control your weight issues.

Uh oh, it’s happened again. You can feel the initial “twinge.” That is, you can feel the early warning sign that you low back pain problem is about to come back again. You knew you should have been keeping up with your chiropractic visits and the exercises your doctor gave you, but you just haven’t done it.

You feel great most of the time, but you’ve learned that when you get this feeling, things are about to go downhill…fast. Sometimes you get off easy, just a few over-the-counter remedies and you can get back to work. Sometimes you’re going to be spending the weekend putting ice on your back and waiting for the doctor to open up first thing Monday morning.

Occasionally, the road to back pain recovery can be gradual as well as torturous. Other times, it may call for staying in bed for a number of days and being looked after by family members. Back pain treatments are given in accordance with the form of back pain that you have. Let’s examine some kinds of back pain treatment that you may not be aware of:

- Anti inflammatory medications: Also called NSAIDS, anti-inflammatory medications are used to provide relief from back pain that is related to inflammation.

- Heat application: The application of heat packs over the area of pain can help to dissipate the pain. Heat treatments may call for wrapping a heat towel around your back for few hours, taking a hot bath or using hot water bottles to ease the pain.

- Exercise: Strengthening the back muscles can easily help to cut back back pain and prevent a return of the pain after it has vanished. Don’t try to do any back exercises however without the regulation of a physician.

- Narcotic pain medication: Despite its addictive tendencies, narcotic pain medications can help to regulate the pain in your back. Examples are vicoden, percocet and oxycotin. You should however NEVER use narcotic medications without a directive from your physician.

- Muscle relaxants: Muscle relaxing medications can be most beneficial in tending to back pain. They help to disentangle tense muscles and bring about a fall in the pain. Examples are valium, soma and flexeril.

- Epidural steroid injections: This treatment is applied for pain and inflammation around the spinal nerves. An x-ray is used to direct the injection to the area adjacent to the spinal nerve.

Ensure that you understand the various back pain treatments in order to obtain the best from them.

It matters not how much you think you are aware regarding Back Pain information like information about Back Pain Treatment Options as well as Back Pain Physical Therapy, visit Ras Reed’s website and be amazed with really revealing information.

Extra weight can cause back pain. Read about height weight calculator and how to use it properly.