Luckily, not all back pain requires surgery. In fact, even injured backs do not necessarily require surgery. No matter what is causing your back pain, surgery should always be the final option, as it usually causes additional problems, even though the original problem has been corrected.

 

There are different types of back surgery that may be performed, depending on your situation and injury. You may need a disk replacement or a partial removal of a disk. You may need partial removal of a vertebra, or a fusion to join vertebra.

 

Fusions are the most common types of back surgery performed today. When vertebras are joined together, it can eliminate certain back pain from occurring when you move in certain ways. Fusions involve bone grafts, metal plates and screws, and in some cases cages.

 

A disk replacement is typically just an alternative for a fusion. Instead of fusing two vertebras together, instead an artificial disk is placed between the vertebras for cushioning purposes. Whether disk replacement or fusion is used typically depends on your specific condition, and the preferences of you and your doctor. Just as you risk serious arthritis with fusions, you run the same risk for arthritis with a disk replacement surgery.

 

In the case of nerve problems in the back, where a disk is pressing on a nerve causing intense pain, your doctor may determine that removal of a portion of the disk will be beneficial. This is not the same as partial removal of a vertebra. A part of a vertebra may be removed if it has developed bone spurs that are affecting the nerves. Often, the bone spur itself can be removed, instead of any part of the actual vertebra. In either case, again, you have a higher risk of developing arthritis in the back after having back surgery.

 

Finally, all surgery carries a certain amount of risk, and in the case of back surgery, there is never any full guarantee that your problem will be resolved, and you can expect to feel some level of back pain for the rest of your life once you have back surgery, mostly due to arthritis.

 

Again, back surgery should be the last option and used only after all other options have been exhausted. You should also be very wary of any doctor who almost immediately suggests back surgery, without trying other options first. Recovering from back surgery is very painful, and takes a very long time.

Angela likes talking about Landau Scrubs Free Shipping and Urbane Scrubs as well as Landau Scrub Pants and also likes writing articles about various topics.

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