Is a Surgical Spinal Stenosis Procedure Right For Me?
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Patrick Foote
Apr 17, 2013, 2:30:03 PM4/17/13
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Article Title: Is a Surgical Spinal Stenosis Procedure Right For Me?
Author: Patrick Foote
Word Count: 649
Article URL: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=1832508&ca=Medicines+and+Remedies
Format: 64cpl
Contact The Author: http://www.isnare.com/eta.php?aid=1832508
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A surgical spinal stenosis procedure is generally recommended for a small percentage of patients who are diagnosed with the condition. Fortunately, most patients are able to receive the relief they require from conservative, nonsurgical treatments. Before you seriously consider undergoing a surgical procedure (and before we discuss spinal stenosis surgery in this article), you should first learn about some of the nonsurgical treatments that very well could be effective at relieving your pain and discomfort.
Medication
Some spinal stenosis symptoms can become less severe when combated with an over-the-counter, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as ibuprofen, aspirin, or naproxen. These medications interfere with the body�s inflammatory response and, in turn, can alleviate swelling and tenderness. Patients with certain gastrointestinal or cardiovascular conditions, as well as those with some drug allergies, may be advised to forego NSAIDs and utilize acetaminophen instead. Over-the-counter medications occasionally prove ineffective; if you are among those whose symptoms don�t respond to these medications, your physician may prescribe a narcotic pain reliever and/or muscle relaxant.
Heat/Ice Therapy
Another generally effective nonsurgical treatment for spinal stenosis involves the application of heat and ice. Some patients may be advised to alternate between the two while others may be directed to exclusively use one or the other. Be sure to ask your physician which course of action is best for you.
Heat therapy, or thermotherapy, helps relieve muscle tension and increase the flow of nutrient-rich blood to the area where heat is applied. This can reduce the pressure placed on the affected spinal nerve or nerve root and may aid in the body�s healing process. Ice therapy (cryotherapy), on the other hand, can help numb away pain and reduce inflammation. As with a decrease in muscle tension, a reduction in inflammation can help relieve the pressure placed on a spinal nerve or nerve root.
Lifestyle Modifications
In many cases, simply reversing certain unhealthy habits can help patients avoid a surgical spinal stenosis procedure. For instance, individuals who are overweight can significantly reduce the strain that is placed on the neck or back by shedding excess pounds. Likewise, those who lead sedentary lifestyles (even if not necessarily overweight) can reduce nerve compression by becoming physically active and strengthening the spine�s supporting muscles in the neck, back, and abdomen. Patients who use tobacco products or abuse alcohol can also benefit from eliminating or reducing these unhealthy habits.
When to Consider Surgery & What to Think About
There are myriad other nonsurgical treatments that your physician or spine specialist can recommend. So, just because your pain and discomfort isn�t alleviated by the three treatments mentioned above, it doesn�t automatically mean that you�re a candidate for a surgical spinal stenosis procedure. If your physician does recommend an operation, then you may want to ask if you�re a candidate for a minimally invasive procedure as an alternative to open neck or back surgery.
A minimally invasive (endoscopic) procedure is generally performed on an outpatient basis, meaning that it doesn�t require an overnight hospital stay. Whereas open neck or back surgery is performed through a large incision that dissects musculature, a minimally invasive procedure is executed through a very small incision (typically less than one inch long) and the muscles are gently pushed to the side. An endoscopic procedure doesn�t necessitate the fusion of any vertebrae and typically requires a significantly less arduous rehabilitation than open neck or back surgery.
Even though there are many advantages to undergoing a minimally invasive procedure in lieu of a surgical spinal stenosis procedure, you should still ask your physician if there are any risks you should consider. You may also want to receive a second or third opinion before you consent to any surgical treatment.
About The Author: Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute specializes in safe and effective outpatient spinal stenosis procedure options. http://www.laserspineinstitute.com/back_problems/spinal_stenosis/treatment/surgery/
Please use the HTML version of this article at:
http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid=1832508
*********************** ARTICLE END ***********************
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Message delivered directly to members of the group:
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*****************************************************************
Please consider this free-reprint article written by:
Patrick Foote
*****************************
IMPORTANT - Publication/Reprint Terms
- You have permission to publish this article electronically in free-only publications such as a website or an ezine as long as the bylines are included.
- You are not allowed to use this article for commercial purposes. The article should only be reprinted in a publicly accessible website and not in a members-only commercial site.
- You are not allowed to post/reprint this article in any sites/publications that contains or supports hate, violence, porn and warez or any indecent and illegal sites/publications.
- You are not allowed to use this article in UCE (Unsolicited Commercial Email) or SPAM. This article MUST be distributed in an opt-in email list only.
- If you distribute this article in an ezine or newsletter, we ask that you send a copy of the newsletter or ezine that contains the article to http://www.isnare.com/eta.php?aid=1832508
- If you post this article in a website/forum/blog, ALL links MUST be set to hyperlinks and we ask that you send a copy of the URL where the article is posted to http://www.isnare.com/eta.php?aid=1832508
- We request that you ask permission from the author if you want to publish this article in print.
The role of iSnare.com is only to distribute this article as part of its Article Distribution feature ( http://www.isnare.com/distribution.php ). iSnare.com does NOT own this article, please respect the author's copyright and this publication/reprint terms. If you do not agree to any of these terms, please do not reprint or publish this article.
*****************************
Article Title: Is a Surgical Spinal Stenosis Procedure Right For Me?
Author: Patrick Foote
Word Count: 649
Article URL: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=1832508&ca=Medicines+and+Remedies
Format: 64cpl
Contact The Author: http://www.isnare.com/eta.php?aid=1832508
Easy Publish Tool: http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid=1832508
*********************** ARTICLE START ***********************
A surgical spinal stenosis procedure is generally recommended for a small percentage of patients who are diagnosed with the condition. Fortunately, most patients are able to receive the relief they require from conservative, nonsurgical treatments. Before you seriously consider undergoing a surgical procedure (and before we discuss spinal stenosis surgery in this article), you should first learn about some of the nonsurgical treatments that very well could be effective at relieving your pain and discomfort.
Medication
Some spinal stenosis symptoms can become less severe when combated with an over-the-counter, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as ibuprofen, aspirin, or naproxen. These medications interfere with the body�s inflammatory response and, in turn, can alleviate swelling and tenderness. Patients with certain gastrointestinal or cardiovascular conditions, as well as those with some drug allergies, may be advised to forego NSAIDs and utilize acetaminophen instead. Over-the-counter medications occasionally prove ineffective; if you are among those whose symptoms don�t respond to these medications, your physician may prescribe a narcotic pain reliever and/or muscle relaxant.
Heat/Ice Therapy
Another generally effective nonsurgical treatment for spinal stenosis involves the application of heat and ice. Some patients may be advised to alternate between the two while others may be directed to exclusively use one or the other. Be sure to ask your physician which course of action is best for you.
Heat therapy, or thermotherapy, helps relieve muscle tension and increase the flow of nutrient-rich blood to the area where heat is applied. This can reduce the pressure placed on the affected spinal nerve or nerve root and may aid in the body�s healing process. Ice therapy (cryotherapy), on the other hand, can help numb away pain and reduce inflammation. As with a decrease in muscle tension, a reduction in inflammation can help relieve the pressure placed on a spinal nerve or nerve root.
Lifestyle Modifications
In many cases, simply reversing certain unhealthy habits can help patients avoid a surgical spinal stenosis procedure. For instance, individuals who are overweight can significantly reduce the strain that is placed on the neck or back by shedding excess pounds. Likewise, those who lead sedentary lifestyles (even if not necessarily overweight) can reduce nerve compression by becoming physically active and strengthening the spine�s supporting muscles in the neck, back, and abdomen. Patients who use tobacco products or abuse alcohol can also benefit from eliminating or reducing these unhealthy habits.
When to Consider Surgery & What to Think About
There are myriad other nonsurgical treatments that your physician or spine specialist can recommend. So, just because your pain and discomfort isn�t alleviated by the three treatments mentioned above, it doesn�t automatically mean that you�re a candidate for a surgical spinal stenosis procedure. If your physician does recommend an operation, then you may want to ask if you�re a candidate for a minimally invasive procedure as an alternative to open neck or back surgery.
A minimally invasive (endoscopic) procedure is generally performed on an outpatient basis, meaning that it doesn�t require an overnight hospital stay. Whereas open neck or back surgery is performed through a large incision that dissects musculature, a minimally invasive procedure is executed through a very small incision (typically less than one inch long) and the muscles are gently pushed to the side. An endoscopic procedure doesn�t necessitate the fusion of any vertebrae and typically requires a significantly less arduous rehabilitation than open neck or back surgery.
Even though there are many advantages to undergoing a minimally invasive procedure in lieu of a surgical spinal stenosis procedure, you should still ask your physician if there are any risks you should consider. You may also want to receive a second or third opinion before you consent to any surgical treatment.
About The Author: Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute specializes in safe and effective outpatient spinal stenosis procedure options. http://www.laserspineinstitute.com/back_problems/spinal_stenosis/treatment/surgery/
Please use the HTML version of this article at:
http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid=1832508
*********************** ARTICLE END ***********************
- To distribute your articles go to http://www.isnare.com/distribution.php
- For more free-reprint articles go to http://www.isnare.com
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