Important Principles On Spinal Decompression Conroe Inhabitants May Find Helpful

By Douglas Gray


Spinal decompression is a form of therapy meant to provide pressure relief to nerve impingement within the spinal cord. It is applied in management of conditions where chronic back pain is the chief complaint. Examples of these conditions include spinal stenosis, disc herniation, sciatica and so forth. These are some of the facts about spinal decompression Conroe people may wish to know.

The approach to this form of medical intervention can be either surgical or non surgical. For surgical procedures, different techniques can be used depending on the condition in question. Microdecompression (microdiscectomy) is a minimally invasive approach where surgical instruments are used under the guidance of a microscope.

Open decompression, as the term suggests, entails removing a small part of the arch of the vertebrae through direct invasion or entry to release pressure on pinched nerves. Most surgeons prefer microdiscectomy to open decompression because it is less invasive. The open technique should only be employed as a last resort.

In the non-surgical procedure, straps are used to attach the patient to a firm surface. The patient can be made to lie either horizontally or vertically. When using the vertical approach, one is made to assume an upside down position. This is the reason as to why this method is also known as inversion therapy. In the horizontal approach, you simply lie on a flat surface for a certain period of time. Mechanical traction is applied to cause distraction of the intervertebral disc thus reducing pressure. A computer is connected to the system to control angle and force of distraction.

In performing the non operative procedure, the patient is expected to be fully dressed. The straps can be placed on the neck, lower chest, back, or waist depending on which region of the spine is affected. A single session of treatment may take between half to three quarters of an hour. A total of at least twenty sessions spread over seven weeks may be needed to render the therapy complete. Complimentary treatments such as ultrasound and electric stimulation can be used before or thereafter.

The main advantage of a non surgical procedure is that there non invasion involved and it is a medication free procedure. It is highly recommended in many conditions where other conservative management methods have failed. Some of these indications include sciatica, herniated discs, persistent muscle spasms and degenerative disc disease. It is however contraindicated in pregnant women, patients with a broken vertebrae, spinal fusion or those with artificial discs.

As you recover from the surgery, you should understand that it takes a while to regain your initial fitness. At the same time, there is great inter-individual variability in the amount of time required for this since the severity of the problem may not be the same. At the same time, the ability to heal also differs. In general, however, 2 to 6 weeks are needed for one to regain full fitness.

Physical activity plays a vital role in the healing process and should be highly encouraged. The plan should be to start with lighter routines and to increase the intensity progressively with time depending on how much one can tolerate. Exercise helps by increasing blood flow to the healing tissues and expedites the process. At the same time, it ensures that the connective tissue elements remain active and functional.




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