What is spine surgery?
Spine surgery focuses on the backbone, which is a column of individual bones called vertebrae stacked on top of one another. In addition to providing you with stability and a wide range of movement, the spine serves as a corridor of protection for the spinal cord.
Muscles, tendons, and ligaments support the spine while nerves branch out from the spinal cord. Discs of cartilage provide cushioning and flexibility between each moveable vertebra. Spine surgery aims to treat pain and dysfunction involving any of these parts.
When is spine surgery necessary?
The board-certified surgeons at Southern Oregon Orthopedics always explore every available nonsurgical treatment before recommending surgery.
If conservative approaches like physical therapy, yoga, acupuncture, and chiropractic care don’t alleviate your pain, they may recommend interventional pain management techniques like spinal injections or spinal cord stimulation.
You may need surgery if you have back pain, neck pain, or spinal pain that radiates to other parts of the body and persists despite nonsurgical treatment.
What conditions can spine surgery treat?
The surgeons at Southern Oregon Orthopedics treat all types of spine problems, including:
- Herniated discs
- Arthritis of the spine
- Degenerative disc disease
- Sciatica
- Nerve compression
- Spinal stenosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Sacroiliac (SI) joint pain
- Scoliosis
- Cauda equina syndrome
- Cervical myelopathy
- Neuropathy
They also treat spinal fractures related to trauma and compression fractures due to osteoporosis, a condition that weakens your bones.
What are the different types of spine surgery?
Your surgeon carefully reviews your medical history, physical exam, and diagnostic tests, such as X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, and electromyography (EMG), before determining the type of spine surgery you need.
The team at Southern Oregon Orthopedics performs many types of spine surgery, including:
- Spinal fusion
- Spinal decompression
- Minimally invasive spine surgery
- Motion preservation surgery
- Bone grafts and biologics
Minimally invasive spine surgery involves smaller incisions and less damage to healthy tissue, which leads to a faster, easier, and less painful recovery for you. Presurgical and postsurgical rehabilitation programs also help improve your recovery.
For advanced expertise in spine surgery, call Southern Oregon Orthopedics or request an appointment online today.
