Archive for category artificial disc
Post-operative Care Questions for Lower Back Surgery Patients review by KBNI Houston, Woodlands, Kingwood, Katy, Pearland, Beaumont, Tomball, Baytown, Galveston, Sugarland
Posted by admin in artificial disc, back pain, back surgery, baytown, beaumont, chiropractic, core strengthening exercise, disc degeneration, exercise, houston, infection, katy, lifting techniques, low back pain, lower back surgery, lumbar fusion, pain, Pearland, post-operative care, preventive lifestyle, recover, spinal discs, spinal fusion, spinal nerves, sugarland, Tomball, woodlands on May 19, 2015
Post-operative Care Questions for Lower Back Surgery Patients
post-operative care, low back pain, lower back surgery, physical therapy, surgical site infection, Houston
Lower back surgery can be an incredibly trying endeavor for patients and physicians alike. Typically, lower back surgery is used as a last resort for patients whose back pain has not responded to more conservative treatments (i.e. rest, physical therapy, anti-inflammatory drugs, etc.). Though major back surgery is generally quite expensive and requires a long period of post-operative care, there are several steps patients can take to minimize recovery time and pain levels while maximizing their chances at retaining full mobility.
First, take your doctor’s recommendations very seriously. If he or she advises you on lifestyle changes to compensate for your decreased mobility during post-operative care, you must be willing to implement these changes. Many kinds of back surgery involve the implantation of screws and / or plates for a spinal fusion to stabilize different parts of the spinal column. Other surgeries implant entire artificial spinal discs (the shock-absorbing pads between our vertebrae) to correct the problems that natural spinal disc degeneration can cause (severe pain, destabilization, compressed spinal nerves).
post-operative care, low back pain, lower back surgery, physical therapy, surgical site infection, Houston
Often deep incisions have to be made to implant these devices and consequently the muscles along the spinal column are lacerated. The spine takes time to heal and grow new tissue around these wounds. Patients may experience severe back pain and decreased spine mobility but are advised not to pursue strenuous activity without first consulting their physicians. Your doctor will be able to give you a much clearer idea of which activities pose a higher risk for your specific back surgery. Sticking to a strict activity regimen will help you reduce your risk of needing subsequent corrective surgeries.
After the surgery, physical therapy / chiropractic during post-operative care will help patients retain mobility, as well as building core strength and stretching for flexibility that will aid in preventing future injuries. Another problem you may wish to ask your doctor about is surgical site spine infection infection (SSI). Due to back surgery exposing the body to open air, pathogens may enter the incision site and cause infection at some point during post-operative care. It’s extremely important to get a family member or friend to monitor your wound during dressing changes. Look for oozing pus, red edges around the wound, and foul odors. It’s also possible that surgical site infection may occur as a result of contaminated medical devices. This infection is extremely dangerous, as the wound itself may not exhibit signs of infection. Monitor any changes in back pain, as well as any fever, numbness, or muscle weakness. If any of these symptoms occur, seek immediate medical attention.
post-operative care, low back pain, lower back surgery, physical therapy, surgical site infection, Houston, Sugarland, Woodlands, Katy, Spring, Sealy, Baytown, Pearland, Beaumont, Galleria, Conroe, Humble, Kingwood, Port Arthur, Galveston, Texas Medical Center (TMC), Tomball
Physician experts at the Kraus Back and Neck Institute (KBNI) in Houston, TX, have significant experience and expertise in working with patients who are recovering from minor or major spine surgery. They understand that the beginning of the healing process starts in the OR, but the remainder continues well after the surgery is finished.
The Kraus Back and Neck Institute (KBNI) in Houston TX takes care of patients in Houston and the surrounding areas, including Sugarland, Woodlands, Katy, Spring, Sealy, Baytown, Pearland, Beaumont, Galleria, Conroe, Humble, Kingwood, Port Arthur, Galveston, Texas Medical Center (TMC), Tomball and other Texas TX cities including Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio and Austin
If you have SUFFERED AN INJURY, you can contact the Kraus Back and Neck Institute at
……. 281-713-6296
……. Or visit www.SpineHealth.com to schedule an appointment online
……. KBNI VIDEO
post-operative care, low back pain, lower back surgery, physical therapy, surgical site infection, Houston, Sugarland, Woodlands, Katy, Spring, Sealy, Baytown, Pearland, Beaumont, Galleria, Conroe, Humble, Kingwood, Port Arthur, Galveston, Texas Medical Center (TMC), Tomball
Keywords: post-operative care, low back pain, lower back surgery, physical therapy, surgical site infection, Houston, Sugarland, Woodlands, Katy, Spring, Sealy, Baytown, Pearland, Beaumont, Galleria, Conroe, Humble, Kingwood, Port Arthur, Galveston, Texas Medical Center (TMC), Tomball
Cervical Disc Replacement, Houston, Katy, Sugarland, Memorial City, Texas
Posted by admin in artificial disc, baytown, beaumont, cervical disc replacement, cervical fusion, cervical laminectomy, cervical spine, cervical stenosis, disc degeneration, fusion, herniated disc, herniated disc surgery, houston, katy, neck pain, pain, sugarland, woodlands on September 27, 2014
CERVICAL DISC REPLACEMENT
cervical disc, spinal disc, pain levels, neck pain, Houston, Woodlands, Katy, Spring, Sugarland, Sealy, Pearland, Baytown, Beaumont, Tomball, Galleria, Humble
The spinal discs (shock-absorbing pads between our vertebrae) help us manage the shocks and stresses of daily movement. Our spines are heavily involved in most kinds of motion (sitting, standing, bending, lifting, twisting, etc.). As such, the facet joints that link our vertebrae as well as the spinal discs between them need to be extremely durable and operate with low back and neck pain levels during normal motion. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Spinal structural deformities, trauma, heavy lifting, and inactivity can all play their part in compromising parts of the spinal column. The natural aging process compounds these factors due to the fact that spinal discs naturally degenerate over time. Spinal and cervical discs become thinner, harder, and less pliable as we age, and as a result they are far less capable of managing the stresses of daily life. We are also more likely to experience back and neck pain as a result of these changes.
All of these problems may create problems in the cervical discs in our necks. Since the neck is routinely engaged in movement, compromised cervical discs can severely affect mobility by causing pain during routine motion. Fortunately, there are a variety of strategies patients can use to mediate pain levels. Over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help mediate pain levels while restoring enough mobility for patients to explore other treatment options. Physical therapy focuses on developing muscles along the spinal column and surrounding the neck to offer support to cervical discs and relieve some of the weight they would otherwise have to bear during routine movement.
For more serious cases, such as severe structural deformity, trauma, or extreme neck pain not resolved by more conservative treatments, cervical disc replacement or cervical fusion may be the best option, depending upon the specific findings, recommendations of the surgeon, and desires of the patient. Since this surgery may be both serious and financially costly, physicians typically do not recommend it unless the compromised cervical disc is threatening other functions in the body (causing a loss of sensation, impinging on nearby spinal nerves, causing muscle weakness, etc.). Bone spurs and compromised cervical discs are the most common causes and physicians operate primarily to maintain the patient’s long-term health, as opposed to simply seeking to reduce pain levels. Of course, indications for surgery may vary from patient to patient.
Recovery for cervical disc replacement, like many types of spinal surgery, can be brief to more prolonged . Rest, a healthy diet, and regimens of physical therapy are necessary to re-develop damaged muscles and relieve some of the pressure on cervical discs. Your physician will likely order several checkups to maintain a sense of your progress and to readjust your course of treatment as needed.
The Kraus Back and Neck Institute (KBNI) in Houston TX cares for patients in Houston and the surrounding areas, including Sugarland, Woodlands, Katy, Spring, Sealy, Baytown, Pearland, Beaumont, Galleria, Tomball, Conroe, Humble, Kingwood, Port Arthur, Galveston, Memorial City, Texas Medical Center (TMC) and other Texas TX cities including Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio and Austin.
Keywords: cervical disc, spinal disc, pain levels, neck pain, Houston, Woodlands, Katy, Spring, Sugarland, Sealy, Pearland, Baytown, Beaumont, Tomball, Galleria, Humble, Conroe, Kingwood, Port Arthur, Memorial City, Galveston, Texas Medical Center (TMC), Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin
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