Do I Have a Bulging Disc?

What is a Bulging Disc?

What Causes a Bulging Disc?

• Bad posture
• Genetic factors
• Inactive lifestyle
• Injuries
• Sudden weight bearing on the discs

What Are Common Bulging Disc Symptoms?

How Are Bulging Discs Treated?

Non-Surgical Treatment Options for Bulging Discs

• Pain management
• Change in diet and exercise routine
• Physical therapy
• Heat and cold therapy
• Medication

• Artificial Disc Replacement
• Laser Spine Surgery
• Microdiscectomy
• Spinal Fusion
• Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

Do I Have a Degenerative Disc Disease?

What is Degenerative Disc Disease?

What Causes Degenerative Disc Disease?

What Are Common Degenerative Disc Disease Symptoms?

• Radiating pain down the entire leg and buttocks
• Pain that feels worse with bending or lifting
• Numbness in the legs or other areas of the body

How Is Degenerative Disc Disease Treated?

• Pain Management
• Physical therapy
• Quitting smoking
• Diet modification
• Steroid injections
• Heat/ice therapy

Surgical Treatments for Degenerative Disc Disease

• Artificial Disc Replacement
• Microdiscectomy
• Spinal fusion

Do I Have a Herniated Disc?

What is a Herniated Disc?

The bones in the spine are critical to protecting the spinal cord. The spine consists of 24 vertebrae discs stacked on top of one another as well as a series of vital nerves. In between each of these vertebrae is a water-based jelly-like substance that offers padding for each of the discs. This jelly can push its way into the outer ring of the spinal cord putting pressure on the cord and the surrounding nerves causing pain to occur.

What Causes a Herniated Disc?

There are a number of causes for a herniated discs, but the most common is regular use with age. The discs have a high water content which the body loses naturally over time. This results in a less flexible range for the discs and a narrower spinal cord that can lead to disc herniation. Experiencing a sudden injury can also allow a spinal disc to slip and become herniated. Other risk factors for a herniated disc include:

• Age
• Weight
• Improper lifting
• Smoking
• Lack of exercise
• Repetitive movements

What Are Common Herniated Disc Symptoms?

When a disc is herniated it is common to have lower back pain that lasts a few days. Other symptoms may include:

• Numbness in legs or feet
• Weakness in legs or feet
• Shooting pain down one or both legs
• Trouble with controlling the bladder or bowels

How Are Herniated Discs Treated?

Non-Surgical Treatment Options for Herniated Discs

In treatment, the first steps include considering the many non-surgical options for herniated discs. These options are very effective and have high success rates with many patients. Typical non-surgical options include:

• Pain management
• Heat and cold therapy
• Activity modifications
• Stretching exercises
• Cortisone injections
• Over-the-counter or prescription medications

Surgical Treatments for Herniated Discs

If other options did not bring relief or if conditions are severe, surgical treatment may be necessary. Surgical treatment options require a carefully planned and customized approach for each patient. Work with a specialist from Texas Surgical Hospital to determine if any of the following is right for you:

• Artificial disc replacement
• Microdiscectomy
• Spine Fusion

As with any spinal condition, it’s important to seek medical advice and treatment before the condition becomes too serious. Whether non-surgical or surgical treatment, the path to a pain-free life waiting is for you.

Do I Have a Failed Back Surgery Syndrome?

What is Failed Back Surgery Syndrome?

Back pain and back surgery are extremely common among adults. In some cases, back surgery won’t relieve pain entirely. In these instances, a person may have what is called failed back surgery syndrome (fbss).

What Causes Failed Back Surgery Syndrome?

A spine surgery procedure is typically performed to ease pain by decompressing nerve roots or stabilizing joints. If a patient still experiences pain after successful surgery, it’s likely because the joint or lesion surgically operated on wasn’t the cause of the pain.

Other risks for failed back surgery include:

• Disc herniation
• Instability
• Scar tissue
• Unstable movement
• Degenerative disc disease
• Nerve damage
• Arthritis

What Are Common Symptoms of Failed Back Surgery Syndrome?

After back surgery, there are important symptoms to keep in mind to help determine the success of the surgery. The symptoms are:

• Feeling relief after the surgery, but the pain slowly comes back
• Previous symptoms moving to a new location in the body
• Feeling the same pain as before, and possibly more

How Is Failed Back Surgery Syndrome Treated?

Non-Surgical Treatment Options for Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

If back surgery has failed there are non-surgical options to try before having more surgery to relieve pressure and pain. Each of these has its own success rate depending on the patient. It’s important to work with an expert at Texas Surgical Hospital to utilize the most effective treatment. Non-surgical options include:

• Pain management
• Physical therapy
• Chiropractic visits
• Physical training
• Steroid injections
• Medications

Surgical Treatments for Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

Minimally invasive spine surgery can help to correct the other parts of the back that are causing pain with minimally invasive techniques and microscopic imaging. An expert will narrow in on the exact problem locations on the spine and tailor a surgical treatment to those conditions. The minimally invasive nature of the treatment aids in a quicker recovery.

As with any spinal condition, it’s important to seek medical advice and treatment before the condition becomes too serious.

Do I Have Lower Back Pain?

What is Lower Back Pain?

Lower back pain affects nearly 80% of adults. The structures of the lower back are a complex group of muscles, ligaments, and bones that help to support the entire body. When any part of the structure becomes inflamed or injured, it can cause pain in the lower back.

What Causes Lower Back Pain?

Several factors can contribute to the occurrence of low back pain, including age, stress, and injuries. Lifting heavy objects or twisting incorrectly are common reasons for injuries that can tear or overly stretch the muscles in the low back. Stress can also contribute to lower energy levels needed to support the back. The structures of the spine work in sync with one another, so finding the exact cause of low back pain may not be apparent. The best place to start is booking an evaluation with Texas Surgical Hospital to evaluate your pain history and determine the right care path for you.

What Are Common Lower Back Pain Symptoms?

The symptoms of lower back pain vary depending on the circumstance and injury. Some experience dull aches while others feel a stabbing or lightning sharp pain brought on suddenly. There is a range of symptoms such as:

• Back pain that gets worse after sitting or standing for long periods of time
• Trouble moving from sitting to standing
• Shooting pain and numbness in the thighs, legs, or feet
• Dull ache in only the lower back
• Pain that is constant, or it may come and go

How Is Lower Back Pain Treated?

Non-Surgical Treatment Options for Lower Back Pain

As there are many factors that contribute to low back pain, there are also many options for treatment outside of surgery that can help reduce inflammation and pain. These should be utilized before more serious options are considered. The non-surgical treatments include:

• Pain Management
• Modifications to lifestyle actions and habits
• Incorporating a healthier diet
• Stress management
• Physical therapy
• Prescription and over-the-counter medication

Surgical Treatments for Low Back Pain

If all of the non-surgical options fail to deliver results over time, surgical treatments may be the next step on the path to relieving lower back pain. Surgical options for lower back pain include:

• Laser Spine Surgery
• Artificial Disc Replacement
• Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
• Spinal Fusion
• Microdiscectomy

As with any spinal condition, it’s important to seek medical advice and treatment before the condition becomes too serious. Whether non-surgical or surgical treatment, the path to a pain-free life waiting is for you.

Do I Have a Pinched Nerve?

What is a Pinched Nerve?

The spine is made up of vertebrae and discs that protect the spinal column. The spinal column is packed with critical nerves that span the body, and the nerve roots reach beyond the protecting vertebrae. When the nerve roots are injured it is considered a pinched nerve. The lower back is most afflicted with the pain of pinched nerves, but they can happen anywhere along the spine.

What Causes a Pinched Nerve?

Several scenarios can lead to a pinched nerve. It’s typically a symptom that builds over time due to lifestyle choices in diet and low activity, but it can occur from a sudden injury. Whenever the nerves are compressed it can lead to pain. Common causes of a pinched nerve include:

• Disc degeneration
• Herniated disc
• Bulging disc
• Trauma or injury
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Spinal stenosis
• Bone spurs

What Are Common Pinched Nerve Symptoms?

A pinched nerve may cause one or more symptoms to occur. It’s important to get treated for prolonged pinched nerve symptoms as they may cause lasting chronic pain. An expert at Texas Surgical Hospital will help you navigate the source of your pain. The typical symptoms include:

• Sharp or dull pain
• Tingling
• Muscle weakness
• Numbness

How Are Pinched Nerves Treated?

Non-Surgical Treatment Options for Pinched Nerves

Pinched nerves are a common occurrence and treating them with non-surgical options is the first step towards recovering. Non-surgical treatment options for pinched nerves include:

• Rest
• Heat/Ice
• Over-the-counter pain medication
• Physical therapy
• Pain Management

Surgical Treatments for Pinched Nerves

There are several surgical treatment options to look at when more conventional approaches have not worked. Swelling and fluid build-up from a pinched nerve can cause lasting damage so it’s best to seek expert advice as soon as possible. If there is severe nerve pain there are surgical treatment options including:

• Artificial disc replacement
• Spinal fusion
• Laser spine surgery

As with any spinal condition, it’s important to seek medical advice and treatment before the condition becomes too serious. Whether non-surgical or surgical treatment, the path to a pain-free life waiting is for you.

Do I Have Sciatica?

What is Sciatica?

The cause of sciatica pain is due to inflammation or the compression and pinching of a nerve group located in the lower back. The leading cause of sciatica pain is damage to a spinal disc that compresses the sciatic nerve roots. This compression can also lead to weakness in the lower extremities as well.

What Causes Sciatica?

There are two sciatic nerves in the lower body. These nerves can be felt in the lower back, buttocks, legs, and feet. Experiencing a herniated or slipped disc can cause issues with sciatica when pressure is being placed on any of the extending nerve roots. Injury may also cause a sudden onset of symptoms.

What Are Common Sciatica Symptoms?

The most telling sign of a problem with the sciatic nerves is low back pain that radiates down the leg and sometimes into the ankle and foot. Other common symptoms include:

• Numbness in buttocks, leg, and foot
• Weakness in the lower body
• Unpleasant tingling sensations in buttocks, leg, or foot

How Is Sciatica Treated?

Non-Surgical Treatment Options for Sciatica

There are many non-surgical forms of intervention that can successfully manage the pain of sciatica. Making meaningful changes in diet choices as well as activity levels can return a high quality of life, and dampen sciatica pain. Other non-surgical options for sciatica include:

• Hot/Cold therapy
• Walking and stretching
• Anti-inflammatory medications
• Pain Management

Surgical Treatments for Sciatica

When non-surgical treatments have been exhausted, surgery may be required to correct the underlying condition and relieve your pain. Depending on the underlying condition, your surgical treatment options for sciatica can vary. The most common surgical treatment is Herniated disc removal. Other common procedures include artificial disc replacement and microdiscectomy.

As with any spinal condition, it’s important to seek medical advice and treatment before the condition becomes too serious. Whether non-surgical or surgical treatment, the path to a pain-free life waiting is for you.