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Living with chronic back pain caused by an unstable spine can significantly impact your daily life and well-being. Spinal fusion is a highly effective surgical procedure designed to decompress the nerves in the spine and stabilize an unstable segment. When facing a degenerative condition that requires surgery, understanding the procedure and recovery process eases concerns and helps you prepare for the journey ahead.

Back pain causing radiating pain into one leg or both is one of the most common health complaints, often due to spinal issues such as herniated discs, spinal stenosis, or degenerative disc disease.  Physical therapy and injections are always first line methods.  But when nonoperative treatments fail to alleviate the pain, surgical intervention is an option. For patients with compression of the nerves in their lumbar spine, a lumbar laminectomy will alleviate that compression.  There are several ways to perform a laminectomy.   A traditional midline approach is still commonly done in several centers.  A minimally invasive approach offers numerous benefits over traditional open surgery. Dr. Luis M. Tumialán provides expert insight into the advantages of this advanced surgical technique and how it can improve outcomes for patients.

With so much going on around the holiday season, it’s not surprising that this time of year can bring about a certain level of stress. Stress can be one of the elements that lead to back pain. Do yourself a favor this year, and follow a few simple tips to ensure that you’re still enjoying all that this time of year has to offer, but without any unnecessary pain. Here are a few simple ways to reduce back pain and stress during one of the busiest times of the year.

The physiology of the spine is fairly complex. Most people are aware that it’s comprised of a column of building blocks called vertebrae, and between each vertebra is a gel-filled disc that helps the spine to flex,  bend and absorb impact, like shock absorbers in a car The vertebrae have openings on each side called foramen, or neuroforamen. The spinal nerves pass through these openings, traveling from the spinal cord and out to various parts of your body.

Lower back pain is a very common occurrence and is one of the primary causes of days taken off work across the United States. There can be many different causes of lower back pain, and in many cases the problem may resolve itself without ever really finding out what was causing you to experience the discomfort. One fairly well-diagnosed reason to experience lower back is a condition known as a herniated lumbar disc.

A lumbar disc prolapse is also often referred to as a slipped or herniated disc. It is a condition that can occur anywhere along the spine but is most often seen in the lower back and is one of the leading causes of back pain amongst Americans. Fortunately, it is a condition that Dr. Luis M. Tumialán routinely treats in his practice. Dr. Tumialán can talk you through the various treatments options available to you and help you identify the one that provides the best long term relief from your symptoms.

Our spine is one of the most complex structures within our bodies. Not only does it enable us to stand up straight and hold the weight of our entire body vertical, it also contains the spinal cord which is a key component of the central nervous system. This runs through the very center of the spine, protected by bones known as vertebrae. Between each vertebra is a small, fluid-filled disc called an intervertebral disc. This acts as a shock absorber for the spine and enables it to bend, twist and more.

Your spine is a crucially important part of your anatomy. It is comprised of a series of small bones stacked in a column. These include 24 separate vertebrae interspaced with discs of cartilage, and the sacrum and coccyx. The Sacrum is a flat, triangular bone that forms during adolescence and can be found in the lower back between the hip bones, while the coccyx, which is better known as the tailbone, contains between 3 and 5 vertebrae.

MISS procedures can be performed using general anesthetic if absolutely necessary, but in many cases, patients can avoid being put to sleep and will instead be able to have the surgery while under the effects of a combination of sedative drugs and anesthetic.

It is important that you prepare for the fact that your recovery from spine fusion surgery could take anywhere up to 3 months. Exactly how long you will need to take off from work should be discussed with your doctor, but it is crucial that you do not return to work too early, as this could cause complication with the healing process and the overall success of your spine fusion surgery.