Lumbar Pain

Lumbar Pain

Usually people who are suffering from lumbar spine disorders, like a herniated disc, do not require surgery because symptoms tend to improve over time with the help of alternative treatment methods, like physical therapy or medications. Half of the patients suffering from lumber pain due to different lumbar spine conditions are known to recover within 1 month whereas almost 96% of them recover within 6 months. Only a small number of patients (10%) suffering from lower back pain problems suffer from severe symptoms that may need lumbar surgery.

Symptoms of Lumbar Pain

Surgery is only considered to help the patient recover from pain so that he may return to normal movement and function of the body. The symptoms that may lead to surgery are:

  • Leg pain that remains severe and chronic even after regular non surgical treatment for a minimum of 4 weeks
  • When patient is unable to perform daily normal activities and suffer from muscular weakness
  • When physical examinations leads to the discovery of abnormal sensitivity, weakness and loss of motion
  • When diagnostic tests like CT scan, MRI or X-ray show that the patient is suffering from severe lower back problems like disc herniation or osteoarthritis that can only be treated surgically
  • Sometimes doctor and patient may consider surgery as the choice of treatment when the patient’s job or work requires for rapid recovery and the patient does not have the time for the disc to heal itself

Types of Lumbar Surgery

There are certain surgical procedures that are considered for lower back pain usually caused by herniated disc. These procedures are namely:

  • Discectomy or open discectomy is often done to remove the part of the herniated disc that presses on a nerve root
  • Percutaneous Discectomy is often a surgical procedure that Is done for bulging discs and those discs that are not ruptured into the spinal canal. This procedure is often considered more effective then open discectomy
  • Laminotomy and Laminectomy are surgical procedures is usually considered to relieve pressure on the spinal cord. This surgery is often done for treatment of age-related changes in the spine.