If you can no longer do the things you love because of back pain or instability, it can be easy to become resigned to giving up the things you enjoy and making modifications for you to move more comfortably. However, you don’t have to give up your quality of life because of back pain; there are options available to you.
“There are a number of treatments that we can try when it comes to back pain,” said Dr. Mohamed Salar, Orthopedic Spine Surgeon at MSU Sports Medicine who performs surgery at McLaren Greater Lansing. “We typically try physical therapy, medications, or injections first. If conservative treatments aren’t helping, it may be time to consider surgery.”
A Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF) is one minimally invasive surgical procedure that can help relieve pain or instability in patients who suffer from spinal conditions such as degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, and spinal fractures.
“A TLIF is designed to stabilize the spine, relieve nerve compression, and achieve spinal fusion,” said Dr. Salar. “By removing the damaged disc and inserting a bone graft or implant in the front part of the spine while fusing the two vertebrae on the back part of the spine, the surgery reduces pain and improves spinal stability.”
Not everyone is a candidate for a TLIF. If you suffer from osteoporosis, conjoined nerve roots, infection, inflammation, or epidural scarring, you may not be a good fit for this surgery.
The best way to find out what is causing your back pain/instability would be to get a referral to a spinal orthopedic specialist who can order the appropriate imaging tests needed to diagnose your condition and offer next steps.
“Sometimes I see patients when they can no longer walk and are wheelchair bound,” said Dr. Salar. “A lot of times I hear it’s because back surgery is a big surgery and patients are anxious about going through it. While it’s completely normal to feel anxious about any surgery, we have modern surgical techniques today that we didn’t have even five years ago. These techniques are making all surgeries safer and less invasive than in the past.”
While healing from a full spinal fusion can take 3-6 months, often patients will be walking and doing light activities within a week of surgery. Most people can drive within 2-3 weeks, once the pain is manageable without narcotics, and go back to sedentary jobs within 4-6 weeks.
If you are experiencing back pain or instability that affects your ability to walk or enjoy your life, consider talking to your primary care provider about seeing a spinal orthopedic surgeon to discuss your options. To learn about the Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Institute at McLaren Greater Lansing, click here.
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