Will Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Alleviate Your Back Pain?

Back pain can interfere with your daily life in multiple ways, from bringing about emotional stress and disappointment to keeping you from carrying out your everyday tasks. Over 260 million days of work are lost in the US each year from back pain, according to the American Chiropractic Association, which is equal to about two days per full-time worker. 

If you’re prone to back pain, you may want to consider minimally invasive spine surgery. To find out if you’re a candidate, call South Texas Spinal Clinic or book an appointment on our website.

Benefits of minimally invasive spine surgery

Unlike more invasive operations, which involve a surgical opening in your body that allows for more room for surgeons to maneuver and examine an area, minimally invasive approaches use only tiny incisions. In other words, they “invade” your body less. Through these incisions, surgeons can thread in specialized instruments, such as a tiny camera or microscope, that allow them to see all they need to see. They can also use smaller devices to make needed incisions through these small openings. 

Benefits of minimally invasive spine surgery, compared to traditional options, include:

• Faster healing time
• Greater surgical precision
• Less postoperative pain
• Less downtime to recover
• Minimal scarring
• Reduced risk of complications, such as infection

Conditions minimally invasive spine surgeries treat

Minimally invasive surgery can treat a range of spine-related conditions, leading to less pain and improved quality of life, including: 

• Herniated discs
• Cervical radiculopathy
• Myelopathy
• Spinal cord compression
• Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL)
• Lumbar radiculopathy (sciatica)
• Spondylosis
• Spondylolisthesis
• Scoliosis
• Spinal stenosis

At South Texas Spinal Clinic, our specialists perform the following minimally invasive procedures:

• Anterior cervical fusion, which relieves nerve pressure caused by a ruptured disc in your neck 
• Lumbar microdiscectomy, which removes the ruptured portion of a disc in your lumbar spine 
• Lumbar laminectomy, which removes a part of the back of your vertebrae to relieve pressure on nerve roots in your lower back 

Some of these conditions may be treatable without surgery. We will consult directly with you to find the best solution.

Candidates for minimally invasive spine surgery

One of our specialists can help determine if you’re a candidate for minimally invasive surgery for your back. Factors they’ll consider your overall health, the severity of your spinal condition, and whether or not your symptoms have responded well to more conservative treatments, such as lifestyle changes. At your first appointment, be prepared to discuss the specifics of your medical history as well as any questions you may have.

Schedule an appointment on our website or give us a call today to learn more. Our team at South Texas Spinal Clinic would love to help you find your way back to comfortable living.