Back Pain Relief: Understanding Back Surgery Types

If you suffer from back pain, you’re not alone. Sixteen million adults experience persistent or chronic back pain that limits their daily activities.

The back and spine specialists at NCSH work daily with patients struggling with back pain. Unless it is an emergency requiring any immediate back surgery types, we’ll first recommend treatment combinations of rest, ice, heat, spinal injections, physical therapy, over-the-counter pain medications, diet, or exercise to help manage and reduce your pain.

Sometimes, however, people require surgical interventions, like laminectomy and discectomy, if these conservative treatments don’t work or don’t work well enough. The North Carolina Specialty Hospital orthopedic doctors are board-certified experts who use the latest technology (including robotics) and specialized spinal instrumentation to treat cervical, thoracic, and lumbar disorders.

What Causes Back Pain?

These are some of the most common causes of back pain:

• Lumbar (lower back) muscle strains
• Ruptured (herniated) discs
• Discogenic back pain
• Scoliosis
• Spondylolisthesis (vertebrae slipping out of position)
• Spinal stenosis (narrowing in the spine that puts pressure on nerves)
• Arthritis
• Osteoporosis

Different Kinds of Back Surgery

At North Carolina Specialty Hospital, we know that each patient’s situation, needs, and way of life are unique and require a tailored, individualized approach. We offer several types of spine surgery to meet the needs of all patients:

• Laminotomy, Foraminotomy, and Laminectomy. These procedures remove bone from the spine to relieve pressure on the spinal cord and nerve roots caused by spinal stenosis.

• Discectomy. This is a lumbar, thoracic, or cervical herniated disc surgery. The procedure removes parts of or the entire ruptured or herniated disc that is putting pressure on and irritating nerves.

• Disc Replacements. This procedure replaces a worn or damaged disc between vertebrae with an artificial disc made of metal or combined metal and plastic. Cervical disc replacement surgery is for the neck, while lumbar and thoracic procedures are for the lower parts of the spine.

• Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion. This procedure is a type of spinal fusion surgery through the front (anterior) used to stabilize a painful segment in the lower back, usually caused by a lumbar degenerative disc disease or spondylolisthesis.

• Posterior Thoracic and Lumbar Fusion. This procedure uses a bone graft on an area of the spine through surgery through the back (posterior) to cause the bone to grow between vertebrae segments to stop painful motion there.

• Kyphoplasty. Kyphoplasty surgery inserts a special cement into and around damaged vertebrae to strengthen them and reduce pain.

• Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion. This procedure stabilizes the spinal vertebrae in the lower back, fusing them to create solid bone that eliminates movement and reduces pain and nerve irritation.

• Extreme Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion. This procedure fuses the lumbar spine (from the side rather than through the front or back) to treat disorders such as lumbar degenerative disc disease, scoliosis, lumbar disc herniations, and stenosis. This can also be an operation for spondylolisthesis.

• Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion. This procedure is a type of neck surgery that removes damaged discs to relieve spinal cord or nerve root pressure.

What Type of Doctor Does Back Surgery? NCSH Expertise in Spine Surgery

If back pain surgery is recommended for your condition, you can trust the orthopedic experts at North Carolina Specialty Hospital. Only orthopedists who specialize in back and spine conditions provide these procedures.

Our commitment to exceptional spinal surgery is reflected in our Medical Excellence Award from CareChex, recognizing we are in the top 10% of hospitals nationwide.

At NCSH, you’ll experience the most appropriate treatment, the latest technologies, and the best results. We’re with you from initial diagnosis through treatment, surgery, and recovery—until you’re back to living your life with less pain.

There’s no need to suffer from back pain. We are committed to helping patients find personalized solutions. Schedule a consultation to learn more about how our spine specialists can help you.