Spinal Deformity Surgical Treatment

Spinal Deformity Surgical Treatment: Definition, Purpose, Preparation, Procedure and Results

Spinal deformity is a term used to label a wide variety of diseases and conditions involving the spine and any deformity associated with it. These conditions can include scoliosis, round back, flatback, kyphosis, and spondylolisthesis, as well as other conditions not listed here. People from ages 21 and older most often experience spinal deformity, although spinal deformity can also be prevalent in children and adolescents, it is more common in adults.

Spinal Deformity Symptoms

Perhaps the most common symptom of spinal deformity and one most people can attest to is the experience of pain. The pain can range from something that bothers you, to something that is so severe that it can affect your day to day activities. The pain will not only be apparent in your spinal area but can also radiate to nearby organs and body parts such as your shoulder, back, neck, buttocks, and legs.

Adult patients experiencing spinal deformity will find it difficult to carry on with daily activities, especially ones they have been able to do with ease before, as well as find it difficult to do things recreationally, thus affecting their quality of life. Moreover, spinal deformity can worsen and progress over time if left untreated.

What is Spinal Deformity Surgical Treatment?

People who experience spinal deformity are given options to treat the condition. The most common treatment for deformities and conditions relating to the spine is perhaps surgery, specifically a wide range of surgical processes referred to as spinal deformity surgical treatment.

What is the Purpose of Spinal Deformity Surgical Treatment?

Primarily, surgical treatment of spinal deformities is used to treat and prevent the worsening of deformities found in the spine, and to prevent the onset of other related conditions such as breathing problems and neurological problems.

Although patients are offered non-surgical treatments such as exercise, injections, medications and physical therapy, most patients, especially those in the later stages of the condition find that surgery works spinal deformity surgical treatment works better and offers a much more permanent form of treatment.

This is true even in spinal deformities associated with children. Surgery is the ideal treatment for them as it prevents the worsening of the condition, as they get older. In adult patients, they want to undergo spinal deformity surgical treatment in order to improve their body image, as they hate the posture and body image their deformity imposes upon them.

What are the Preparations done before a Spinal Deformity Surgical Treatment?

- Before a surgical treatment can occur for your spinal deformity, the doctor will subject you to various physical examinations and medical imaging procedures to specify exactly where the surgery will occur in order to effectively anesthetize the area, as well as to determine your overall physical health and surgical risk. Imaging procedures will include X-rays, MRI, and CT Scans, in order for the surgeon to correctly plan and outline the surgery that will occur.

- Before the surgery, there are things you can do for yourself in order to ensure that the process goes along smoothly. For example, the night before a surgery, you must make sure that you don’t eat or drink anything after midnight. This will include minor consumables such as water, crackers, candy and even chewing gums. This is in order to make your stomach empty to avoid aspiration during, or after application of general anesthesia. Eat a well-balanced and hearty meal earlier in the night before your surgery, and avoid eating foods that are too salty. This is to not induce thirstiness after you wake up and right before surgery.

What are the Procedures for Spinal Deformity Surgical Treatment?

During the operation itself, you will be guided to the operating table and encouraged to fall asleep, an anesthesiologist will then give you medicine to help you fall asleep and not feel pain during the whole process. The anesthesiologist or nurse will insert a small tube into your mouth to help supply oxygen to your lungs during the operation.

The surgical treatment will then occur either in a posterior approach or an anterior approach. During a posterior approach, your spine will be operated from your back, and the incision will be visible as a straight line in the middle of your back. In the anterior approach, however, the incision will run either from one side of your rib cage or on the front of your abdomen. In both of these surgical processes, spinal hardware will be placed on your spines, such as rods, screws, and hooks. Sometimes bone grafts will be placed along the spine, and these bone donations will either be from a donor or from one of your hip’s bones.

Spinal Deformity Surgical Treatment: After Surgery

What usually happens after surgery is that you will be advised to stay in the hospital for a few days up to a few weeks, in order to encourage your full recovery and for the doctor and nurse to monitor your vital signs and recovery progress. You will be subjected to physical therapy in order to return your bodily functions to the state they were in before surgery. Physical therapy can occur in the hospital, or in your own home.

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Questions & Answers
Q:
What is the best way to treat permanent back and neck pain and stiffness?
A:
by
Age2B

Here are some tips:

Neck Pain Tips: Sleep with a cervical pillow

Orthopedic or cervical pillows are made with special contours to support the space beneath the neck and head. They are also more concave for the head and provide more support to the neck.

Neck Pain Tips: Sleep on your back

The best position to lie to sleep is on your back. If you sleep on your stomach or on your side, make sure your pillow is not too thick. It should raise your head no more than 4 to 6 inches. This will keep your neck and head from turning to either side.

Neck Pain Tips: Position your computer screen at eye level

While you are working at a computer, sit comfortably in your chair with your computer in front of you. Close your eyes and then open them. When you open your eyes, you should see the middle of the computer screen. If your gaze is not in the middle of the screen, adjust the height of the screen using items like books.

To keep your head from gradually drifting forward, take frequent breaks to stretch. Getting up to walk around at least once every half-hour is one of the best neck pain tips.

Neck Pain Tips: Use a telephone headset

Never hold a phone between your shoulder and your ear. Use a headset or other hands-free system to talk on the phone and avoid abusing your neck and spine.

Neck Pain Tips: Exercise your neck muscles

One of the best neck pain tips is using the chin tuck. You can do this often throughout the day. In addition to helping strengthen the muscles that hold the head in alignment over the shoulders, it also helps strengthen the scalene and sub-occipital muscles.

Read more tips here: Neck Pain Tips: Sleeping, Posture, Exercising, Hydration & Prevention

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Age2B
4 answers
Q:
What is the best treatment for neck pain and shoulder Pain?
A:
by
Age2B

One of the best treatment for neck pain and shoulder pain is exercises:

Neck Pain Exercises: Neck Extension

  1. To begin this neck pain exercise, sit up straight in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
  2. Looking straight ahead, tuck your chin slightly (starting position)
  3. Place the palm of your hand on the back of your neck, at the base of your head
  4. Apply slight forward pressure with your hand, while resisting the forward motion of your neck and head
  5. Hold for a count of 5 and return to the starting position and relax
  6. Repeat the neck pain exercises 5-10 times

Neck pain exercises: Side bend

  1. Sit up straight in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
  2. Looking straight ahead, tuck your chin slightly (starting position)
  3. Place your left hand, palm down, on the left side of your head (around your ear)
  4. Slightly push your head to the right side with your hand, while resisting the sideways motion of your neck and head
  5. Hold for a count of 5 and return to the starting position and relax.
  6. Repeat 5-10 times
  7. Repeat the neck pain exercises with the other side.

Neck pain exercises: Neck flexion

  1. Sit up straight in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
  2. Looking straight ahead, tuck your chin slightly (starting position)
  3. Place the tips of your fingers on your forehead
  4. Slightly push your head backward with your fingers, while resisting the backward motion of your neck and head
  5. Hold for a count of 5 and return to the starting position and relax.
  6. Repeat the neck pain exercises 5-10 times

More exercises here: Neck Pain Exercises

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Age2B
4 answers
Q:
How do I reduce the shoulder and neck pain?
A:
by
Age2B

Here are some tips:

Neck Pain Tips: Sleep with a cervical pillow

Orthopedic or cervical pillows are made with special contours to support the space beneath the neck and head. They are also more concave for the head and provide more support to the neck.

Neck Pain Tips: Sleep on your back

The best position to lie to sleep is on your back. If you sleep on your stomach or on your side, make sure your pillow is not too thick. It should raise your head no more than 4 to 6 inches. This will keep your neck and head from turning to either side.

Neck Pain Tips: Position your computer screen at eye level

While you are working at a computer, sit comfortably in your chair with your computer in front of you. Close your eyes and then open them. When you open your eyes, you should see the middle of the computer screen. If your gaze is not in the middle of the screen, adjust the height of the screen using items like books.

To keep your head from gradually drifting forward, take frequent breaks to stretch. Getting up to walk around at least once every half-hour is one of the best neck pain tips.

Neck Pain Tips: Carry weight evenly

Many people make the mistake of carrying a heavy briefcase or their purse on their shoulder or on one side of their body. Doing this causes strain in the muscles and leads to pain.

Remove non-essentials from your briefcase or purse. Consider using a backpack to evenly distribute the weight across your shoulders. If you choose to carry a purse or backpack, keep your shoulders level while carrying it.

Neck Pain Tips: Maintain a proper posture

The most common posture contributing to neck pain is the “head-and-shoulders-forward” posture. In this position, the neck slopes forward, putting the head in front of the shoulders.

In this position, the head pulls the upper back forward also in a slumped position. This places a strain on the entire spinal column.

More tips here: Neck Pain Tips: Sleeping, Posture, Exercising, Hydration & Prevention

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Age2B
4 answers