SPINAL SURGERY

DEGENERATIVE CONDITIONS OF THE SPINE

Degenerative conditions of the spine are conditions brought about by changes in the normal structure of the spine due to “wear and tear” and ageing. Naturally, you will have a gradual degeneration of the discs of the spine due to repeated strains, sprains, and overuse that comes with ageing.

TYPES OF DEGENERATIVE BACK CONDITIONS

Degenerative spinal changes can affect almost every structure of the spine, including the discs, bones, cartilage, ligaments and nerves. Pressure on the spinal cord and nerve roots caused by degeneration is most commonly a result of the following degenerative disorders:

• Degenerative disc disease - this occurs when discs or cushions between the vertebrae wear out, causing loss of flexibility and pain or weakness if a nerve becomes pinched.
• Disc herniation - this occurs when the discs or cushions lose their soft, jelly-like inner structure, irritating the nerves within the spine leading to pain, numbness or weakness in an arm or leg.
• Spinal stenosis - This is the narrowing of the spinal canal, which causes compression of the spinal cord and nerves within the spine. This causes chronic back pain, numbness and muscle weakness.
• Spondylolisthesis - this occurs when one vertebra slips onto another, causing severe back pain, numbness in the leg and sharp shooting pain down the leg as a result of nerve crowding.
• Myelopathies - this is the compression of the spinal cord. Depending on where it occurs, this may affect the neck, middle spine or lower back.
• Osteoarthritis - This is a degenerative condition of the back, as a realist of the breakdown of the cartilage of the joints and discs in the spine. This may cause pressure on the nerves of the spine, causing weakness and pain in the arms or legs.

These degenerative spine conditions can be diagnosed by your neurosurgeon with an x-ray; however, in some cases, an MRI or CT may be necessary. Once diagnosed, the treatment will depend on the severity of the condition and the experienced symptoms. When it comes to the treatment of chronic back pain, conservative approaches should be properly explored before back surgery can be deemed an option as this is a serious decision.

TREATMENT
Since the causes of degenerative spine conditions will vary from patient to patient, no two treatments will be identical. For some conditions, exercise may be vital to enhance flexibility and increase muscle strength, while for others bracing, activity modification, physiotherapy or medication can be used to relieve pain. For those with chronic pain, Dr Setati may advise pain or steroid injections for pain management. In rare cases, if all non-surgical methods have been explored, Dr Setati may advise surgery such as a disc arthroplasty, discectomy, laminectomy, laminotomy or spinal fusion.