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At What Point Should You Begin to Consider Bulging Disc Surgery?

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Bulging disc surgery is a Bulging disc surgeryperfectly legitimate option for alleviating the debilitating symptoms often associated with spinal nerve compression if – and this is a big “if” – the symptoms remain stubbornly unaffected by the potential benefits of a well-planned regimen of conservative, nonsurgical treatment. The fact is, more than 90 percent of patients who experience nerve compression related to a bulging disc need never consider surgery. And of the small minority who do consider it, many find through a second or third medical opinion that another, nonsurgical option had been overlooked or ignored. Who, then, should actually consent to surgical treatment for a bulging disc?
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Treating Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Through Minimally Invasive Surgery

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thoracic outlet syndromeTwo newly published studies have found that minimally invasive surgery for neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (NTOS) can significantly improve patients’ symptoms. This relatively uncommon condition causes neck pain, paraesthesia in the arms, neck and hands, numbness and weakness in the upper body and is more frequent in young, active and generally healthy patients.

One of the studies found that a fairly recently developed type of surgery is particularly helpful at relieving thoracic outlet syndrome in adolescents when the pinched nerves are being caused by the pectoralis minor tendon. Read more

Neck Pain and Arm Tingling, Rheumatoid Arthritis and B12 Deficiency

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rheumatoid arthritis B12 deficiency and neck pain

Is your neck pain really due to RA or are you vitamin B12 deficient?

Cervical spine degeneration is thought to occur in between 25% and 86% of patients with Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and this can cause a variety of neurological problems including spinal cord compression and even death. Around 7-34% of patients end up requiring neck surgery to decompress the spine and relieve symptoms and one study even found that some 10% of patients dying from RA did so because of fatal cord compression.

Recognizing the symptoms of spinal cord compression can lead to prompt treatment and a more positive prognosis, but what if symptoms of cord compression in the cervical spine are really being caused by an underlying vitamin B12 deficiency? Read more

Laser Spine Procedures: Post-Surgical Guidelines

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Recovery from laser spine proceduresLaser spine procedures are performed to help patients find relief from symptoms caused by nerve irritation and compression caused by certain common spine conditions. After undergoing one of these minimally invasive procedures, many patients are typically able to walk on their own within an hour or two. This is an appealing concept to some individuals dealing with back or neck pain, considering that patients who undergo another possible surgical approach – open spine surgery – may be in a hospital bed for several days or more.

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