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Labette Health

Patient Education

Spine topics

A directory of spine topics covered in the Labette Health patient education materials.

  • Anatomy of the spine

    The spine is made of 33 individual bony vertebrae stacked one on top of the other. This spinal column provides the main support for your body, allowing you to stand upright, bend, and twist, while protecting the spinal cord from injury. Strong bones and muscles, flexible tendons and ligaments, and sensitive nerves ensure a healthy spine.

  • Adjacent segment disease after surgery

    Adjacent segment disease is a condition that sometimes occurs after a spinal fusion surgery. Fusion joins or “locks” two or more bones together, stopping the natural motion at that level. While the goal is to relieve painful motion, fusion causes the adjacent discs to work harder. Similar to a domino effect, degenerative changes can develop on the discs and joints above or below the previous surgery site.

  • Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF)

    Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion is a surgery to remove a herniated or degenerative disc in the neck. An incision is made in the throat area to reach and remove the disc. A graft is inserted to fuse together the bones above and below the disc. ACDF may be an option if physical therapy or medications fail to relieve your neck or arm pain caused by pinched nerves.

  • Artificial disc replacement (arthroplasty)

    Artificial disc surgery replaces a worn-out disc in the spine with a device that moves like a natural disc. The device is made of metal plates with a ceramic or polymer core that flexes or glides. It's an alternative to spinal fusion, which stops all motion at the disc. The benefit of an artificial disc is less stress on adjacent discs compared to fusion. But it is not for those with facet joint arthritis or weak bones.

  • Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF)

    Anterior lumbar interbody fusion is a surgery to treat disc problems in the low back. Fusion locks together two or more bones to stop painful motion and correct their alignment. Through an incision in the front of the belly, the disc is removed. A bone graft is placed in the empty space to restore the height and relieve nerve pinching. During healing, the bones fuse into one solid piece.

  • Back pain

    Back pain results when the spine is stressed by injury, disease, wear and tear, or poor body mechanics. Acute low back pain is abrupt, intense pain that subsides after a period of days or weeks. It typically resolves with rest, physical therapy, and other self-care measures. You play an important role in the prevention, treatment, and recovery of back pain.

  • Carpal tunnel syndrome surgery

    Carpal tunnel syndrome causes tingling, numbness, or pain in the hand. The wrist bones and ligament form a tunnel, a passage for the median nerve and finger tendons. Repetitive strain may cause swelling that traps the nerve within the tunnel. Treatments include modifying activities, physical therapy, a wrist brace, medications, or surgery to free the nerve.

  • Cauda equina syndrome

    Cauda equina syndrome is a rare condition caused by a large disc herniation compressing the nerve roots at the end of the spinal cord. Sudden back pain with numbness in the genital area, difficulty urinating, and leg weakness is a medical emergency. Prompt surgery to relieve the pressure may prevent permanent damage and restore bladder and bowel function.

  • Coccydynia tailbone pain

    Coccydynia is tailbone pain at the bottom of the spine, an area called the coccyx. The pain can be caused by a fall, childbirth, excessive sitting, or a tumor. Diagnosis involves ruling out other conditions that cause pain near the coccyx. A coccyx injury may take weeks to months to heal. Most patients recover by sitting on a shaped cushion, physical therapy, and steroid joint injections.

  • Degenerative disc disease

    As you age, the spine begins to show signs of wear and tear as the discs dry out and shrink. These age-related changes can lead to arthritis, disc herniation, or stenosis. Pressure on the spinal nerves may cause pain. Physical therapy, self-care, medication, and spinal injections are used to manage symptoms. Surgery may be an option if the pain is chronic.

  • Facet arthritis, facet joint syndrome

    Facet joint syndrome is an arthritis-like condition of the spine that can be a significant source of back and neck pain. The cartilage inside the facet joint can break down and become inflamed, triggering pain signals in nearby nerve endings. Medication, physical therapy, joint injections, nerve blocks, and nerve ablations may be used to manage symptoms.

  • Herniated cervical disc

    A herniated disc occurs when the gel-like center of a disc ruptures through a weak area in the tough outer wall. Neck or arm pain, numbness or tingling may result when the disc material compresses a spinal nerve. Treatment with medication, spinal injections, and physical therapy is the first step to recovery. Most people improve in 6 weeks and return to normal activity. If symptoms continue, surgery may be an option.

  • Herniated lumbar disc

    A herniated disc occurs when the gel-like center of a disc ruptures through a weak area in the tough outer wall. Back or leg pain, numbness or tingling may result when the disc material compresses a spinal nerve. Treatment with medication, spinal injections, and physical therapy is the first step to recovery. Most people improve in 6 weeks and return to normal activity. If symptoms continue, surgery may be an option.

  • Lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF)

    Lateral interbody fusion is a minimally invasive surgery to treat disc problems in the low back. In spinal fusion, two or more bones of the spine are joined to stop painful motion, decompress pinched nerves, and correct scoliosis. Through a small incision at the side of the waist, the disc is removed and a bone graft is inserted to restore the height and relieve nerve pinching. During healing, the bones will fuse together.

  • Neck pain

    Neck pain results when the spine is stressed by injury, disease, wear and tear, or poor body mechanics. Acute neck pain is abrupt, intense pain that can radiate to the head, shoulders, arms, or hands. It typically subsides with rest, physical therapy, and self-care measures. You play an important role in the prevention, treatment and recovery of neck pain. Chronic pain that persists may need further evaluation.

  • Pain pump (intrathecal)

    A pain pump is a method of giving medication directly to the spinal cord. The system uses a small pump that is surgically placed under the skin of your abdomen. The pump delivers medication through a catheter to the space around your spinal cord. Because the drug is delivered directly to the pain area, symptoms can be controlled with a much smaller dose than is needed with oral medication.

  • Preparing for lumbar spinal fusion

    Fusion surgery permanently joins together one or more bony vertebrae of the spine. Abnormal movement of the vertebrae rubbing against one another may result in back, leg, or arm pain. Fusing the bones together stabilizes and aligns the spine, maintains the normal disc space between the bones, and prevents further damage to the spinal nerves and cord.

  • Posterior cervical surgery

    Posterior cervical surgery occurs in the back of the neck to relieve pressure on the nerves or spinal cord. The surgery may involve a single-level discectomy and foraminotomy or may be a more complex multi-level laminectomy and fusion. The surgery can be performed open or minimally invasive.

  • Posterior lumbar discectomy

    Lumbar discectomy is a surgery to remove a herniated or degenerative disc in the lower spine. The incision is made posterior, through the back muscles, to reach and remove the disc pressing on the nerve. Discectomy may be recommended if physical therapy or medication fail to relieve leg or back pain caused by pinched spinal nerves. The surgery can be performed open or minimally invasive.

  • Sacroiliac joint pain / fusion

    Sacroiliac (SI) pain is felt in the low back and buttocks. The pain is caused by damage to the joint between the spine and hip. Sacroiliac pain can mimic other conditions, such as a herniated disc or hip problem. Accurate diagnosis is important. Physical therapy, stretching exercises, pain medication, and joint injections are used first to manage the symptoms. Surgery can fuse the joint.

  • Sciatica leg pain

    Sciatica is a shooting pain that begins in the lower back, radiates into the buttock and down the back of one leg. Pain is often caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve from a herniated disc, bone spurs or muscle strain. It typically improves with rest, physical therapy, and other self-care measures. Chronic pain may be helped with surgery.

  • Spinal cord stimulation

    Spinal cord stimulation masks pain signals before they reach the brain. A small device, similar to a pacemaker, delivers electrical pulses to the spinal cord. It helps people better manage their chronic pain and reduce their use of opioid medications. It may be an option if you suffer chronic back, leg or arm pain and have not found relief with other therapies.

  • Spinal decompression, laminectomy

    Decompression surgery (laminectomy) removes the bony roof covering the spinal cord and nerves to create more space for them to move freely. Stenosis of the spinal canal can cause chronic pain, numbness, and muscle weakness in the arms or legs. Surgery may be recommended if your symptoms have not improved with physical therapy or medications.

  • Spinal deformity, scoliosis

    Spinal deformity is an abnormal alignment or curve of the vertebral column. Adult scoliosis and kyphosis can be caused by age-related wear and tear or complications from past surgeries. The facet joints and discs are no longer able to support the spine's normal posture. Pain results from stressed joints and pinched nerves, not the abnormal curve. Treatment can include medications, physical therapy, injections, or surgery.

  • Spinal fractures

    Fracture of a vertebra can cause bone fragments to pinch and damage the spinal nerves or spinal cord. Spinal fractures occur from car accidents, falls, gunshot, or sports. Injuries can range from mild ligament and muscle strains, to fractures and dislocations of the bones, to debilitating spinal cord damage. Many fractures heal with conservative care. Surgery can realign the bones.

  • Spinal stenosis

    Spinal stenosis is the narrowing of the bony canals through which the nerves and spinal cord pass. Arthritis can cause the facet joints and ligaments to enlarge and thicken restricting the space for the nerves. The pinched nerves become inflamed and cause pain, cramping, numbness or weakness in your legs or arms. Medication, physical therapy and spinal injections can control symptoms. Chronic symptoms may require surgery.

  • Spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis

    Spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis affect the joints that align the vertebrae one on top of the other. Spondylolysis is a weakness or stress fracture in the facet joint area. This weakness can cause the bones to slip forward out of normal position, called spondylolisthesis, and kink the spinal nerves. Treatment options include physical therapy, a back brace, or surgery.

  • Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF)

    Transforaminal interbody fusion surgery is used to treat disc problems in the low back. Fusion locks together two or more bones to stop painful motion. Through small, minimally invasive incisions, the disc is removed. A bone graft spacer is placed in the space to restore the height and relieve nerve pinching. During healing, the bones fuse together.

  • Vertebroplasty & kyphoplasty

    Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are performed to treat vertebral compression fractures. These painful, wedge-shaped fractures can be caused by osteoporosis, tumors, or injury. Left untreated, they can lead to a humped spine. By restoring the vertebra height with a balloon and injecting a cement into the fractured bone, patients can recover faster and reduce the risk of future fractures.