Thanks so much for your question Penny!

Inversion therapy is one of those modalities that becomes more popular from time to time, and for some people it definitely provides some relief.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with inversion, it is basically a procedure where the recipient lays on a table which tilts into an upside down position, causing gravity to provide essentially the same benefits as traction would in a physical therapy office. Take a look at the photo below.

For the right patient, it can provide some relief by stretching the muscles, and enlarging the space in between vertebrae- allowing more room for nerves which may otherwise be being compressed.

For the wrong patient, it can be problematic. First of all, patients with any blood pressure issues, family history of stroke, or other brain issues should avoid inversion therapy altogether, as the increased pressure can increase the likelihood of stroke or even death. People with damaged discs can actually worsen their condition with inversion therapy. Even if you have no known issues such as these, absolutely consult your own physician before trying this or any other new modality.

Again, thank you for your question. Please feel free to submit your questions regarding back and neck pain here to the backwords blog- text or video are welcome.

Best,

Andy

discreplacement2

As I related in the video post, the disc replacement is a relatively new compared to most of what’s out there. It is a pretty elaborate procedure, and the recovery time will vary largely based upon the overall health, weight, age, and fitness of the patient prior to the surgery.

Below is an image of the prosthetic device itself.

One type of replacement disc prosthesis.

Thanks for visiting, in the next installment of this surgery series, I will review the foraminotomy and a brief wrap up. Look for more posts from Israel this week.

Best,

Andy

Of all of the procedures I want to review in this series, the spinal fusion is the one my viewers seem to be most interested in- likely because it has been around for some time, and many people coming to this site have either had one, know someone who has, or may be a candidate for one in the future.

Spinal fusion is used when an intravertebral disc has been so compromised, that the spinal segment (the combination of the two vertebra, linked by the disc between them) has been destabilized. This destabilization can be painful, as the associated structures of this segment can rub up against the nerve roots at that level- or alter the body mechanics at that level causing irritation to the facet joints (the small joints which articulate the spine.) So patients with this type of compromise can have back pain as well as radicular pain- like sciatica

Like most spinal surgeries, it is usually only considered when all other conservative options have been either tried or ruled out.

In this procedure, the surgeon will go to the spinal segment in question, and ‘clean up’ the area around the disc from debris which may be causing irritation as best as they are able. Then, either utilizing stabilizing hardware or a ‘glue’ made from the patients own bone (A small fragment of the patients bone is harvested, usually from the crest of their pelvic bone, which is crushed into a gravelly mixture.This mixture of live cells then ‘heals’ back into a solid structure) the affected segment is ‘fused’ into a neutral position, resulting in a reduction of pain. Below is an x-ray from a patient whose segments have been fused with hardware.

Recovery from this surgery varies in length depending upon the overall health of the patient, and their level of conditioning prior to the procedure. Most surgeons will tell their patients not to expect the full benefits, for up to a year.

I have a fair number of patients who have had spinal fusion, and many have done well with it. There are patients for whom this is the best option, but it does have its downsides, which can become a larger issue based upon the patients age, and their overall activity level. The two most notable from a mechanical standpoint are:

-A loss of flexibility at the level of the fused segment.

-Because each disc absorbs external stress and shock- the forces which would be absorbed by the fused segment are passed onto the adjacent discs, and may cause premature wear and tear on them.

Because of these two considerations, surgeons began to look at other options to help fix the pain associated with a damaged discs for patients who are more active and wish to maintain the highest level of flexibility. In the next part of this series, we will look at one of these options, the disc replacement.