There’s nothing worse than a pain in the neck – or the back.
So many of us live with the reality of spine pain every day. Others will encounter it at some point in their lives due to injuries or accidents.
And back pain sufferers become familiar with the full range of conservative therapies available in their quest for relief. But at a certain point, it’s time to start considering surgery.
While the thought of surgery causes most of us to shudder, spine surgery has changed.
In this post, we’ll share with you the advantages of endoscopic procedures over traditional spinal surgery. You may be more inclined to consider the option after reading this.
What’s the Difference?
In traditional spinal surgery, the surgeon makes a large incision. Also involved is cutting through muscles in the back, in the vicinity of the site. This allows the surgeon to see what’s going on more clearly.
The large incision can lead to excessive bleeding and may give rise to the most common of all surgical complications – infection.
With endoscopic surgery, there’s no need to cut through muscle mass. A much smaller incision is required. Introduced into the incision is a tiny camera which transmits images to a monitor in the operating room. Without impacting tissue unnecessarily, the surgeon enjoys a clear view.
With the need for trauma to adjacent muscle eliminated, recovery times are abbreviated, bleeding is reduced and infection, much less likely.
Other Things to Take Note of
We’ve already told you that endoscopic surgery leads to less blood loss and trauma. The smaller incision reduces the risk of infection. But there are several other key benefits to this style of surgery.
Scarring is greatly reduced due to the smaller incision. In addition, post-operative pain is significantly limited (partially due to eliminating the need to dissect muscle).
Patients who undergo endoscopic spinal surgery recover more quickly and require less rehabilitation. Drug therapy for pain is greatly reduced and patients tend to go home the same day.
These are the key advantages of endoscopic procedures over traditional spinal surgery.
This style of procedure may be what you’re seeking to relieve the back pain you’ve been living with. Only your doctor can tell you that, though.
We strongly counsel that if you believe you’re ready for endoscopic surgery, that you sit down with your primary care giver and talk about the option. Depending on your condition, it may be the right next move you’ve been waiting a long time to make.
Spine Consult NJ
Spine Consult is a team of clinicians working with a professional network of care providers. Working with this model, we’re able to provide you with exceptional medical attention, encompassing conservative, minimally-invasive and traditional surgical solutions. The endoscopic procedure is part of what we do. We’ve seen superior outcomes for our patients using this approach.
Endoscopic surgery may be the answer to your pain. At Spine Consult NJ, we address patients as individuals, taking the journey with you toward improved quality of life and restored function.