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Orthopedic Spine Surgery in Thailand
Back problems are one of the most common reasons to see a doctor, generating $50 billion in medical costs and lost productivity in the United States alone. Approximately 80% of people will experience back pain during their lifetime. Fortunately, for the vast majority of these people the pain will subside naturally without the need for surgery.
However, for those with chronic conditions surgery may be an option.
Having spine surgery can be a frightening experience. Couple that with the foreign terminology and it is easy to see why patient education can be so challenging. This site was designed to help patients better understand spine conditions and the surgical options used to treat these conditions.
This site does not intend to diagnose or treat medical conditions or act as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Only your doctor can diagnose and treat a medical problem.
While certain diseases and traumatic injury can cause back pain, research shows that the most common causes of back pain or injury are: poor physical condition, poor posture, improper body mechanics, and the prolonged repetitive use of incorrect bending or lifting techniques
Spondylitis
Spondylitis involves inflammation of one or more vertebrae. Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the joints between the vertebrae of the spine, and the joints between the spine and the pelvis. It eventually causes the affected vertebrae become stiff or grow together.
The cause of ankylosing spondylitisis unknown, but genetic factors seem to play a role. The disease starts with intermittent hip and/or lower-back pain that is worse at night, in the morning, or after inactivity. Back pain begins in the sacroiliac joint (between the pelvis and the spine) and may progress to include the lumbosacral spine and the thoracic spine (chest portion of the spine).
Sitting for long periods of time can aggravate the condition and cause severe discomfort in the lower back and legs. Ankylosing spondylitis most commonly develops in individuals between the ages of 20 and 40 but some cases have been reported in children as young as age 10. There is no known cure for ankylosing spondylitis but treatments include anti inflammatory medicine as well as physical therapy and joint treatment. The disease affects more males than females. Risk factors include a family history of ankylosing spondylitis and male gender. About 0.21% of Americans over age 15 are affected.
 Back Problems
Most people will have back pain sometime during their lives. And 90 percent of these people will get better, with or without treatment, within four weeks. Only 5 percent remain disabled longer than three months.
In most situations, an operation wouldn't be considered unless conservative measures had failed, and even then it's not often indicated. Surgery is usually reserved for times when a nerve is pinched, the spinal cord is compressed or there's too much movement between the spinal bones (vertebrae).
Your doctor may recommend surgery if you have neck or back pain accompanied by symptoms of nerve damage. Signs and symptoms include:
- Pain that radiates down your legs (sciatica) or arms
- Numbness, weakness or tingling in your arms or legs
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
Squeezed and pinched
Your vertebrae are separated by soft, flexible disks that have a tough outer shell and a soft, gooey center. They act as cushions between the vertebrae. Your spinal cord runs down through your vertebrae, and nerves pass through gaps in the spinal column.
Many types of problems can reduce the amount of space in the spine, so nerves become pinched. As people age, it's common for spinal disks to dry out and shrink, reducing their effectiveness as shock absorbers. Disks can also bulge or rupture (herniate), which can irritate nearby nerves. However, many people with bulging disks have no pain.
To relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves, surgeons can remove portions of bone to widen the narrowed area in the vertebrae. Removing the gel-like interior of ruptured disks also helps relieve pressure on pinched nerves. Sometimes the entire disk must be removed, with the adjoining vertebrae fused together surgically. One alternative to fusion may be a new procedure that replaces the damaged disk with an artificial one.
Fractures and deformities
Direct injury to the spine may cause a bone fracture anywhere along your vertebral column. Osteoporosis — loss of bone density — can weaken vertebrae, causing them to fracture or collapse.
In most cases, fractured vertebrae heal without any help. But if the spinal column is unstable, some doctors opt to fuse two or more vertebrae together — using bone grafts and metal plates, screws, rods or cages.
The following conditions may require surgery if they're progressive, painful or causing nerve compression:
- Scoliosis, a curvature of the spine
- Kyphosis, a humpback deformity
- Spondylolisthesis, the forward slippage of a segment of the spine
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