Health Library |
Finding Relief for Back and Neck Pain During the course of a lifetime, approximately eight out of every 10 Americans experience some form of back or neck pain. However, at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Allen, those who suffer from chronic pain have a place to turn for relief.
While physicians typically recommend medication and physical therapy as initial treatments for back and neck pain, people who suffer from chronic backaches that do not respond to these methods can find advanced options for pain relief.
Surgery — including minimally invasive procedures — can be an effective way to help patients find a solution for their pain and get back to enjoying their normal activities.
“Problems in the spine, including the neck and the back, can be debilitating,” says Richard Burg, M.D., new fellowship-trained spine surgeon on the medical staff at Texas Health Allen. “Minimally invasive spine surgery can address problems such as compression fractures and degenerative disk disease by using smaller incisions that reduce post-operative recovery time.
“One relatively new spinal procedure called kyphoplasty can be effective in treating vertebral compression fractures, which may result from osteoporosis,” Burg says. “The procedure greatly reduces pain and restores function in patients so they can return to active lifestyles.”
Disk replacement surgery may be an option for patients with degenerative disk disease who do not experience the desired effects of medical treatment or physical therapy.
“If you suffer from back or neck pain, talk with your physician about possible treatment options,” Burg says. “By discussing your condition in detail, you can work together to determine the best course of treatment for you.”
For a referral to a physician on the medical staff at Texas Health Allen who treats back and neck pain, visit TexasHealth.org. (Spring 2009) |
|
