Back pain is usually treated using anti-inflammatory drugs
, ointments, massage and rest. However in some extreme emergency cases, the doctor may suggest surgical treatment. However spine surgery is usually advised only after 3-6 months of conservative treatment.
There are various types of spine surgery that can be carried out, based on the type of back pain you suffer from.
1.One such option is dissectomy where a portion of the disc that lies in between each vertebra is removed. It is usually a portion of a herniated disc that is removed to provide relief from the pressure on nerves.
2.Foramenotomy is also spine surgery used to relieve the pressure on a nerve. However the difference here is that it is a nerve that pinches the nerve and not a disc. So a part of bone and the tissue that compresses the nerve as it exits the spinal column is removed.
3.Laminectomy is used to provide relief to the spinal cord and is used for treating conditions like spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis. It is based on the amount of bone that has to be removed that the procedure may or may not be done using a spinal fusion to prevent instability.
4.Spine fusion is spine surgery that is performed to treat problems like spondylolisthesis or an unstable spine or in association with other surgery like laminectomy. Spine fusion is basically done to eliminate any motion that exists between adjacent vertebrae.
5.Spinal disc replacement is a relatively new spine surgery option that is still rarely performed. This surgery is used to treat specific types of back pain while consequently avoiding problems associated with spine fusion surgery.
All this clearly shows that different types of back surgery are performed to treat different types of back pain. It is the doctor who decides which surgery is best used to treat your condition, based on the type of back pain you suffer from, which cannot be treated using conservative measures.