In many cases, non-surgical therapies cannot fix the underlying cause of your symptoms. There are many reasons to seek a surgical alternative to your spinal disorder. For example:
- Disc removal/replacement – when the disc is damaged or degenerated beyond the point where it can effectively absorb compressive forces of the spine, it can be removed and replaced with a synthetic disc.
- Pressure on the spinal cord – can usually only be alleviated through surgical decompression.
- Vertebral stabilization – requiring fusion of the adjoining vertebrae to provide stability.
- Nerve root impingement – where there is pressure on the spinal nerves.
- Disc herniation – where the vertebral disc has leaked its fluid into surrounding spaces or is bulging, affecting area nerves and causing radiating pain and disability.
- Fracture stabilization – where the vertebrae have been broken due to traumatic injury or osteoporosis.
- Kyphoplasty – to correct compression fracture of the spine, which can be caused by osteoporosis.
- Laminectomy – to correct stenosis of the nerve passages and alleviate pressure on the nerves.