Diseases of the lower spine or the so-called lumbosacral part are many, and all generally begin as a pain in the back that can spread to the leg. If the disease has progressed, and in some cases from the very beginning, signs of nerve damage may occur. If the patient feels numbness of the feet, weakness of the legs, difficulty walking, the patient will be referred to a specialist who will perform a detailed neurological examination and determine additional tests.

The most common additional examinations are X-rays of various parts of the back in various projections; EMNG, EMG, which determines the condition of muscles and nerves; SSEP; CT of the spine; and much more. With these methods, the Spine MD can establish several diagnoses. While some point to problems, others indicate damage to nerve structures.

When is surgery possible?

In neurosurgery, it is important to establish 3 types of processes on the spine that can be treated surgically. Those are:

-Pathological changes that put pressure on nerve structures (nerve roots – one or more of them)

-Instability of parts of the spine

-Other causes of pain that are surgically solvable

What does disc herniation surgery look like?

Disc herniation surgery involves the precise removal of a part of the disc that has previously fallen out. There are different techniques of operation. The operation is performed through an incision made on the skin, which is only about 2 cm. There is no cutting of the muscles or removal of the bone of the vertebrae. Spine MD surgery is done in a microscopic technique. In addition to removing the pressure from the nerve root, every effort must be made to prevent the formation of a large scar around the nerve root.

Recovery after surgery

The patient is advised to get up only tomorrow, after the operation, with the help of a physiotherapist.

The physiotherapist then explains to the patient all the ways of getting up, bending down, lying down, exercising … In the immediate postoperative course, the pain in the leg usually disappears or significantly decreases, but the pain in the area of ​​the wound often appears. It can increase up to the 4th day and is the result of tissue swelling at the site of surgery.

Short-term leg pain may also occur. These pains are not the result of nerve pressure and are successfully treated with analgesics. The patient usually stays in the hospital for 4 days. On a ninth day, the sutures are removed, and physical treatment begins in the department of physical medicine or one of the spas.