Spinal Stenosis Surgery Recovery
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In general, the spinal stenosis surgery recovery is four to six weeks after the minimally invasive surgery. However, experts here at the MINT believe that full recovery that involves relief from pain and returning to day-to-day life can take up to six months.
It is the rehabilitation period after the surgery, which involves medication, physical therapy sessions, and other methods to help the patient get back to life. Let us talk about spinal stenosis in detail.
What is Spinal Stenosis?
Vertebrae is a column of bones in the spine, which provides support and stability to your upper body. Not only does it enable you to turn and twist, but it also conducts signals from the brain and other parts of the body via nerves.
The nerves are protected by the surrounding muscles, bones, and tissues. If these tissues or bones get damaged, it can cause a wide range of problems and affect necessary functions like balance, walking, and sensation.
Spinal stenosis is a health condition characterized by narrowing of the spinal column. Basically, the condition occurs when your spinal undergoes compression. You will have no symptoms if there is a minimal narrowing of the spinal column. However, if it is maximum, the condition can cause severe compression of the nerves.
Generally, stenosis can occur in different parts of the spinal column However, its effects may vary in different areas of the spine. Spinal stenosis is also known as foraminal spinal stenosis, central spinal stenosis, and pseudo-claudication.
Patients need to undergo MIS surgery, which is proven to be the best Spinal stenosis solution for people of all ages. Spinal Stenosis Surgery Recovery, as mentioned above is a minimum of 4-6 weeks and a maximum of 6 months depending on the patient’s condition.
Causes of Spinal Stenosis
Primarily, the cause of spinal stenosis is aging, which means it will affect more people who are older. As your body ages, it undergoes various degenerative processes. For instance, tissues in the spine will become thick and the bones will get bigger that will cause compression of the nerves.
Research studies have shown that spinal stenosis is also due to osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. The inflammation puts pressure on the spinal cord and complicates the problem further.
Some other health conditions that can cause spinal stenosis are spinal defects at birth, narrowing of the spinal cord, scoliosis or spinal curvature, and Paget’s disease of the bone. Bone tumors and dwarfism can also cause this painful condition.
Spinal Stenosis Solution
Minimally invasive lumbar laminectomy is the best spinal stenosis solution, which requires the surgeon to make a small incision and remove a portion of the lamina. Then, the surgeon places a thin piece of bone graft material at each vertebral body.
The graft material protects the spinal canal. More specifically, the surgeon makes a one-inch small skin incision to one side of the back. Then he places the dilators sequentially to separate the muscles from the lamina.
Compared to the traditional open back surgery, which causes damage to the tissues and muscles, minimally invasive lumbar laminectomy is the best spinal stenosis solution. It has several benefits over the traditional surgical method, which are small incisions, less blood loss, and quick spinal stenosis surgery recovery time.
Here at MINT, our lumbar laminectomy is a decompression surgery performed by qualified surgeons by making a tiny incision in the patient’s back. The surgeon dilates the area using a few tubes and avoids cutting the surrounding tissues and muscles.
Spinal Stenosis Surgery Recovery
After the surgery, the patient will go home within 24 hours. The surgeon will prescribe you pain medication, which you will take for at least 4 weeks. The surgeon will also advise you on how to sit, rise, and stand.
MINT surgeons recommend giving your body time to heal, which means you will have to restrict certain activities. Generally, it is important to avoid moving your spine too much during the recovery. Also, avoid heavy lifting, too much twisting, and sports activities while you recover,
If you have any health conditions like increased pain, fever, or infection, talk to the surgeon immediately. You can also communicate with the surgeon via videoconferencing, which is a great facility for patients during the Covid-19 pandemic. When it comes to spinal stenosis surgery recovery period, it is six months.
In simple words, you will need six months to fully recover from the condition after the surgery. During the recovery period, you will take medications and outpatient physical therapy sessions under the command of your surgeon. Spinal stenosis surgery recovery is the best way to get back to life.
