Edison Park Orthopedic Spine Surgeons
Back pain can strike like an old adversary seeking revenge: suddenly and with a vengeance. That pain can often impact every area of your daily life as well, from doing household chores to walking your dog to even just driving to work.
Fortunately, you don’t have to silently suffer from spine and back pain. The experts at The Spine Center understand the causes behind such pain and the best ways in which to deal with it.
Treating spine disorders in Edison Park, IL
Of course, if you’re suffering from persistent back pain, you often find yourself asking a simple question: How do you treat a spinal disorder? Many of our patients come to us believing that treatment involves procedures that will increase their pain and could lead to months or years of increased discomfort.
But as Edison Park spine surgeons, we know that there are just as many types of treatment as there are ailments. Patients can resolve some types of back pain by simply increasing their exercise frequency or losing weight. Others who work in jobs requiring frequent lifting and bending or who must care for an infirm family member can benefit from improving their lifting technique.
Some types of pain, though, don’t go away so easily and may require surgery. Please know that the physicians and staff at The Spine Center are absolutely committed to patient education and want you to understand every available option.
When You Should See a Doctor for Back Pain?
A few kinds of back pain become so familiar that they seem to fade into the background. Other sorts of back pain are acute and unforgettable. But the intensity of back pain doesn’t necessarily indicate whether or not you should see a doctor.
Understand that injuries and spinal deformities are often the source of back pain. These can sometimes decrease in frequency by practicing good posture but can also get worse without treatment. If you find yourself experiencing any of the following, you need to make an appointment:
- unrelenting stiffness or aching
- pain in the lumbar region after sitting for an extended period
- sudden bouts of sharp, localized pain
- back pain that impedes your posture
- loss of sensation or weakness in the extremities
Any of these symptoms could point to a more serious underlying condition.
Sciatica Surgery
Sciatica is defined as “pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which branches from your lower back through your hips and buttocks and down each leg.” Because this commonly understood definition describes a symptom rather than the underlying condition, sciatica can point to any number of conditions.
That being said, the most common causes of sciatica are bone spurs, spinal stenosis, and herniated disks. Such conditions may require physical therapy, steroid injections, minimally invasive surgery, or other surgical procedures.
Scoliosis Treatment
Scoliosis describes an unnatural curvature of the spine, one that often arises from genetic factors outside of a patient’s control. In childhood cases, it usually only leads to poor posture. However, when scoliosis develops in adults, it often stems from a long undiagnosed condition — and that can result in mobility problems, pain, and (in extreme cases) internal damage.
Severe cases of scoliosis may require surgery. However, patients can normally manage childhood versions of the condition with physical therapy and braces.
Spinal Fusion
When motion is the prime cause of spinal pain, sometimes the solution may involve surgically fusing two or more vertebrae to restrict range of movement. Your Edison Park spine surgeons choose this option to reduce pressure on nerves, replacing damaged or diseased bone with a fresh graft or implant. Depending on the severity, there may also be alternatives to spinal fusion. Your Edison Park spinal surgeon can work with you to determine the best course of action.
Pain Relief for Edison Park, IL Patients
No matter your health issue, know that the Edison Park spine surgeons at The Spine Center have more than five decades of experience in treating back-related problems. Contact us at (847) 698-9330 to learn more about our minimally invasive procedures and how we can reduce your discomfort.