The bones of your adult spine consist of 26 moveable joints. When these bones rub together or slip out of place, it causes pain and instability. If your back pain isn’t relieved by other forms of treatment, your doctor may recommend spinal fusion. During this procedure, your doctor attaches two or more vertebrae together to permanently stop movement between them, which prevents pain at the joint level.
To obtain the most effective back pain treatment, you must first obtain an accurate diagnosis of the cause of your pain so you can receive the best treatment. Consult New Jersey’s top spine specialists at Premier Brain & Spine for the best back pain diagnosis and treatment.
WHAT CONDITIONS BENEFIT FROM SPINAL FUSION SURGERY?
Your New Jersey orthopedics specialist may recommend spinal fusion surgery to reduce pain, correct a deformity or improve mobility.
Conditions that often benefit from spinal surgery include:
Spinal stenosis. This condition involves narrowing of your spinal canal, which may lead to compression of the spinal cord.
Spinal tumors. Tumors or cysts in the spine may lead to spinal instability.
Spinal fractures and compression fractures. Spinal fractures happen because of trauma or underlying conditions that weaken the bones.
Spondylolisthesis. This is a condition in which a vertebra slips forward and presses on your spinal cord.
Abnormal spinal curvatures. Conditions such as scoliosis and kyphosis cause abnormal curvatures in your spine.
Degenerative disc disease. This condition is caused by wear and tear on your spinal discs.
Spinal fusion surgery isn’t the first treatment option your spine physician usually recommends. You may want to consider it, however, if more conservative options — such as physical therapy, medications or spinal injections — don’t relieve your pain.