The spinal cord is indispensable to your body. It supports your head, keeps your posture erect, and helps you walk. Ailments of the spine are extremely painful to remedy and throw a lot of your other organs in trouble as well. Therefore, it follows that you should take the best care of your spine possible.

While there are a number of ways you can do that, some stand out from the rest. They are:

  Do your exercises properly: there are umpteen ways you can work out and get results that are harmful to your spine. You may easily lift something too heavy for your constitution, or the angle at which the object is placed may be too high for all your muscles to coordinate and work properly. Be aware, and avoid these mistakes. If you feel like the object is too heavy, refrain from lifting it. Even when lifting, make it such that the muscles of your lower body have to do the maximum work.

  Move on: Physical movement is the first commandment of having your spine fit and in a peak condition. This movement can be trivial and every day, like daily walks in the park or going to walk your pet. However, a sustained movement like that is very important, combined with stretching or aerobic exercises.

  Work smart: There are several ways you can avoid injuring your spine at the workplace. You should choose a chair that is adjusted according to your height and supports your lower back well. Your feet should be able to reach the floor properly and well. You should also avoid unhealthy conveniences like holding your phone between your ear and shoulders to keep your hands free.

  Go for daily checks: You should keep daily tabs on what is happening to your spine. Go for daily checks, and immediately check with your doctor if you experience symptoms like back pain without any evident disease, or if discomfort persists even after medication.

The spine is integral to the proper functioning of your whole body, and shouldn t be ignored even for a day. There are exercises you can do to keep it in good shape, and those that you can avoid. There are also triggers after which you should check with your doctor as well. Here s wishing you good spinal health.

The spine is an integral part!

Ways To Keep Your Spine Happy!

The spine plays a very crucial role, both from a person s movement and sensation point of view. It carries the nervous supply for a lot of internal organs and the lower body. By virtue of its structure, it also helps in movement through the disks. Due to various reasons, spinal injury is common, causing pain along the back, lower extremities, neck etc.

Medicines and exercise are the first line of treatment for most spinal injuries. The issue, however, is that these only provide relief from the pain and the medicines, but do not actually  rectify  the underlying problem. Whether it is a herniated disk or a pinched nerve, the medicines and exercise can relieve the symptoms, but the disk continues to be herniated and the nerve continues to be pinched. Definite treatment is in the form of surgery, and with recent advancements in the field of spinal surgery, there are minimally invasive surgical options, which provide complete cure with minimal recovery time. Some of the benefits of this are listed below-

Smaller incision compared to traditional surgical procedures, where only the injured area is accessed

The surrounding tissues are untouched, unless they are injured and require repair

Lesser bleeding compared to earlier techniques

Lesser painful procedure

Reduced hospitalization period

Quicker recovery and return to normal activities

The question, however, is whether this is indicated in everybody. A detailed discussion with your surgeon keeping the below points in mind will help identify the answer for this. The main driver should be the answer to the question   will the surgery be able to effectively relieve you of the pain and symptoms? Additionally, the following factors help in getting better results out of a minimally invasive spinal surgery.

Presence of symptoms relating to nerve compression, including pain from the spine down the leg.

Recent onset of symptoms, with pain starting days to months before seeing the doctor. This indicates the condition is relatively new and so damage is minimal, indicating favorable outcome. Chronic pain conditions take slightly longer time compared to recent injuries.

People with active lifestyle who engage in regular physical exercise are likely to have better benefits from the minimally invasive procedure.

Smoking reduces blood flow to the spine, leading to disk degeneration and weakening of bones. Healing is highly slowed down and recovery is overall delayed.

Excessive weight puts strain on the back, and so healing can be delayed or badly affected with more complications. It is not a contraindication, but be prepared for a longer recovery period.

Talk to your doctor keeping these points in mind, and you can bid farewell to your back pain forever.

Is Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Right For You?

When other treatments fail to provide relief, the last resort to treat spine problems is the spine surgery. Spine surgery is conventionally referred to as open surgery which indicates that the area that needs to be operated is opened with a long incision so that the surgeon is able to view and have access to the anatomy.

In the recent times, advances in the field of medical science have made it possible to treat back and neck conditions through minimally invasive surgical techniques that don t involve an elaborate incision. Let us understand more about it.

How is minimally invasive spine surgery carried out?
Minimally invasive spine surgery fusions and decompression processes are performed by exploiting different approaches. The most commonly utilized technique involves the use of the tubular retractor. In this process, the surgeon makes a small incision and then inserts the retractor through the skin right into the spinal column. It leads to a tunnel to the accurate area where the problem persists in the spine. The functionality of tubular retractor lies in the fact that it helps in holding the muscle open throughout the procedure.

A number of particular processes have been designated for the minimally invasive spine surgery. Some of the most common options include spinal decompression, discectomy, and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion. Each of these processes is different and only an expert in this arena can determine what s suitable for you.

Minimally invasive spine surgery is also called less invasive spine surgery where surgeons make use of special instruments. One of the most compelling drawbacks of open surgery is that the pulling of the muscle can lead to damage to both the muscle and the tissues in close vicinity. On the other hand, minimally invasive spine surgery allows the surgeon to see the precise location of the affected area. Besides, it also leads to smaller incisions, reduced bleeding and short stay in the healthcare facility.

Consulting an expert about the surgery:
It is very important on part of the patients to discuss the suitability of minimally invasive spine surgery with their doctors since it is not a good option for all patients. It is generally suggested for patients having spinal tumours, spinal instability, spinal infections, vertebral compression fractures, lumbar spinal stenosis and spinal deformities like scoliosis.

When you know that you will have to undergo the surgery, it pays to gather information about the surgery and what you may expect from the recovery process. The most commendable benefits of minimally invasive spine surgery include better cosmetic results owing to lesser skin incisions and reduced dependence on the medications. Moreover, it is performed as an outpatient procedure and it makes use of local anaesthesia only. Thus, there is also a reduced chance of suffering from an adverse reaction to general anaesthesia.

So, depending on the pros and cons and depending on the individual condition, your doctor will decide on the course of action.

Everything You Need To Know About Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery!

Arthritis is a disease that affects the joints, muscles and soft tissues, which cause stiffness, disability and pain. It is one of the complex conditions and has also been discovered in the remains of people living more than 500,000 years ago.

Although it is usually found in people above 50 years, in rare cases, it can affect younger generations as well. The three most common forms are osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis. The symptoms of some arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, include the following:

Joints turning red, warm, swollen
Painful joints
Unexplained fever
Fatigue
Weight loss
Swollen lymph glands
These symptoms typically last more than two weeks.

Few facts about arthritis
Most people, even though diagnosed with arthritis, are unaware of the following facts:

Snakes, bees, and ants: After years of treatment, some people have turned to specific natural therapies that come from snakes, bees and ants. As per a study by researchers in Brazil, bee sting venom helps reduce the symptoms of arthritis.
Gout is a form of arthritis: Repeated flare-ups, pain and swelling are the result of uric acid, built around the joints. This can be due to genetic predisposition, some diseases and consumption of excess meat, seafood, fructose-sweetened drinks or alcohol. The bunion joint that connects the big toe to the foot is often affected first in people who have gout.
Children get arthritis too: Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is the most common amongst children and affects kids between the ages of 1 - 3 or 8 - 12 years. It strikes girls about twice as often as boys. As per a recent survey, 1 in every 250 children globally suffers from arthritis.
Injuries increase the risk of arthritis: Injured joints are prone to develop osteoarthritis (OA). People with knee injuries have six times the chance, while those with hip injuries are three times more likely to develop OA.
Climate cannot cure: People have a misconception that wet, cold climates cause arthritis rather than a warmer climate. Unfortunately, that's not the case. Orthopaedics confirmed the same frequency for both warm and cold climates. However, sore joints find warm atmosphere more soothing.
Obesity increases the risk: Excess weight is one of the primary causes of osteoarthritis, especially for weight-bearing joints like knees, and to less extended hips. But there is also a higher risk to joints like ankles, back, big toes and hands.
Animals can also develop: Not only humans but animals like dogs, cats and others can also develop osteoarthritis. The symptoms are almost the same as the ones faced by a human. It can also lead to a loss of appetite, which can cause weight loss.
Race counts: Both whites and African Americans experience arthritis at similar rates. However, blacks have higher chances of severe joint pain and limitations in activity as compared to whites.
Women are prone to arthritis: Statistics show that women have a significantly higher risk for all types of arthritis except gout. As per the Arthritis Community, Research & Evaluation Unit, women are twofold more prone to arthritis than men.

9 Amazing Facts About Arthritis!

Extramedullary intradural tumours are a rarity. Of all the tumours of the nervous system, fewer than 15% are of the spine. And around 45% of them are intradural. And 40% of intradural tumours are extramedullary.

What are some common Intradural Extramedullary Spinal Tumours? 

Some forms of intradural extramedullary spinal tumours are-

Schwannomas

Meningiomas

Gliomas

Neurofibromas

What are the Symptoms of Intradural Extramedullary Spinal Tumours?

Some symptoms of this condition are-

Back pain

Cramps

Loss of feeling along the back

Loss of spinal flexibility

Weakness of the limbs

Slight degrees of paralysis

Hunched-over spine

If treatment is not sought immediately, the effect of the tumours would penetrate all levels of the spine and may lead to complete paralysis.

How are Intradural Extramedullary Spinal Tumours diagnosed?

A basic physical examination will reveal that there are tumours on the spine. Before treatment commences, the person will have to opt for these tests-

An MRI scan

A CT scan

X-rays

biopsy

Treatment of Intradural Extramedullary Spinal Tumours diagnosed?

Doctors do not usually suggest surgery right away. They will first try to vanquish the tumours with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Sometimes a combination of both might be required.

If therapy does not work, surgery will be suggested. During the surgery, resection is done with the aim to assuage pain and stabilize the spine. Preoperative embolization is performed. A catheter is inserted into a vessel of the groin and directed to the tumour. Then a glue-like agent is administered to the vessels that carry blood to the tumour. When this supply is cut off, the tumour will shrink.

After the surgery, a person will be required to stay on in the hospital for a couple of weeks after which rehabilitation may be required to help the patient get back to a normal lifestyle.

Spinal tumours can be fatal. That is why it is important to pay heed to the symptoms and consult a doctor right away.

Intradural Extramedullary Spinal Tumour - In Depth!

The spinal cord houses the most important nerves in the body. Therefore, any disease or disorder affecting the area can be difficult to manage and live with. A spinal cord tumour is a common occurrence and makes life difficult for patients. However, the treatment for tumours on the spinal cord differs based on the region that it affects and other factors.

Types of spinal cord tumours:

Tumours near the spine region can be classified into three types, based on the area that it grows.

  Inside the spinal cord - When a tumour grows inside the spinal cord, it is known as intramedullary. These types of tumours are the rarest. If a tumour affects your cervical spinal cord, it is likely to be intramedullary.

  Outside the spinal cord - A tumour may also grow outside the spinal cord, but still be inside the sac protecting the cord. This kind of spinal tumours is known as intradural/extramedullary.

  Outside the protective sac of the spinal cord - Lastly, the tumour may grow just outside the protective sac of the spinal cord. This is the most common type of a spinal tumour and is known as extradural. A tumour in this region can be malignant or benign.

Symptoms of spinal tumours:

Spine tumours may be difficult to diagnose because the associated symptoms are easily mistaken as other minor disorders or conditions. Here are some common symptoms of a spinal tumour-

  Extreme back pain is common for spinal tumours. This pain grows worse at night. Patients are unable to find relief from the pain even after rest.
  Numbness in the legs and arms
  Inability to walk or severe difficulty in certain movements
  Reduced sensitivity to stimuli, such as pain, heat and cold
  Loss of bowel and bladder control

Treatment for spinal tumours:

Treatment for a tumour depends on the kind of a tumour that affects the patient along with the region of growth. Some tumours may not cause any major difficulty in your quality of life. Doctors will recommend monitoring the growth in such a case. Treatment may not be needed.

In the case of benign tumours, surgery is recommended.

  Surgery - This is the most common form of treatment for benign tumours. If the doctor feels that a tumour is at a location where he/she can perform a safe surgical procedure to remove it, surgery is the best treatment option. However, such surgery can lead to minimal nerve damage.

In the case of cancerous tumours, the treatment is different.

  Radiation therapy - Radiation therapy is necessary to destroy the cancer cells in a tumour. Generally, radiation therapy is useful in cases, where surgery is impossible, due to the location of a tumour.

  Chemotherapy - Doctors may use medications to limit the growth of cancer. In such a case, the drugs help put your cancer in remission. However, the side effects of chemotherapy are severe.

If you experience back pain, visit your doctor. It may be spinal cord cancer. Early detection greatly helps in the treatment of the disease.

Spinal Tumours - Types, Symptoms & Treatment!

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