If you have degenerative disc disease, you understand how your normal active lifestyle can be interrupted by bouts of back pain and stiffness. Your pain, combined with thigh or leg pain or numbness, can prevent you from enjoying your normal work along with recreational activity and can make simple activities like getting out of bed or walking difficult.
Treatment for Degenerative Disc Disease
Some mild cases of degenerative disc disease may get better with conservative therapies like physical therapy and exercise. Other degenerative disc disease treatment may revolve around injections to help control the inflammation.
The definitive degenerative disc disease treatment is a surgical procedure called a lumbar fusion. During this surgery, your degenerated disc or discs are removed, and medical spacers are placed where your disc was degenerating. Then, material called a bone graft is placed between your bones, and small medical-grade rods are affixed to hold your vertebrae together.
Many neurosurgeons use a standard open approach to lumbar fusion surgery. During this approach, a large incision is made in your back, and your lumbar muscles are dissected away from your spinal bones. Then, the doctor uses standard surgical tools to carry out the lumbar fusion. After the surgery, your back muscles are repaired, and your incision will be closed.
A newer, more innovative approach to back surgery practiced by a few neurosurgeons is called minimally invasive spinal fusion. During this operation, one or two tiny incisions are made in your back and specialized tools are used to visualize your discs and carry out the fusion. There is no need to dissect your back muscles during minimally invasive spinal fusion; your surgeon simply dilates them to introduce the surgical tools to your spine.
Benefits of minimally invasive spinal fusion include:
- Reduced risk of blood loss
- Less pain
- Rapid return to function
Finding a doctor in NJ who practices minimally invasive spinal fusion can help you effectively treat your lumbar degenerative disc disease and get you back to your normal lifestyle quickly and safely.
9 Benefits of Degenerative Disc Disease Treatment in NJ
Are there benefits to having surgery as a degenerative disc disease treatment? Should you have surgery in New Jersey, or travel to a large metropolitan area for treatment?
Nine reasons to consider surgery for your degenerative disc disease treatment are listed below. These benefits for degenerative disc disease treatment include general benefits and expected benefits of having surgery close to home in a NJ spinal surgical facility.
- Minimally invasive spine surgery. Degenerative disc disease treatment can be done with a small incision using the minimally invasive approach. This means you are back on your feet quickly with less pain.
- Rapid return to full activity. Degenerative disc disease treatment can help you decrease your pain and improve the way you are able to function. That way you can quickly get back to your normal work and recreational activity.
- Improved overall mobility. Degenerative disc disease is a progressive condition; your discs may continue to lose height and cause pain for years if no treatment is rendered. Having minimally invasive spinal fusion can help you reduce the pain and improve the way your spine moves so you can get back to your normal lifestyle.
- Decreased future episodes of pain. Surgery as a degenerative disc disease treatment is a permanent solution for your back pain. That means that once your disc is repaired and the fusion has taken place, you can expect decreased episodes of back pain.
- Decreased lost time at work. Being able to get back to work should be one of your main priorities after surgery. Having minimally invasive spinal fusion for degenerative disc disease can help you quickly get back to your normal level of activity, including getting back to your job.
- Degenerative disc surgery is safe. Studies show that minimally invasive spinal fusion is safe and helps to stop symptoms of degenerative disc disease. This helps to restore your normal pain free mobility quickly and safely.
- Surgery close to home. There is something about being close to home that makes recovery from surgery a little simpler. Having minimally invasive spinal fusion in an accredited NJ facility can help you feel close to home, and can help keep your travel time to a minimum.
- Decreased overall cost. Having surgery in a NJ facility can help keep your overall costs down for both you and your family. Most hospitals in NJ work closely with major insurance plans. Plus, parking in a NJ hospital lot is typically quite a bit cheaper than parking in a NYC hospital garage.
- Treatment with a top-rated, local neurosurgeon. Having minimally invasive spine surgery in a local NJ facility means that you can work with a top-rated neurosurgeon who understands how to effectively treat degenerative disc disease.
Find the Best NJ Neurosurgeon for Degenerative Disc Disease
Not all doctors are alike, and not all treat you with dignity and respect. If you have degenerative disc disease, you will likely benefit from working with a top-rated NJ neurosurgeon who understands that best and most innovative methods to treating this condition. To find the best doctor for your degenerative disc disease, you can:
- Ask friends and family members about their experiences
- Ask your family physician for a trusted referral
- Search the internet for positive (and negative) reviews.
The best way to find a top-rated neurosurgeon for your degenerative disc disease treatment is to meet with several doctors. Your doctor should take time to listen to your questions and concerns, and he or she should explain in detail the surgery to treat your degenerative disc disease. You and your neurosurgeon should be working together to help you have the best possible outcome with your treatment.
If you have degenerative disc disease, you should consider the benefits of having treatment locally with a NJ neurosurgeon. By working closely with a doctor who understands degenerative disc disease and who practices minimally invasive spine surgery, you can maximize your chances of having a positive outcome with you degenerative disc disease treatment.
