About this topic
The backbone or spine is made of many small bones called vertebrae. The spinal cord is inside of these bones. The nerves that go to other parts of your body exit in between the bones. The spinal bones are separated by spongy discs that help the vertebrae move smoothly. ‚
Pressure on the nerves as they come out of the backbone may cause you to have pain in your back, arms, or legs. You may also have numbness or weakness. The pressure can come from many things such as: ‚
- Discs between your vertebrae can become flat or thinner as we get older
- Injury may also damage the disc.
- Extra area of bone may grow on the vertebrae. These are called bone spurs.
- Ligaments, or strong bands of tissue that connect bones together, get larger as we age and can narrow the space where nerves come out of the spine.
The lamina is on the back part of the spinal bone that surrounds the spinal cord. Back surgery to take off this part of the bone from the vertebrae is a laminectomy. This surgery will give the discs and nerves more space. The goal is to prevent any more damage from happening. Your doctor will do this surgery only after other treatments, such as drugs and physical therapy, have been tried first. ‚
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel over the painful part. Never put ice right on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
- Your may need a back brace when you get home. Talk to your doctor about when you need to wear your brace and how long your brace will be needed.
- You may need physical therapy. Your physical therapist will teach you the proper way of moving to protect the spine.
- Talk to your doctor about how to care for your cut site. Ask your doctor about:
- When you should change your bandages
- When you may take a bath or shower
- If you need to be careful with lifting things over 10 pounds
- If you need to be careful twisting or turning
- When you may go back to your normal activities like work or driving
- Get lots of rest. Sleep when you are feeling tired. Avoid doing tiring activities.
- Sleep on a comfortable mattress that supports your back.
- When sleeping, practice good posture. Sleep on your side with a pillow between your knees or on your back with a pillow under your knees. Use a moderately firm pillow under your head to keep the shape of your spine.
- Take a few short walks each day. Slowly build up the time you walk each time.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits. You may need to have more x-rays.
- If you have stitches or staples, you will need to have them taken out. Your doctor will often want to do this in 1 to 2 weeks.
- You may need to see a physical therapist (PT). The PT will teach you exercises to help you get back your strength and motion.
What drugs may be needed?
Your doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain
- Prevent infection
Will physical activity be limited?
- You may have to limit your activity. Talk to your doctor about the right amount of activity for you. If you run, work out, or play sports, you may not be able to do those things until your doctor tells you to.
- Many people can return to a desk job in a few days to a few weeks. Often people can return to normal activities in 2 to 3 months.
What problems could happen?
- Infection
- Nerve damage
- Blood clots
- Bleeding
- Tear of the covering around the nerves called a dural tear
- Bones do not heal well or you still have pain after the surgery
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Do weight-bearing and strengthening exercises as directed by your doctor or therapist.
- Keep a healthy weight. This can help prevent straining and pressure on your lower back.
- Practice good ways to lift things so that you do not hurt your spine. Part of your physical therapy will be to teach you safe ways to move and lift things.
- Quit smoking. Smoking reduces the oxygen supply to the discs in your back which can cause more bone collapse.
- Reduce stress and worry. Stress can make your muscles tense and increase back pain.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills, pain with passing urine or not able to pass urine.
- Signs of wound infection. These include swelling, redness, warmth around the wound; too much pain when touched; yellowish, greenish, or bloody discharge; foul smell coming from the cut site; cut site opens up.
- Very bad pain
- Trouble breathing or swallowing liquids
- Weakness or numbness in your arms, legs, back, or buttocks
- Problem with walking, standing, or moving
- Problem passing urine or loss of bowel or bladder control
- You are not feeling better in 2 to 3 days or you are feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my procedure.
- I can tell you what may help ease my pain.
- I can tell you what changes I need to make with my activities.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have very bad pain; weakness or numbness in my arms, legs, back, or buttocks; or problems with walking, standing, or moving.
Where can I learn more?
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons ‚
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00329 ‚
Better Health Channel ‚
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Laminectomy ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚