Spine- fusion or artificial disk?

[john70t]

I kinked something yesterday while taking a pan out of the oven. Spent last night sleeping on the floor with my legs up on the couch. Almost got trapped in the foam mattress and could not move. Something popped back into place today hopefully but still sore. It's been a continuing present from a former employer for a couple decades now, but eventually it will need taking care of.

The fusion is supposed to be compounding to neighboring disks.
The disks are supposed to last a decade or so but are an easy surgery with easy recovery.


Anyone have experience with this?

[LWJ]

Sort of. Several car accidents let my fragile back in a state of agony.

I found relief with a physical therapist practicing the McKenzie method.

https://www.mckenzieinstituteusa.org/method.cfm

After 11 other medical professionals failing, I was amazed. Might be worth a look.

Good luck!!!

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by john70t

The fusion is supposed to be compounding to neighboring disks.
The disks are supposed to last a decade or so but are an easy surgery with easy recovery.

Anyone have experience with this?

I have a really troublesome back caused by past accidents and stubbornness. I looked at surgery because the pain was real and spectacular at times.

Assuming you are in good shape, have done the core work to strengthen your back's support, work out regularly, I would still avoid back surgery at all cost. Since CBO's, I have returned to form and the back pain has subsided to background noise.

No such beast as easy surgery, especially the spine, the bodies information super highway. Loose weight, get a core program and try to avoid surgery at all cost.

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by LWJ

practicing the McKenzie method.

Ha, I've met the guy. He was (is???) a really fun guy. My uncle was his best buddy and accountant. Pleased to hear it works.

[Rot 911]

I had a disectomy in my neck last February. In one day and out the next. When I woke up the pain I had been experiencing was completely gone. The doctor that did it made me promise not to do another motorcycle track day for eight weeks! It wasn’t easy to wait that long as I felt so good after the surgery!

[cabmandone]

I have a close friend who had rods and pins put in. I'm not sure I'd go that route. I'd give PT a chance and do a lot of core exercises and try to avoid surgery. I have 2 herniated discs that I've been nursing with physical therapy for about 3 years now.

[sugarwood]

Give it 2 weeks, and it will probably go away on its own.
Look up back and core exercises to do once you're healed.

Please update this thread when it goes away

[pavulon]

Fusion transfers the cumulative stress, wear and tear distributed between several newly fused vertebral levels onto the next lower level. I'm sure you can see the problem there. However, people in severe back pain will understandably make a lot of concessions for a chance at escaping it.

Fwiw, my 13 yo daughter was fused over the majority of her spine for scoliosis correction last month. She's doing well but I worry about her future.

[herr_oberst]

^^ My best wishes are being sent to your daughter. If there is a gift to be had this Christmas, I hope that it will be a comfortable life with no complications...and the best of luck to her!!!

That x-ray reminds me of a Sports Illustrated story from decades ago, there was a champion dead-lifter who had scoliosis with a spine that looked a lot like that. Surgery was not an option for him, if recall correctly, so he just got on with his life the best way he knew how, and headed to the weight room...

[pavulon]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

^^ My best wishes are being sent to your daughter. If there is a gift to be had this Christmas, I hope that it will be a comfortable life with no complications...and the best of luck to her!!!

Thank you herr_oberst. That's very kind.

[Rusty Heap]

I have a dog in this fight.

got the full MRI done


lower 5 disks are degenerating


dad had fusion in his neck...... steroid injections really help!!!!!!!!!


Does this spine make my butt look big?



note the excessive gaps.......I've shrunk about 1/4-3/8th inch in height over the last decade.

[sc_rufctr]

"Spine- fusion or artificial disk?" ... Is there a third choice?

I wouldn't let them touch me until I had changed my diet and exercised with the goals of losing weight and gaining wellness.
Get yourself into the mid point for your height - Which means you'll be around the same weight you were as a teenager.

It sounds impossible but this is exactly what I did.
I started at 115 kg - 253.5 pounds just before Obama took office. (October 2008) I now weight 74 kg - 163 pounds.
I did this because adult onset type 2 diabetes runs in my family and my father died because of complications at 57. (I'm 54)

So if you've already done that and you have to make a choice I'd go with the artificial disk.

I don't have issues myself but I have known people who have had spinal fusions.
Over time they generally have more because of the increased flexing of the remaining disks above an below the first fusion.

---

Pavulon, best wishes to you and your family.

[john70t]

sc_rufctr- That's a great success story! My diet is very much improved these past few years but yes I've been lazy with the exercise. Need to do more. Been sleeping on the rug floor feet up instead of the worn out 'comfort foam' and slowly getting better. I'm going to get some more acupuncture I think.

pavulon- That is an obvious improvement and hope it lasts. Wish there were more choices in that area. Would a TENS machine help with strengthening one side? Stem cell therapy? Mom had a cracked vertebrae and they glued it back into square.

rusty- We both need to do more yoga or McKenzie or strengthening. I hope you have a good ergonomic chair and/or pads.

I just wish there were some way for medicine to be able to determine muscle response and strength to determine whether a joint/flex core is being balanced properly under load and full range..i.e. some way to scan muscles.

[Bill Douglas]

Good luck with it John. It sure takes the load off the spine if the stomach and back muscles are strong. And a good incentive to lose weight - less work for your spine to do. Good weight loss Peter!!

[sc_rufctr]

I didn't mean to brag... And I wouldn't want anybody to think it was easy.

There were long periods of time were I just didn't want to exercise but did anyway.
It was a real slog at times but now daily exercise is part of my life.
In the begging the hardest part was putting on my walking shoes and then stepping out of the house.

You just have to keep going. This may sound obvious but even if you hate exercising it will still work.
Just do something everyday.

Do you live near the beach? Go for a bare foot walk on the sand.
Do you own a bike? Dust it off, oil the chain and go for a short ride. (20 minutes wont kill you)
Wash you car by hand on your front lawn and then vacuum out the interior and trunk.
Mow your own lawn. Don't pay someone to do it and trim your edges using a manual push tool. (wear a hat)
Do your own house work, laundry and iron your shirts and trousers.

The trick is to keep moving.

Originally Posted by pavulon

Fusion transfers the cumulative stress, wear and tear distributed between several newly fused vertebral levels onto the next lower level. I'm sure you can see the problem there. However, people in severe back pain will understandably make a lot of concessions for a chance at escaping it.

Fwiw, my 13 yo daughter was fused over the majority of her spine for scoliosis correction last month. She's doing well but I worry about her future.

Gosh--that is remarkable. Wishing her only the best.