Treatment for Spondylosis in New Jersey
Many adults older than 60 suffer from spondylosis, a condition that causes patients a lot of pain. Spondylosis is caused by the degeneration of facet joints in the spine from years of wear and tear.
Spondylosis impacts a patient’s quality of life because it limits their capacity to do the things they enjoy, like playing with their kids. Patients suffering from persistent back pain in New Jersey can visit Dr. Branko Skovrlj for a definitive diagnosis. This experienced neurosurgeon uses advanced minimally invasive surgical techniques and innovative technology to administer life-transforming spinal treatment. Learn more about spondylosis and how to treat it.
What Is Spondylosis?
Also known as spinal osteoarthritis, spondylosis is an age-related condition that happens when the discs or vertebral bones degenerate. The discs in the spine act as shock absorbers, so when the discs rub together, the patient can experience pain.
Spinal osteoarthritis mostly affects the facet joints, which is where the vertebrae connect. Degeneration of the spine’s intervertebral discs because of the loss of fluid from a leak or rupture is also common.
Due to the pain and discomfort that spondylosis causes, doctors recommend early diagnosis for successful treatment. If a patient is experiencing nagging back pain, they should not ignore it. Find an experienced practice like NU-Spine: The Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Institute, based in New Jersey, for an appointment or a free MRI review.
What Part of the Spine Does Spondylosis Affect?
When facet joints wear away and the intervertebral discs are damaged, what is left in the spine is the protective cartilage. Since cartilage is not as sturdy as the bones, it can wear away quickly. That can lead to stiffness, pain, or a limited range of motion.
Spondylosis can develop in different sections of the spine:
- Cervical spondylosis: An age-related degeneration that affects the joints and discs in the neck. Called cervical facet syndrome when it affects the vertebrae or cervical bulging disc when the problem lies within the discs, cervical spondylosis is the most common form of spondylosis and can affect as many as 85% of people older than 60.
- Lumbar spondylosis: This condition refers to the wearing down of joints (lumbar degenerative joint disease) or the herniation of discs (lumbar herniated disc) in the lower back.
- Thoracic spondylosis: This condition affects the upper back and mid-back regions of the spine. Thoracic disc herniation is just as painful and limiting as the other forms of the disease.
- Lumbosacral: This type of bone and disc degeneration affects the lower back and sacrum. The sacrum is the bottom of the tailbone. It sits at the very bottom of the spine, where it connects to the pelvic bone. The sacrum stabilizes the pelvis, so if those vertebrae degenerate, it causes all kinds of problems and pain for the patient.
Symptoms of Spondylosis
A patient’s quality of life can be affected by spondylosis. To treat spondylosis successfully, early detection and treatment are needed. The symptoms may vary, depending on which region of the spine is affected. Early signs of spondylosis include:
- Paresthesia, a condition marked by abnormal sensations such as a tingling sensation, numbness, or weakness in the legs, feet, arms, or hands
- Pain around the shoulder blade that increases when sitting, sneezing, coughing, standing, or tilting the neck
- Poor coordination and difficulty walking
- Stiffness after a period of rest
- Muscle weakness
- Loss of bladder or bowel control, in extreme cases
What Causes Spondylosis?
n a healthy spine, the vertebrae, intervertebral discs, facet joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments work smoothly to allow fluid movement of the back. When the facet joints or intervertebral discs degrade or change, it can create inflammation. When anything around the spine swells, it can cause compressed nerves, leading to pain both in the back and even in the extremities.
Causes of spondylosis include:
- Wear and tear of the cartilage: Often caused by osteoarthritis, the wearing down of cartilage can affect the surface of facet joints between vertebrae. Once the cartilage is gone, the bones start to rub together. This leads to the development of bone spurs.
- Lumbar degenerative disc disease: As the outer lining of a disc thins or cracks, it loses fluid, which can leak out into the surrounding tissue. Leaked fluid may harm a nerve.
- Pars defect: If a patient suffers an injury to their spine, one of their vertebrae may fracture due to a bone collapsing in the spine.
- A spinal injury: Trauma due to a spinal injury can damage the discs and bones of the spine.
- Lumbar slipped discs: A slipped, herniated, or prolapsed disc is not just painful, it often requires surgery to repair.
- Ligament stiffness: Stiff ligaments pull against the bones in the spine. It is a painful condition but usually does not require surgery.
Who Is at Risk of Getting Spondylosis?
While a back injury can happen to anyone, some people are more at risk for spondylosis than others. Risk factors include:
- Being obese or overweight
- Genetic factors
- Being over the age of 60
- Having psoriatic arthritis
- A lack of exercise
- Suffering back pain from a previous spinal surgery
- Smoking cigarettes
- Repetitive weightlifting
- Having a mental health condition, such as depression
The team at NU-Spine uses advanced medical procedures to improve the outcomes of those who undergo spinal spondylosis treatment. The goal is to get the patient back on their feet, and Dr. Skovrlj works with his patients during every step of the treatment process until the patient’s goals are reached.
Treatments for Spondylosis
An expert spinal surgeon like Dr. Skovrlj first carries out a physical and neurological examination of the patient. Other tests may include X-rays, a magnetic resonance image (MRI) scan, or a computed tomography (CT) scan.
Treatment options for spondylosis depend on the results of the diagnosis and where the problem lies. For example:
- For cervical spondylosis treatment, a non-operative approach is the first option. It includes pain medication, physical therapy, exercises, and weight-loss training.
- For thoracic or lumbar spondylosis treatment, or if the non-surgical treatment does not produce the desired results, Dr. Skovrlj may recommend minimally invasive spine surgery.
Surgical Options to Treat Spondylosis
At NU-Spine, Dr. Skovrlj specializes in using minimally invasive spine surgery. That is because the benefits far outweigh traditional spine surgery in many cases. Benefits include:
- Smaller incision, making recovery easier
- Less blood loss
- Minimal risk of muscle damage
- Faster recovery
In most cases, a patient can go home the same day as surgery to continue their rest and recuperation in the comfort of their home.
The part of the spine where spondylosis originates determines the type of surgery a patient undergoes. These procedures may include:
- Cervical disc replacement
- Endoscopic posterior cervical foraminotomy or discectomy
- Lumbar foraminotomy
- Minimally invasive laminectomy
- Microdiscectomy
- Spinal fusion(typically not the first choice)
Dr. Skovrlj and his team will discuss with the patient which course of action is best to relieve their spondylosis pain.
Choose NU-Spine to Treat Spondylosis
The world-renowned staff at NU-Spine: The Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Institute are advocates of minimally invasive surgery. Our neurologists believe the technique is on par with traditional spinal surgery, but it is less invasive, leading to a quicker healing time for the patient.
Whether a patient has spondylosis or is seeking a more accurate diagnosis of neck and back pain, they should visit NU-Spine as soon as possible. We are conveniently located in Paramus, Woodbridge, Toms River, Jersey City, and Holmdel, New Jersey. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.
