Back Surgeon Plano TX: What to Know about Sciatic Pain and Surgery

If you’re suffering from unbearable sciatica pain, chances are, you’ve considered going to a back surgeon Plano TX. Although non-surgical treatments are often quite effective for treating sciatica nerve pain, they are not always enough, particularly if you’re experiencing debilitating symptoms. Fortunately, you have options when it comes to finding relief, and a skilled surgeon from the Brain and Spine Center of Texas can get you there.

Back Surgeon Plano TX: When Surgery is Required for Sciatic Pain

The mind-numbing sharp pain a disruptive sciatic nerve can create is enough to send most over the edge. However, that’s not always enough for a doctor to recommend surgery. Your back surgeon may recommend surgical treatment if:

• You have spinal stenosis and your surgeon believes that surgery is the best treatment option available.
• Your symptoms are becoming increasingly severe and non-surgical options are no longer effective.
• You have bowel or bladder dysfunction caused by spinal cord compression.
• You are suffering from neurologic issues, such as leg weakness.

Back Doctor Plano TX: Common Sciatic Surgeries

A few different surgeries are commonly used to repair the sciatic nerve and to offer patients relief. If your back surgeon recommends surgery, it will likely be one of the following types:

• Discectomy or Microdiscectomy. These two sciatic nerve operations involve the surgeon removing all or part of the herniated disc that is pushing on your sciatic nerve and causing problems. A microdiscectomy is less invasive than a discectomy, as it uses microscopic magnification to work through a tiny incision using tiny instruments. Typically, patients recover much more quickly with microdiscectomies than they do discectomies, so this is often the preferred choice of doctors and patients, when possible.
• Laminectomy or Laminotomy. These sciatic-relief surgeries involve a part of the spine called the lamina, which is a bony plate that protects the spinal cord and spinal canal. A laminectomy removes the entire lamina, whereas a laminotomy removes only part of the lamina. The goal of these surgeries is to make more space for the nerves, which reduces the chances of the nerves becoming pinched or compressed, thus preventing pain and other issues.

Lumbar Surgery Plano TX: Is Sciatic Surgery Right for You?

Sciatic surgery isn’t right for everyone, and recovery time can be difficult. Most patients won’t feel relief immediately, and many need medications and other treatments before they are able to resume their normal lives and activities.

To find out if these types of surgeries will help with your spinal problems, speak with a back surgeon Plano TX from the Brain and Spine Center of Texas. Schedule your consultation by calling 972-943-9779 and get started on living a pain-free life.