Have you ever experienced pain in your lower back that worsens when you stand and resolves when you sit? If so, you might be suffering from lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). As you age, your spinal passage narrows, thanks to the natural degeneration of your spinal discs. The changes may result in the compression of nerves in your lumbar spine, resulting in lower back pain. Fortunately, your healthcare provider might help you live a pain-free life with various treatments, including laminectomy and decompression. Thanks to innovative procedures, options like Vertiflex Superion in Austin can be ideal, especially if you want a minimally invasive process.
What does Vertiflex Superion treatment entail?
The spacer entails using a Superion spacer (implant) to create space between your compressed discs, easing pressure on your nerves. During the minimally invasive treatment, your surgeon places the device in position using a tiny tube (cannula), thus creating room for your spinal cord without compressing or squeezing it. Besides relieving your painful symptoms, your doctor may also use the procedure to minimize blood loss and tissue damage, giving you a faster and more comfortable recovery.
One significant advantage of the Vertiflex Superion procedure is that the implant preserves your lower back’s motion range, unlike other treatments like fusion. By separating your compressed vertebrae, the Superion implant also helps minimize inflammation. Other benefits of the procedure include:
- The minimally invasive nature of the process also minimizes your risks of post-op complications.
- The treatment is reversible.
- Vertiflex Superion preserves your back’s sensitive tissues
- The treatment gives you an effective alternative to the traditional open surgery, especially if you find a surgical procedure too aggressive
- Superion implant is an ideal option when conservative treatments like medication and therapy fail to relieve your painful symptoms.
- No scarring in or on your spinal cord
What are lumbar spinal stenosis symptoms you should watch out for?
LSS is a severely debilitating condition that occurs when your spinal cord does not have enough space as it should inside your spinal column. When your spinal cord lacks enough space, an upright position causes you pain, forcing you to hunch to ease the pressure on your spine. LSS symptoms include:
- Dull backache that radiates to your legs
- Pain, especially when you walk, stand or sit upright
- Muscle weakness
- Loss of balance
- A tingling or cramping effect in your back, buttocks, and legs
- Need to support yourself using a walker or cane to move comfortably
- Reduced endurance, especially during physical activities
How effective is Vertiflex Superion
Your doctor will most likely recommend the innovative process to treat symptomatic Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (LSS). Unlike other invasive spinal treatments like laminectomies and fusions, where your surgeon removes chunks of bones and implants screws, the medical professional removes nothing and does not touch your spinal cord during the FDA-approved interspinous spacer procedure.
The treatment significantly reduces back pain, relieving leg pain. As a result, the treatment will likely enhance your physical function, minimizing disability and easing your symptoms’ severity.
The wide range of benefits the Vertiflex Superion procedure has makes the process ideal for LSS patients. Given that a traditional spinal surgical procedure has significant risks like painful recovery, a minimally invasive treatment might be an option to help minimize the dull backache less aggressively. For more details on the Superion Implant, consult your surgeon.
