| |
 |
|
| Medical Edge |
|
|
|
Medical Edge Newspaper Column from Mayo Clinic
YES, YOU CAN WALK AWAY FROM BACK SURGERY WITH ‘ONLY A BAND-AID’
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: On a recent television show, a person had a
ruptured disc repaired and walked away from the surgery with only a Band-Aid
on his back. I’ve had lower back problems and leg and hip pain for years.
Two physicians have recommended I have disc-repair surgery, but I never
pursued it because the recovery is so long and painful. Is there an alternative
procedure? — Hanover, N.H.
ANSWER: The procedure you saw is called minimally invasive disc
surgery. It’s usually an outpatient procedure performed under general
anesthesia. Most patients go back to light activity in two weeks, and
full activity in six weeks.
Patients best suited for minimally invasive disc surgery usually meet
two criteria: They have not had previous disc surgery, and they have typical
sciatica, or leg pain. If these two criteria are met, this approach is
generally applicable to patients of all ages.
Surgeons trained in this procedure use specialized instruments and a microscope
to make several small incisions (less than one inch in diameter) or puncture
sites in the lower back. They then insert a small, tubular retractor —
a thin, lighted tube similar to a microscope — and surgical instruments
through these incisions. The retractor enables the surgeon to view the
problem area without having to make a large incision.
Success rates are good, and many professional and amateur athletes have
had excellent results following this procedure. And yes, it’s true that
patients walk away from this surgery the same day with only a Band-Aid
covering the small incisions.
While this procedure is relatively new, it has been widely accepted by
the medical community over the last five years, and is used at advanced
medical centers and comprehensive back-care specialty practices. To find
a center near you, call the neurosurgery department of your local hospital
and ask about minimally invasive disc surgery.
— William Krauss, M.D., Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
Additional Resources:
Minimally Invasive
Disc Surgery
Appointment
Information
Back
Pain - When Is It A Good Idea
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: When is a headache a migraine? About once a month
my husband feels twinges in his scalp above his right eyebrow and gets
a terrible headache on one side of his head. He jokingly calls them “head
bugs,” but they often wipe him out — sometimes for a full day. Are these
migraine headaches? — St. Paul, Minn.
ANSWER: There are over 300 types of headaches, each with different
causes, kinds of pain, onset and frequency. In the United States, headaches
are on the top-20 list of the most common complaints heard by family practitioners.
The word “migraine” comes from the ancient Greek word “hemicranos,” meaning
“half head,” since a migraine headache generally occurs on only one side
of the head.
A migraine headache is caused by an inappropriate activation of a pain
system that is meant to be a warning system. When functioning normally,
this warning system protects the brain from injury because the person
experiencing the pain is prompted to look for a cause. When a person has
a migraine, this warning system is turned on inappropriately and repeatedly.
During a migraine attack, all sensory systems are accentuated, and normal
inputs become unpleasant. The degree of discomfort varies, although it
tends to be of moderate to severe intensity and is accompanied by nausea
and sensitivity to sound, light and sometimes to strong smells. During
a migraine headache, most individuals find that routine physical activities
aggravate the pain, and they prefer to lie down and try to sleep.
Eighteen percent of women and 6 to 7 percent of men report having migraine
headaches each year. There is no blood test or genetic marker to diagnose
migraines; a diagnosis is made based on the patient’s symptoms, medical
history and an examination. Sometimes laboratory studies or brain scans
are necessary to exclude other causes of headache.
Anyone who has suffered from a migraine knows this fact well: The pain
and discomfort can severely diminish the quality and effectiveness of
a person’s life. In fact, people who have migraine headaches miss an average
of four workdays every year, or, like your husband, are incapacitated
for long periods.
— Jerry Swanson, M.D. Neurology, Editor, Mayo Clinic On Headache,
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
Additional Resources:
Treatment of Migraine
Headaches
Appointment
Information
Additional
Information on Migraine Headaches
- - -
Medical Edge from Mayo Clinic is an educational resource and doesn’t
replace regular medical care. To e-mail a question, go to www.mayoclinic.org,
or write: Medical Edge from Mayo Clinic, c/o TMS, 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite
114, Buffalo, N.Y., 14207. For health information, visit www.mayoclinic.com.
© 2004 TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
|
|
