Lower Extremity Pain and Lumbar Laminectomy and Discectomy Baltimore

Back problems are very common, especially among older adults in the United States.  Age is probably the biggest contributing factor to the break down of the bony structures (vertebrae) that make up the rigid part of the spinal column.  It is possible, though, for anyone of any age to develop a degenerative diseases such as osteoarthritis that can lead to issue in the spine.  While one might expect that back pain would be the most common result of spinal compressions that result in the constriction of central nervous system structures inside of the spine, there can be a number of other symptoms as well.  Commonly, these include pain in the lower extremities.  Sciatica is the medical word for leg pain that is related to problems in the lower (lumbar) spine.  Claudication means a similar kind of leg pain that occurs only with walking or other activity.  Lower extremity symptoms that are related to lumbar spinal stenosis also include a tingling or numbness radiating from that area into the buttocks and legs.

Lumbar Laminectomy and Discectomy Surgeries Baltimore MD

There are a number of treatments that have different degrees of effectiveness in treating lower extremity symptoms.  Some sports medicine clinics can treat these problems very effectively with massage or physical therapy.  Some more medically based interventions include injections of some steroidal medications, oral anti-inflammatories and lumbar laminectomy and discectomy Baltimore surgeries.

Deciding on a treatment for lower-lumbar, spinal stenosis that causes pain in the lower extremities should be a joint process between the patient and the doctor.  It will depend on the severity and duration of the pain, and whether or not it can be effectively relieved with less-invasive treatments.  A healthier lifestyle program that emphasizes a balanced died and consistent exercise could be the very first intervention that is tried, perhaps alongside the use of over-the-counter, anti-inflammatory medications.  Back surgeries, for example lumbar laminectomy and discectomy surgical procedures Baltimore MD are generally considered elective procedures.  These types of surgeries will normally be considered when other treatments have failed to provide sufficient relief.  Because they are not emergency surgeries, it is possible for patients to schedule them when the recovery period will fit best into their lives.