Monday, February 25, 2019

The Cost of a Procedure for Severe Back Pain Baltimore MD

When considering the cost of a certain medical procedure, it is easy to over-simplify the question and just look at how much the surgeon will charge.  Even at this level, it is obvious that costs in addition to the surgeon's fee will accrue during treatment.  There is usually a fee for the operating room, salaries for nurses and other technicians, administrative overhead, and, of course, a few thousand dollars for each day of recovery the patient spends in the hospital.  Spinal fusion surgery is a very expensive procedure for severe back pain Baltimore MD.  This type of surgery is estimated to cost around $115,000 for all of the expenses related only to the actual procedure and hospital stay.

The Cost of Severe Back Pain Baltimore:  More than the Price of Surgery

Having a serious back surgery is costly, over and above fees for surgery and directly related hospital care.  Many individuals who have been suffering from chronic pain related to a spinal condition have been suffering for months or years.  It is a misconception that back pain only occurs in the back.  The spinal column contains the spinal cord, which, along with the brain, comprises the central nervous system.  There are many important nerve structures directly attached to the spinal cord.  Compromising any of these structures can lead not only to pain at the site of the compromise, but also in the upper- (arms, shoulders) or lower- (legs, feet) extremities containing these attached nerve structures.  Related pain in the arms or legs can further limit the ability for the individual to consistently go to work, earn money, and build an increasingly lucrative career path.

Many other costs are related to the need for a procedure for severe back pain Baltimore:
  • It may be necessary to travel in order to receive the best care.  Car rentals and hotel nights can add up very quickly.
  • The recovery period following a spinal fusion surgery can take up to two years (although six months is a bit more common for otherwise healthy individuals).  During this time, it may be necessary to pay for extra help with yard work, shopping, and other assorted needs.

Saturday, February 23, 2019

Things to consider when thinking about hip replacement Baltimore

Hip replacement Baltimore can help, but how?


- Hip surgery Baltimore is meant to help patients remove the aches and pains that are associated with deteriorating hip joints by replacing them with artificial ones. The artificial joints are long lasting and not prone to the same types of issues that natural joints are.

- Since hip pain can keep people from doing the things that they love, getting the replacement can go a long way toward making people much more comfortable and capable. For more information on this, visit https://www.medstarunionortho.org.

- A hip replacement surgery Baltimore MD is meant to allow people to get back to doing the things that they love, but this takes time. The healing process after a hip surgery Baltimore can take months, and will require attention to detail, physical therapy and patience, but it’s totally worth it, according to many former patients.

- Even though the procedure can do a lot of good, many people choose to wait until things have gotten worse, because of the lengthy time required for it to heal. The hip replacement Baltimore process means time off from work, time off from daily routines and even time off from hobbies and travel, but isn’t this worth it in the end?

- The hip replacement surgery will make it necessary for people to think more carefully about how they behave; this means being careful when moving, sitting, standing, laying down and even exercising. Since it is an artificial hip - and totally smooth - the risk of dislocation is increased, which means that people need to be more observant throughout the remainder of their lives in order to preserve their surgically repaired joint.

- Hip surgery can make people feel much younger and less depressed. Pain in the body can make people feel older, uncomfortable throughout their daily lives, and just unhappy. Why not change this? The surgery is an invasive one, but it’s considered a generally safe surgery. This means that while it has the potential to change a person’s life a great deal, it’s not something that patients should be overly worried about.

- No one can control what happens within their bodies. People that take great care of themselves - eating right, sleeping well, exercising - can often find themselves experiencing health issues like bone deterioration or density issues which result in the need for things like hip surgery. What people can control, though, is what they choose to do in order to promote better health and change the course of their lives after a problem has been identified.

Thursday, February 21, 2019

What is spinal fusion Baltimore?

The process of spinal fusion surgery is done in order to help patients strengthen the spine by “linking” vertebrae together. This is done via a simple surgery that uses the insertion of pins into the bones while they graft together. Though this is done on many different areas of the back when necessary, most patients will only need to focus on small sections. This type of surgery restricts movement, but at the same can be useful for those that have experienced things like deteriorating bones, spinal injuries or health issues that affect the spine.

Spinal fusion Baltimore is a surgery that has the potential to correct many issues for patients, but it will require a lot of patience by those that are healing from it, since it’s on a delicate area of the body. Basically every bodily movement involves the spine, so being mindful of the healing process is very important.

Spinal fusion Baltimore recovery period

As with all types of surgery, patients will notice that when things are progressing as they should be, they will feel less pain and discomfort as time passes. The wound on the surface is not the only one that will need to heal, which is something that many people often forget. In fact, this is a procedure that promotes new bone growth within the spinal column, and anyone that has dealt with a broken and re-growing bone will know that this takes time.
Most pain will dissipate after about a month, but some people will feel a marked improvement much sooner. The human body heals at different rates depending on overall health, so there’s no concrete timeline.

During the healing process after spinal fusion surgery Baltimore, patients will need to take it easy in order to ensure that they don’t re-injure the surgical site. Things like bending, twisting and heavy lifting (anything over 12-15 pounds) should be avoided for at least a month, but it will be up to the medical professional when the restrictions are lifted.

Once things can be reintroduced into the daily routine, patients will be able to slowly get back to normal. This means returning to work, taking care of the home, and even starting physical therapy. The physical therapy is very important for spinal fusion surgery patients because it will help them be more mindful of their actions and behaviors, even after the surgical site has completely healed and the fusion is completed.

Saturday, February 16, 2019

Spinal Fusion Surgery Baltimore

One of the most popular interventions for chronic pain resulting from spinal conditions is spinal fusion surgery Baltimore.  While this sounds like a very technical and complicated operation (and, it is for the surgeons who specialize in it), it is actually very easy to understand.

What Happens During Spinal Fusion Surgery Baltimore MD?

Before being able to fully understand this surgical procedure, it is necessary to understand a little bit about the structure of the spine.  The rigid, bony part is made up of a stack of small bones, called vertebrae.  Each vertebrae has an open passage in its middle, which accommodates the spinal cord.  The spinal cord is one half of the central nervous system, with the brain making up the other half.  Many other important nerve structures are attached to the spinal cord.  These run throughout the entire body, allowing the arms, legs, hands, fingers, feet and other body parts to perceive sensation and move in response to various brain functions.

When an injury occurs, or a degenerative bone disease develops, it can alter the position of one or more vertebrae, subsequently placing pressure on an important nerve.  The result is pain in the back or another body part connected to the impacted nerve structure.

Spinal fusion procedures Baltimore can sometimes offer a solution to these types of chronic pain by stabilizing the vertebrae.  As suggested by the name of the procedure, the surgery seeks to fuse two or more vertebrae into a single piece of bone.  The objective is to decrease pathological movement of the spine, resulting in the cessation of unnecessary compression of nerve structure.  It requires the use of bone grafting material which can be obtained either from another surgical site on the patient's own body, or from a deceased organ donor.  Rods, screws, and other medical hardware are used to stabilize the spine until the graft has time to fully fuse the vertebrae.

The fusion surgery is by no means a panacea for anyone with spine-related chronic pain.  It is really only an option for those who have tried all of the less-invasive treatment options without adequate relief.