Your back pain causes stress and problems in your day-to-day life. Have you ever wished you could get rid of it for good? If your back pain arises from certain types of spinal damage, you may be able to find lasting relief through a minimally invasive spinal procedure known as kyphoplasty.
The team of interventional pain management specialists at Alpenglow Pain & Wellness in Anchorage, Alaska, led by board-certified physicians Dr. Nichelle C. Renk and Dr. Gavin Nixon, works with new and existing patients to identify the causes of acute and chronic complaints, such as back pain. We also guide you towards treatment options most likely to help. If we recommend kyphoplasty for your back pain, here’s what you should know about the procedure, your risks, and the chances of total pain relief.
Your spine consists of many small bones, known as vertebrae. Wear-and-tear, conditions like osteopenia or osteoporosis, or damage due to trauma such as from a fall can leave these bones compromised. When your spine isn’t able to maintain its integrity, back pain can become a frequent issue for you. To address this type of back pain, it’s often necessary to go to the spinal cause.
If your vertebrae have suffered one or more compression fractures, you are at risk for spinal collapse, height loss, and kyphosis, a condition that causes curvature of the spine and a hunched-over posture. Your back pain becomes a constant companion, and your inability to straighten your spine can even impede your breathing and the healthy functioning of the many vital organs housed in your abdominal area. You need the right treatment for this type of spinal dysfunction to recover your full health and wellness.
One important note, the sooner you are evaluated by Dr. Nixon for your compression fracture, the more likely kyphoplasty can be used. Kyphoplasty is only appropriate for non-healed compression fractures, which is typically when they are less than 3 months old.
During your kyphoplasty, you’re under moderate sedation. You may be awake but comfortable, for the duration of the procedure. During treatment, you’re positioned lying down on your stomach.
Minimally invasive spine procedures do not involve large incisions or long post-surgery recovery times. Instead, Dr. Nixon at Alpenglow Pain & Wellness works through a small puncture. Dr. Nixon inserts a small hollow needle through the skin and into your damaged spinal vertebrae.
With the help of specialized X-ray guidance, Dr. Nixon pushes a balloon into the vertebra and inflates it, restoring lost vertebral height and re-aligning your spine. Finally, Dr. Nixon fills the reopened space with bone cement, making the restoration permanent.
A benefit of kyphoplasty is how low-risk this procedure is for most patients. You’re unlikely to experience any significant side effects after your treatment. Since this is an outpatient procedure, you head home the same day. It takes about an hour to perform a kyphoplasty.
Conversely, your pain relief benefits may come through immediately. It can also take a few days after treatment for your back pain to improve. Studies show that 92% of kyphoplasty patients experience positive results, and most consider the procedure a success.
Kyphoplasty offers a good chance of long-term back pain relief for anyone with spinal compression fractures in the neck, mid back, or low back. If spinal deterioration has left you coping with pain and decreasing physical mobility, reach out to the Alpenglow Pain & Wellness team to learn more about the treatment options that could be right for you. Schedule your initial appointment online or over the phone now.
