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Lower Back Pain, Cough. MRI Shows Dessicated L4-L5. Is Surgery The Only Option?
Dear Doctor, Last one and half month back, I had a violent caugh which made me stuck with lower back pain . Before the incident, i have been suffering from back pain from couple of months and the incident made me to rush to hospitals . After consulting with Orthopedic (25+ years exp), he suggested me to go for physio and few medicines. I could not recover, then I changed the doctor with an MRI . MRI report has a dessicated L4-L5. Doctor suggested me to go for an operation. Is surgery is the only option for me? how my life will be after surgery. What would be procedures of surgery? Thank you in advance.
posted on
Mon, 14 Jan 2013
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Mon, 14 Jan 2013
Answered on
Wed, 16 Jan 2013
Last reviewed on
Hi,
If you are having desicated L4-L5 you should have to go through surgery that is not much dangerous. This isnot life threatening.In this disc reconstitution therapy is to be done that will improve the outcome of life. There is nothing to worry about the outcomes of surgery.
Go through the surgery you will utlimately be benefited from the procedure.
Take care,
Good Luck for the procedure
Regards,
Dr. Azhar Sattar
If you are having desicated L4-L5 you should have to go through surgery that is not much dangerous. This isnot life threatening.In this disc reconstitution therapy is to be done that will improve the outcome of life. There is nothing to worry about the outcomes of surgery.
Go through the surgery you will utlimately be benefited from the procedure.
Take care,
Good Luck for the procedure
Regards,
Dr. Azhar Sattar
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Hello,
Because of the cough that you had you probably had prolapsed disc. The treatment options are Medication, physiotherapy and surgery. Surgery is indicated if you are not having enough relief with the medications. Also if there is weakness or sensory loss in any area then surgery may be required. The surgery for disc does not significantly alter your life. It is a routine surgery and will not pose many restrictions on your future life. For surgery they will put a cut in the back and remove the excessive part of the disc which is pressing on the nerve.
Good luck.
Because of the cough that you had you probably had prolapsed disc. The treatment options are Medication, physiotherapy and surgery. Surgery is indicated if you are not having enough relief with the medications. Also if there is weakness or sensory loss in any area then surgery may be required. The surgery for disc does not significantly alter your life. It is a routine surgery and will not pose many restrictions on your future life. For surgery they will put a cut in the back and remove the excessive part of the disc which is pressing on the nerve.
Good luck.
I find this answer helpful
Hi Kishkumar,
Surgery in prolapsed lumbar discs is indicated if there is any compression of the nerve roots and if you have symptoms that fit with the scan findings. If your symptom is only low back pain and if the MRI shows dessicated L4/5 disc (dessication basically means that the disc has dried out), surgery may not be helpful. Surgery for improving he low back pain alone is successful in only about 50% of cases. Therefore, other non-operative methods may be more useful in your case.
Hope this helps.
Surgery in prolapsed lumbar discs is indicated if there is any compression of the nerve roots and if you have symptoms that fit with the scan findings. If your symptom is only low back pain and if the MRI shows dessicated L4/5 disc (dessication basically means that the disc has dried out), surgery may not be helpful. Surgery for improving he low back pain alone is successful in only about 50% of cases. Therefore, other non-operative methods may be more useful in your case.
Hope this helps.
I find this answer helpful
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