Back pain keeps you from the things you love
With an increasing number of patients being diagnosed with chronic pain across the country, we at Integrated Pain Associates strive to be on the leading edge of treatment options offered to our patients. It is likely that either you or somebody you know is suffering with chronic lower back and leg pain, which you may have been told is due to spinal stenosis. If this is the case, you are likely wondering what treatment options are available and are hesitant to pursue corrective surgery. One exciting option has become available which can fill the gap between conservative care and invasive surgery: Vertiflex.
Vertiflex is beneficial
To better understand how beneficial Vertiflex can be, it is best to first understand what lumbar spinal stenosis is. The lumbar spine (lower back) consists of five vertebrae which are located between the bottom of the ribs and the upper pelvis. Lumbar stenosis describes a condition when the spinal canal of
These vertebrae becomes narrowed, compressing the nerves that pass through this area as they travel into the legs. This stenosis may result in pain, numbness, cramping, or stiffness in the leg, buttock, or groin. These symptoms can make walking or standing quite difficult, but patients often reports relief when seated or bending forward.
How were symptoms treated before Vertiflex
Before Vertiflex, these symptoms were typically treated by either conservative treatment options including physical therapy and epidural injections, or by invasive surgical correction. Historically, surgical correction has been the only definitive option to increase the space around the nerves. This involves permanently and irreversibly altering the natural anatomy of the spine though the removal of bone and other surrounding tissue. We can now achieve similar pain relief by using Vertiflex, a small titanium spacer to indirectly decompress the posterior spine. The spacer is inserted into the posterior spinal column through a small tube about the size of a dime, which reduces tissue damage and blood loss. This can be performed in an outpatient surgical center, and is followed by rapid recovery time. Patients no longer have to worry about destabilization of the spine, as the natural anatomy is maintained, making this treatment completely reversible if the spacer ever needs to be removed in the future.
Integrated Pain Associates can help
At Integrated Pain Associates, we are proud to offer Vertiflex to our patients, utilizing some of the best technology on the market. If you are suffering with chronic back and leg pain caused by spinal stenosis, come in to Integrated Pain Associates where we’ll be happy to discuss whether Vertiflex is the right choice for you.