Workers Compensation Settlement For Back Injury

Sciatica is caused by irritation of the nerve roots in the lower and lumbosacral spine. The nerve roots may be pinched by the narrowing of their pathway, also known as foraminal stenosis, which irritates the nerves and causes pain and other sciatica symptoms, such as weakness, numbness, and shooting pain.

They are the most common back injuries of all. A single incidence of inappropriate lifting or overstretching the back muscles might result in back pain. Employees who sit or stand for lengthy periods may experience lower back pain. 

At the same time, those who are particularly active may sustain a sprain. Most of these injuries are minor and can be managed with pain relievers and physical therapy. 

Spinal stenosis occurs when, usually due to the age of the body, the spinal canal narrows and puts pressure on the important spinal nerves. Spinal stenosis is called cervical stenosis when it occurs in the neck area, thoracic stenosis in the middle to upper part of the back, and lumbar stenosis in the lower back area. 

Narrowing can happen for several reasons, such as ligaments and cartilage thickening in the canal, or excessive bone growth simply causing the opening to become more slender over time. The risk of this problem increases as a patient passes 50 years of age, due in part to years of stress on the spine and the tendency of tissue and bone to become less sturdy or flexible with decades of repeated use. Bone disease or spinal injury may also be contributing factors in stenosis of the spine, in patients of any age. 

This involves a variety of structural, biochemical, nutritional, and molecular changes that occur in the spinal disc over time or following an initial injury to the intervertebral spinal disc in your spine. 

Degenerative disc disease is a common cause of back pain and neck pain (discogenic pain), sciatica and radiculopathy. The pain in your back from degenerative disc disease comes from irritated (inflamed or compressed) nerve fibers nearby, and can be categorized as a mechanical instability.

When a vertebra fracture or dislocates, bone fragments can pinch and injure the spinal nerves and cord. The most common causes of spinal fractures are accidents, falls, and sports. 

The severity of injuries can range from minor ligament and muscle strains to bone vertebral fractures and dislocations, as well as devastating spinal cord injury. Many fractures can be treated without surgery, but severe fractures may require surgery to realign the bones.

Deuk Laser Disc Repair is an alternative to dangerous invasive spine surgeries like total disc replacement and spinal fusion. It is the most advanced laser surgery in the world.

This revolutionary procedure was developed by Dr. Ara Deukmedjian MD, a world-renowned neuro-spine surgeon and a true pioneer in minimally invasive, laser, and endoscopic back and neck pain treatment.  

Deuk Laser Disc Repair is a form of endoscopic spine surgery performed in a state-of-the-art surgery center under sedation while the patient relaxes. This procedure does not compromise or weaken the health and integrity of the spine.

If you have a herniated or bulging disc or chronic back or neck pain, submit your MRI for a free review. 

Here's how it works:

Deuk Laser Disc Repair requires a very small incision, less than a quarter inch long. A cylindrical rod called a dilator is inserted in the small opening to gently spread the muscle to create a small passage and guide through which the surgery is performed endoscopically. 

The tip of the dilator is advanced into the symptomatic disc through the tear in the annulus where the herniation originates, and a tube called the retractor slides over the dilator and is carefully positioned into the painful disc. The rest of the entire Deuk laser disc repair surgery will occur inside this narrow tube.

To access the spine, an endoscopic camera is inserted into the tubular retractor to allow the surgeon to guide the laser inside each symptomatic disc. This process ensures that bones and surrounding tissues are not damaged, unlike traditional spinal fusions, microdiscectomy

and artificial discs.

The Holmium YAG laser used in the Deuk laser disc repair is manipulated accurately with millimeter precision under endoscopic visualization to remove only painful inflammatory tissue from the back of the disc. 

The laser is precisely used to remove damaged disc material that is causing the pain. This process is called debridement of the annular tear and Dr. Ara Deukmedjian MD was the first in the world to use and publish this technique.

Once the laser has removed the inflamed painful part of the annular tear and the herniated nucleus pulposus, the endoscope and tubular retractor are removed, leaving less than one-quarter inch incision in the skin, which can be closed with a single stitch and a band-aid. 

Recovery time: The total time for the Deuk laser disc repair surgery is one hour, and the patient is in recovery for about 45 to 60 minutes before being released to go home–a huge difference between other spinal surgeries. Hospitalization is not needed and all risks of hospital-based surgery are avoided. 

Also, with the Deuk laser disc repair, there’s no loss of normal movement, and the flexibility of the disc and joint is preserved. With endoscopic Deuk laser disc repair, there is no fusion, metal implants or biological material added to the spine. The procedure is all-natural, allowing your body to heal the herniated or bulging disc itself.

After the surgery, the Deuk laser disc repair patient is back home, enjoying life with a speedy recovery allowing normal activities without pain. Another advantage of Deuk laser disc repair is that no opioids or powerful narcotic painkillers are needed after surgery. 

Open spine surgeries like microdiscectomy, laminectomy, artificial disc replacement, and fusion all cause so much internal trauma that patients are in severe pain after surgery and must take painkillers for weeks after their surgery–but not with Deuk laser disc repair.

There are two variants of discectomy surgery that patients can undergo; an open discectomy or a microdiscectomy. Discectomy is far more invasive than endoscopic laser spine surgery and therefore has more complications, postoperative pain, longer recovery, and more scar tissue.

The main distinction is that an open discectomy features a larger incision, more normal spinal bone and ligaments are removed, and there is more scar tissue and pain than a microdiscectomy. This procedure gives room for the underlying risk of nerve damage to the neighboring nerves of the vertebrae. 

The spinal column can also become unstable due to the removed bones, ligaments, and facet joints. In such cases, a spinal fusion is conducted following the discectomy to re-stabilize the spinal column, marginally increasing the patient’s recovery time.

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Recovery Time: Patients are commonly admitted to the hospital for a few days after the procedure. This is done to guarantee a low risk of infection and complications. 

Within 3-4 weeks, patients should be able to return to desk work, and within 8-12 weeks, they should be able to return to heavy lifting duties. Surgeons may prescribe physical therapy to help the spine regain its complete range of motion.

Frequently performed alongside a Foraminotomy and/or traditional spinal fusion, a Laminectomy involves removing parts of the lamina in the spine that may be compressing the spinal cord or spinal nerves. 

Laminectomy is performed as a treatment for Spinal Stenosis which occurs when, usually due to the age of the body, the spinal canal narrows and puts pressure on the important spinal nerves. Spinal stenosis is called cervical stenosis when it occurs in the neck area, thoracic stenosis in the middle to the upper part of the back, and lumbar stenosis in the lower back area.

Typically involving a large incision and the moving of muscle, skin, and ligaments, Laminectomy surgery enables surgeons to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves by removing the lamina bone or bone spurs. The problem with this method is that it causes collateral damage to soft tissues in the area to reach the problematic region.

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Recovery time: After surgery, you will be sent to a recovery room, where medical staff will keep tabs on you for potential issues from the surgery or anesthetic. It is also possible you will be asked to move your arms and legs. To ease pain at the incision site, your doctor may prescribe medication. 

You may be able to go home the same day as your operation, while some people may require a brief stay in the hospital. The doctor can also recommend physical therapy to help you gain strength and flexibility.

Depending on how much lifting, walking and sitting your job requires, you may be able to return to work in a few weeks. If you also have a spinal fusion, your recovery time will be lengthened.

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Foraminotomy is a fairly-invasive, open-back surgery that is used to treat the effects of foraminal stenosis in the spine that requires the repositioning of tissues and cutting of bone to alleviate pressure on the nerve. 

The recovery time for a traditional foraminotomy is slow and steady, with patients driving a car and performing light physical activities after 8 weeks and a full recovery within 18 months.

Recovery time: After surgery, pain at the incision site and back muscular spasms are common, but they normally disappear after a week or two. The average recuperation duration is two to three months.

To ensure the best potential outcome following the foraminotomy, patients must complete physical therapy as directed by their spine surgeon.