Eighty percent of us will suffer from back pain at some point in our lives and some patients will need surgery. And that can mean months of recovery. but now there's an easier fix.
"Very terrible. I didn't sleep at night. I had backache when I went to bed. I had back ache when I woke up. I tossed and turned from one side of my back to another, popped pain pills, but nothing helped," said Elizabeth Jones.
"My pain was more constant, tired feeling, just not myself," said Ardith Haubrich.
Both these women suffered from lumbar stenosis - a narrowing of the spinal column that can result in pinched nerves, back ache and pain radiating down the legs. Stooping over can provide some relief, but in severe cases surgery is the best option. However, that can mean days in the hospital and months of recovery.
Dr. Richard Wohns who practices at St. Francis Hospital in Federal Way offers his patients an alternative.
"A minimally invasive procedure that can be done in 15 to 30 minutes and the patient can go home same day with extremely low anesthetic risk and very quick recovery," he said. "A week and they can be back to do what they want to do, including golfing, shopping, walking, swimming, etc. etc."
The X-Stop is a titanium device implanted in the spine to create more space and take the pressure off nerves.
Dr. Wohns says it can be an especially good option for older patients.
The results were immediate for Elizabeth Jones and Ardith Haubrich who are walking proof.
For patients who require spinal fusion, which is a completely different procedure, Dr. Wohns also offers a minimally invasive treatment called the X-Lif.
More info:
South Sound Neurosurgery: http://www.brainspinepro.com/about.html
About the X-Stop Spacer: http://www.medtronic.com/your-health/lumbar-spinal-stenosis/device/
Discover the power of X: http://www.xlif.com/
Franciscan Health System: http://www.fhshealth.org/
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