Tag: spine

16 Mar 2024
Lifestyle Changes for Preventing Spinal Problems.

Lifestyle Changes for Preventing Spinal Problems

The foundation of good spinal health is maintaining a healthy posture. However, in today’s fast-paced world, maintaining a healthy posture often takes a backseat. Poor posture, whether sitting at a desk, standing, or even sleeping, can exert undue stress on the spine. 

In this blog, we will focus on the importance of maintaining proper posture and share tips for practicing good posture habits daily.

Setting Up Your Space for a Happy Back:

We spend a lot of time sitting – at work, at home, and everywhere. But did you know that how you sit can affect your back? Let’s talk about sitting the right way and beating the sitting slump.

When you sit at a desk, ensure everything is set up so you can be comfortable. Your chair should support your back, and your computer should be at eye level. Take breaks to stand up and stretch. It’s like giving your back a little break.

Yoga and Exercises for a Happy Back: 

Sitting for a long time can make your back unhappy as pressure is applied to your spinal cord and hip. Moving around rather than continuously sitting for hours can help reduce the tension of the bones and spine. Take short breaks to stand, stretch, or even take a quick walk. It’s like pressing the refresh button for your back. 

Yoga and stretching exercises offer a holistic approach to spinal health, promoting flexibility, balance, and relaxation. Incorporating simple yoga poses and stretches into your daily routine can enhance spinal mobility and alleviate spinal tension. 

Eating Right for a Happy Back:  

A well-balanced diet provides the essential nutrients required for maintaining the strength and flexibility of the spine. Some of the food that helps you attain a healthy spine are mentioned below: 

  • Calcium- and Vitamin D-rich foods such as milk, yogurt, leafy vegetables, fatty fish, cereals, eggs, etc., strengthen the vertebrae and reduce the risk of fractures and other bone-related issues. 
  • Food rich in magnesium and proteins, such as nuts and seeds, legumes, lean meat, dairy products, etc., is crucial for the repair and maintenance of tissues. They also support the muscles, ligaments, and tendons around the spine, promoting stability and reducing the risk of injuries. 
  • Fatty fish and walnuts, rich in Omega-3 Fatty acids and antioxidant-rich foods such as berries, carrots, etc., support the spine’s overall health. 
  • Another important aspect of achieving a healthy spine is drinking plenty of water. Staying hydrated helps the intervertebral discs to maintain their elasticity and shock-absorbing properties. In addition to routine water intake, incorporating hydrating sources like herbal teas and water-rich fruits and vegetables can contribute to spine health. 

Stress Less and Sleep Right for a Happy Back: 

Stress Management plays a vital role in spinal health. Chronic stress contributes to muscle tension and postural issues that adversely impact the spine. Here we are listing some of the techniques for managing stress: 

  • mindfulness
  • relaxation exercises like deep breathing
  • nature walks
  • relaxing hobbies like reading

Another important aspect of preventing spinal problems is getting the right amount of sleep. Inadequate or poor-quality sleep can contribute to an unhealthy spine. Some tips to attain the right amount of sleep are suggested here: 

  • Establish a sleep routine. 
  • Create a relaxing bedtime ritual.
  • Limit screen time before sleep. 
  • Ensure your sleep environment is comfortable. 

It is important to understand that quality sleep contributes significantly to stress reduction and overall well-being, including minimizing spine-related issues. 

Conclusion: 

In summary, avoiding spine problems doesn’t have to be a challenging task with extreme measures. By making simple adjustments in your daily routine, such as maintaining good posture, staying physically active, eating a balanced diet, and managing stress– you can actively work towards keeping your spine healthy for the long run. Embracing these habits as part of an overall healthy lifestyle can go a long way in helping you live without spinal health problems.

03 Aug 2023
How do you know when you need spine surgery

How Do You Know When You Need Spine Surgery?

Understanding the need for spine surgery requires evaluation by a healthcare professional specialising in spine conditions. This article aims to provide insights into the indications and considerations involved in determining when spine surgery may be needed, offering guidance to individuals seeking to understand their treatment options.

Deciding on Spine Surgery: Indications and Considerations for Optimal Treatment

Spine surgery is typically recommended when conservative treatments have failed to alleviate symptoms or when the condition is severe and significantly impacting a person’s quality of life. 

Here are some indications that may suggest the need for spine surgery:

Persistent Pain

If you have severe, persistent back or neck pain that does not respond to conservative treatments (such as rest, physical therapy, or medication) over a significant period, surgery may be considered.

Neurological Symptoms

The following symptoms may indicate nerve compression or damage:

  • Numbness
  • Tingling
  • Weakness
  • Loss of sensation in the arms, legs, or other body parts 

In such cases, surgery may be recommended to relieve pressure on the affected nerves.

Progressive Neurological Deficits

Worsening neurological deficits may indicate a more urgent need for surgical intervention. examples include:

  • Difficulty walking
  • Coordination problems
  • Loss of bowel or bladder control

Structural Abnormalities 

Imaging studies, such as X-rays, MRI, or CT scans, may reveal structural abnormalities like: 

  • Herniated Discs
  • Spinal Stenosis
  • Spinal Instability
  • Deformities

If these abnormalities are causing significant pain, nerve compression, or spinal instability, surgery may be considered.

Failed Conservative Treatments

If conservative treatments have been tried without success, and the symptoms and functional limitations persist or worsen, surgery may be recommended as the next course of action.

Impact On Quality Of Life

If back or neck pain significantly impairs your daily activities, mobility, and overall quality of life, surgery may be considered to alleviate the pain and restore function.

Common Reasons for Spine Surgery

Here are some common reasons when spine surgery may be needed:

  • Herniated Disc: When a spinal disc bulges or ruptures, pressing on nearby nerves and causing pain, weakness, or numbness, surgery may be considered to remove or repair the affected disc.
  • Spinal Stenosis: This condition involves the narrowing of the spinal canal, which can lead to compression of the spinal cord or nerves. Surgery may be recommended to create more space and relieve pressure on the affected structures.
  • Spinal Deformities: Conditions such as scoliosis (abnormal sideways curvature) or kyphosis (excessive forward curvature) may require surgery to correct and stabilize the spine.
  • Spinal Fractures: Severe fractures, especially those affecting the stability of the spine, may require surgical intervention to realign and stabilize the fractured vertebrae.
  • Spinal Tumors: Surgery may be needed to remove tumours or growths that are affecting the spinal cord or nerves, aiming to relieve pressure and restore function.
  • Spinal Infections: In cases of severe spinal infections, surgical intervention may be necessary to remove infected tissue, stabilize the spine, or drain abscesses.

     

  • Spinal Instability: If the spine is unstable due to conditions like spondylolisthesis or vertebral fractures, surgery may be recommended to restore stability and prevent further damage.

Conclusion

It’s important to note that the decision for spine surgery is highly individualized and depends on various factors, including the specific spine condition, overall health, and patient preferences. It is best to consult with a qualified spine specialist who can evaluate your condition and provide personalized recommendations based on your unique circumstances.

 

FAQs

Q1. What are the common symptoms of spine problems?

Ans. Common symptoms of spine problems include:

  • Constant back or neck pain 
  • Pain that travels from the back or neck and extends to other areas, such as the arms, legs, or buttocks. 
  • Numbness or tingling
  • Muscle weakness 
  • Limited mobility 
  • Bowel or bladder dysfunction
  • Changes in sensation

Q2. Can spine surgery be avoided?

Ans. In certain cases, spine surgery can be avoided or postponed depending on the severity of symptoms, response to conservative treatments, stability of the condition, and individual factors. If symptoms are mild, manageable, and show improvement with non-surgical treatments, surgery may not be immediately necessary. 

Q3. How is life after spine surgery?

Ans. Life after spine surgery often involves a period of recovery and rehabilitation. While some individuals experience significant pain relief and improved mobility, others may require time for the full benefits of surgery to manifest. 

Q4. Is spinal surgery painful?

Ans. Spinal surgery itself is performed under general anaesthesia, so you won’t feel any pain during the procedure. However, it is common to experience some discomfort and pain during the recovery period after the surgery. The pain level can vary depending on the type of surgery and individual factors.

12 Jun 2022
Why Does My spine cracks so much

Why Does My Spine Crack So Much

Do you often wonder in agony why your spine cracks so much? If this issue gives you sleepless nights and unproductive days, you are in the right place. There are several possible reasons why your back bones crack so much. This article can even help you understand why your lower back cracks so much.

Structure of the spine

To get a deeper understanding of “Why does my spine crack so much”, you need to understand the anatomy of your spine. The spine consists of:

  • Spinal cord: It is a long thin bundle consisting of nerve fibres connecting the brain with the nerves of the entire body.
  • Meninges: This protective membrane around the brain and spine contains cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and absorbs any shock.
  • Spinal column: It is made of 33 bones called the vertebrae. They are flexible, allowing easy movement.

If you want more information about the spinal structure, consult your orthopaedic doctor. They will not only help you prevent spinal injuries but also treat them effectively. 

What happens when your lower back cracks so much?

Here are the common theories explaining why your spine cracks so much:

  • Theory 1: Synovial fluid pressure
    A famous theory states that adjusting the bones and joints results in a gas release. Cracking the back or doing any movement stitches the capsules on the exterior side of the vertebrae around joints called facets joints. Further on stretching the capsules, the synovial joints within it get more space to move around. Thereby, it releases the pressure on the back joints and muscles, allowing movement of the facet joints.

    On releasing this pressure, the synovial fluid changes to gaseous form and makes your back bones crack so much with the popping and snapping sound. The change of the synovial fluid from liquid to gas is called boiling or cavitation. 

  • Theory 2: Other gases
    The second theory is also based on and related to gas. It is usually believed that common gases like nitrogen, carbon dioxide and oxygen accumulate in the joints with time. They are, furthermore, in cases where the joint placement is improper, like slouching, hunching or sitting for long durations. The gas is then released when you move around or stretch your joints in a particular manner resulting in your back cracking so much.

If you are looking to understand why your upper or lower back cracks so much, consult with the experts at Germanten Hospital. We can help you counter the spinal issues you may be experiencing.

 

Why do we feel good about cracking our backs?

The reason to feel good on stretching after your lower back crack so much is the release of all the existing pressure. It also releases endorphins in the region. Endorphins are released from the pituitary gland, which controls the pain felt in a region. It also makes the process of cracking a bone to be a more satisfying experience. In a study, it was shown that the sound of bone cracking has a relieving impact on our brains.

What are the risks associated with it?

Before trying to stretch your back muscles on your own to release the tension or under the supervision of a trained professional, it should not cause sharp pain at any point in time. 

Here are some possible risks if you  stretch incorrectly and your back crack so much:

  • It can pinch a nerve in the spinal cord. It can cause extreme pain and limit your motion. 
  • It can result in strain on the muscle or even tear it. It can affect the neck, hip or any other muscles. It becomes difficult even to move around, and in rare cases, surgery is required.
  • It can result in permanently stretched back ligaments called perpetual instability. Thus, if your spine cracks so much now, you are at higher risk of osteoarthritis at an older age.
  • It can also cause injury to the blood vessels. It can result in severe complications like strokes, aneurysms, and brain injuries. Thus, even if you feel your back cracking so much, do not stretch on your own.

The stretching can be a little uncomfortable initially if you are not used to it or have stretched more than you should. However, if you feel extreme pain in your spinal cord at any moment, immediately stop it.

How to safely crack and release the pain?

The best way to safely crack the back is by stretching the muscles in a controlled manner in the presence of a trained professional. Practising yoga or pilates under professional guidance is helpful. Some light back exercises can also help make a quick adjustment.

02 Jan 2022
What are the Symptoms Of Spinal Injury?

What are the Symptoms Of Spinal Injury?

The central nervous system or CNS consists of the spinal cord and brain. The spine or spinal cord is a long and thin bundle that extends from the brain to your tailbone. It consists of nerve tissue and support cells. The sensory and motor information that travels in body passes through the spinal cord passageway. It is also in charge of managing reflexes in your body. Thus, damage to the spinal system can be very severe and, in some cases, even life-endangering. 

What Are The Spinal Injury Symptoms? 

If you sustain a spinal cord injury, the ability to control your limbs is dependent on the following two things-

  • Location of the spinal cord injury
  • The severity of the spinal injury

After the injury, the lowest part of your spinal cord that is undamaged is known as the neurological level of the injury. Completeness is the severity of the damage, and it can be one of the following-

  • Complete

The injury is considered complete if all the senses and ability to control movements are lost from below the point of injury. 

  • Incomplete

If you can feel something and have some control over the function below the point of injury, it is termed incomplete. There are various degrees of an incomplete spinal injury. 

The spine injury can lead to paralysis in the patient. Two types of paralysis occur due to spinal injury, known as tetraplegia and paraplegia. 

Tetraplegia means that the injury affects your arms, trunk, hands, legs, and pelvic parts. Paraplegia, on the other hand, means only the trunk, legs and pelvic parts are affected. 

There are specific tests that the doctors will order to determine the neurological level and completeness of the injury. 

An injury to the spine can cause one or more of the below-mentioned symptoms-

  • Movement loss
  • Loss of ability to sense heat, cold and touch (altered sensation)
  • Loss of bowel and bladder control
  • Extreme reflexes or spasms
  • Changed or altered sexual functioning, sensitivity and fertility
  • Damage to nerve fibres in the spine can cause pain or intense stinging sensation
  • Breathing difficulties, cough, clearing secretions from the lungs

Some symptoms can be termed as an emergency that indicates need for immediate medical attention. Following are the emergency spinal cord injury symptoms – 

  • Excess back pain or pressure in neck, head or back
  • Weakness or paralysis in some part of the body
  • Numbness or tingling in hands, fingers, feet or toes
  • Walking or balance difficulties
  • Impaired breathing
  • Oddly twisted or positioned neck or back

The spinal cord is distinguished into areas, and so are the injuries. The cervical, thoracic and lumbar form the three main areas where spinal cord injury can occur. There is a fourth section of the spine called the sacral, and it doesn’t contain spinal tissue. So even if you injure the sacral nerves or vertebrae, you won’t damage the cord in that area. The signs of spinal cord injury can also differ based on which area of the spine is injured in the accident. The injury to the cervical spine can be most severe and dangerous.  

  • Cervical (c1-c8)

The most severe form of spinal cord injury is when the cervical spine is damaged, as it can be fatal. The symptoms from the injury can impact arms, legs, trunk and breathing ability. The higher the site of cervical injury, the worse is the injury. You may experience signs on either one or both sides of the body. 

  • Thoracic (T1-T12)

Legs are the most affected part when the spinal cord injury is in the thoracic spine. If the thoracic spine injury is high enough, it can cause blood pressure problems. 

  • Lumbar (L1-L5)

The injury to the lumbar spine can impact either one or both legs. Patients who sustain a lumbar spine injury can also have bowel and bladder control challenges. 

Now that you are aware of the signs of spinal injury and the severity, you need to look for the best-known doctors to undergo the treatment. You can look up online for the best spine doctors, or you can consider visiting Germanten Hospital to be treated by some of the best doctors who can aptly diagnose the injury based on the spinal fracture symptoms you are suffering from. 

WHY CHOOSE US?

Germanten Hospital has been one of India’s leading facilities for various medical treatments. Under insightful leadership, we have acquired excellence when it comes to treatments in neurology, plastic or cosmetic surgery, orthopaedics and reconstructive surgery. 

Dr. Mir Jawad Zar Khan has led our hospital to the forefront of the medical industry. He has experience of 20 years in orthopaedics. His alma mater is Osmania University, where Dr. Khan achieved a gold medal for his excellence in education. He then completed advanced training in the USA and Germany. 

Dr. Mir Jawad Zar Khan was awarded the “Best Doctor” by Shri Roshaiah Garu, the Former Gov. of Tamil Nadu and former CM of Andhra Pradesh. He was also felicitated with the Vaida Ratna Award in 2019 by Shri Etala Rajendra, the honourable health minister of Telangana. In addition to that, Germanten Hospital also received an award of “Best Orthopaedic Hospital In South India” from the Economic Times Group in 2021. 

We have gained access to state-of-the-art medical technology and the latest advanced equipment, which has proven to be quite beneficial for our patients. 

 

29 Jul 2020
cervical spondylosis treatment in hyderabad

Know About Cervical Spondylosis

Cervical spondylosis is an annoying condition that occurs when the vertebrae and the discs of the neck
may wear out. Sometimes the disease is asymptomatic, but in most cases, there is a pain of variable
proportion, from mild to more extensive, and can also affect the arms and legs. But what is cervical
spondylosis caused by? And what can be done to try to solve this situation? At Germanten Hospital of
Hyderabad, Dr. Mir Jawad Zar Khan provides best surgical and non-surgical interventions for cervical
spondylosis.

Cervical Spondylosis Causes

The cervical spondylosis can be from a long series of factors. Among the main ones are the previous
lesions, fractures, dislocations of the neck joints. However, a bad posture of the neck, the physical effort
concentrated on the head and shoulders can play an unfavorable role for the wellbeing of that area.

Symptoms

Usually, people suffering from cervical spondylosis experience more or less severe pain in the neck area.
However, it is not at all said that cervical spondylosis must necessarily accompany a sensation of pain.
For example, it is possible that cervical spondylosis may also involve headaches, which usually start at
the back of the head then spread to the forehead.

Care

Usually to treat cervical spondylosis surgery is not used, with such interventions that are therefore
reserved only for hypotheses in which the spondylosis can degenerate into a more severe pathology,
such as cervical radiculopathy or progressive myelopathy. Even in the case of cervical myelopathy
surgery is not always necessary, because if the symptoms are mild and the pain does not progress, you
can try just to keep everything under control. Any surgical intervention is therefore shared with your
doctor based on the amount of pain and any damage to the nervous system.

In the event that surgery is necessary, the techniques used are the anterior cervical discectomy, the
cervical laminectomy, the prosthetic replacement of the intervertebral disc as prescribed by Dr. Mir
Jawad Zar Khan.

Therapy

Beyond the surgery that, as we have seen, is a sort of last way to solve their problems, there are
numerous therapies to find the right relief. For example, an effective treatment is that of physiotherapy,
with gentle movements in the neck, in order to keep the neck in motion as much as possible, avoiding
the feeling of stiffness. These exercises can be performed several times a day, with movements in every
direction. In addition, your doctor may prescribe painkillers to counteract the pain: usually, paracetamol
is enough to keep the discomfort at bay.

Other suggestions to adequately cope with cervical spondylosis from Germanten Hospital are the search
for a good posture to be used in the workplace, avoid using more than one pillow during sleep and,
among others, even the use of a specific vegetable-based diet raw, lots of fruit and few fats, spicy foods,
fried foods, sugar, condiments, tea, coffee.

As you can see, if you want to know more about cervical spondylosis and the conditions associated with
it, it is advisable to discuss it with Dr. Mir Jawad Zar Khan of Germanten Hospital. He has vast
experience in the field of orthopedics and is a leading surgeon in India. Having earned advanced degrees
abroad, he has devoted his life to providing affordable and world-class care to patients in India.