Patient Information and Resources – Page 6 – Bret G. Ball, MD, PhD, FAANS

DECIPHERING YOUR MRI RESULTS

Reading your MRI report may make you feel like the character from Dr Seuss’s “What was I afraid of?”

I was deep within the woods

When suddenly I spied them.

I saw a pair of pale green pants

With nobody inside them.

I wasn’t scared but yet I thought

What could those pants be there for?

What could a pair of pale green pants

Be standing in the air for?

When you read the radiologist’s description of your results, it can seem just as strange. Except this time, the stranger in the pants is what’s going on inside you.

THE CONE OF ECONOMY

Global Sagittal Balance

Some patients need fusions.

If you need a fusion, even a small one, it is important to consider how the fused segment will affect the balance of the spine. Once the spine is fused, it is relatively permanent. Therefore, if your spine is fused out of balance, you may more or less be out of balance forever.

Global sagittal balance is an important concept in spine surgery and can profoundly affect surgical outcomes, especially in spinal fusion procedures. Global sagittal balance refers to the alignment of the spine and pelvis in the sagittal plane, which is the plane that divides the body into left and right halves. In a healthy individual, the spine and pelvis are aligned to maintain a stable and efficient posture where the head is essentially centered over the hips and pelvis. However, when this alignment is disrupted, it can lead to various spinal disorders, including chronic pain and disability.

POSTOPERATIVE CONSTIPATION

Constipation is a common problem that affects many people after surgery. Postoperative constipation can be caused by a variety of factors, including pain medication, anesthesia, and changes in diet and activity levels. While it can be uncomfortable and even painful, there are steps you can take to control postoperative constipation and promote bowel regularity.

TELL US HOW WE ARE DOING

We hope this letter finds you well on your path to recovery. At Rose City Spine Surgery, we are committed to providing the highest quality care to our patients, and your feedback is invaluable in helping us maintain and improve our services.

POSTOPERATIVE INSTRUCTIONS

Follow these instructions to optimize your recovery from your spine surgery.

ACTIVITY AND EXERCISE

Plan to rest for the first four to five days following discharge from the hospital.

Avoid repetitive bending, twisting, pushing, pulling, or lifting anything more than 10 pounds for the first two weeks. Avoid sitting or standing for more than 30 minutes at a time for the first week. Pay special attention to body mechanics following surgery. If you need to pick something up from ground level, bend at the knees and keep your back straight.

You should have been fitted with a brace. If you have been given specific instructions by Dr. Ball, follow those.

NORTHWEST SPINE SURGERY FORMS

Welcome to Northwest Spine Surgery. We look forward to meeting you. We are sincerely interested in your spine problems and will do our best to meet your needs. If surgery is not the right answer, we will tell you openly and honestly. Then, we will help you find alternative treatments better suited to your condition.

If you would like to save time at the office, you can fill out some of your paperwork in advance.

KEEPING YOUR SPINE HEALTHY AFTER SPINE SURGERY

Maintaining a Healthy Spine
Our goal for you is a pain free spine. Now that you’ve had your surgery, it is critical that you take good care of your back and minimize the chances that you will develop new problems. Improving fitness, posture, body mechanics, and overall health will help your spine last. Here are some suggestions to help maximize recovery and maintain a healthy spine.

ACTIVITY AND EXERCISE

Walking: Walking is the best exercise after surgery and you need to walk every day. You can walk as much as your pain level permits. You should not participate in any activities more vigorous than walking until cleared by your physician. Start small then gradually increase the distance you walk. Continue reading “KEEPING YOUR SPINE HEALTHY AFTER SPINE SURGERY”

PREPARING FOR SURGERY

All patients who undergo spine surgery have a few things in common: they want to have a safe surgery with a good result while minimizing their level of discomfort.

If you have elected to pursue surgery, we would like to make surgery as safe and comfortable for you as possible. There are a few things that you can do to help yourself get the best results.

SPINAL CORD STIMULATION

A spinal cord stimulator (SCS) is an electronic device placed over the nerves in the spine. When activated, it generates small electric fields that block pain sensations from being transmitted up the spinal cord to the brain. Although the mechanisms by which it works are not fully understood, the stimulator seems to create interference so that pain signals coming from the spine are less noticeable. It can be thought of as similar to what happens why you try to hear what is said in a crowded, noisy room. It is much harder to understand and frequently words are missed or not heard at all.
Continue reading “SPINAL CORD STIMULATION”

EXERCISE FOR A HEALTHY SPINE

Exercise is something we all know we should do, but not many do it for one reason or another. However, the evidence is mounting that exercise has many health benefits, including improving back pain and overall spine health. Continue reading “EXERCISE FOR A HEALTHY SPINE”