Health Essentials - Fall 2009 - Marymount - (Page 6)

ASK THE DOCTOR Marymount Hospital’s top-rated physicians answer your health questions My doctor says my back pain is due to a disc problem, but medications and physical therapy haven’t helped. Now what? process that occurs when the discs lose their cushioning. While herniated discs may develop rather suddenly, degenerative disc disease is a gradual process that results in more acute, long-term problems. Conservative treatments for both conditions include rest, pain-relief and anti-inﬂammatory medications, physical therapy and sometimes weight loss, if needed. If pain becomes severe and keeps you from participating in everyday activities, surgery may be a valid option. Lumbar discectomy is the surgical procedure most often recommended for herniated discs. It involves removing the portion of the disc that is putting pressure on a spinal nerve root. Besides reducing pain, this lessens the chance of the disc herniating again. A relatively new and minimally invasive form of this surgery, called microdiscectomy, requires only a tiny incision and results in more rapid recoveries and less scarring. Most patients who undergo microdiscectomy are able to get out of bed within a few hours and can go home the day after surgery. Driving is usually allowed after a week or two, while bending and lifting should be avoided for four to six weeks. A couple of weeks after surgery, most patients begin outpatient physical therapy and typically return to light work in two to four weeks, and heavier work and sports in two to three months. —Roseanna M. Lechner, MD, is a Cleveland Clinic neurological surgeon specializing in spine surgery at Marymount Hospital. Roseanna M. Lechner, MD Dr. Lechner: You may have a herniated disc or degenerative disc disease. A herniated disc (also called a ruptured, slipped or bulging disc) occurs when the jelly-like substance that cushions your vertebrae slips out of place or ruptures. If the disc presses against a nerve, it can cause back pain. CALL NOW To schedule an appointment with Roseanna M. Lechner, MD, or other Marymount physicians, please call MedMatch, our physician referral line, at 216.581.WELL (9355). Degenerative disc disease is actually a condition, rather than a disease. It is a normal part of the spine’s aging Welcome New Physicians James Jordan, MD, neurology Nizar Nader, MD, pulmonary disease and critical care Gaurang Shah, MD, urology Emad Zakhary, MD, vascular surgery James Jordan, MD Nizar Nader, MD Gaurang Shah, MD Emad Zakhary, MD HEALTH ESSENTIALS FALL 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Health Essentials - Fall 2009 - Marymount

Health Essentials - Fall 2009 - Marymount
Contents
A Message from the President of Marymount Hospital
When It Comes to Strokes, The Clock is Ticking
Do You Have Back Pain? Our Physician Has Answers
Complete Care You Can Trust in Broadview Heights

Health Essentials - Fall 2009 - Marymount