Laminectomy is commonly performed to treat lumbar (lower back) spinal stenosis caused by age, injury or tumors. When you have constant lower back pain and conventional treatments like medications or physical therapy don’t help, your doctor may recommend a laminectomy. This surgery relieves pressure on the spinal nerve roots by removing a thin layer of vertebral bone.
What are the symptoms of spinal stenosis?
If you’re experiencing the symptoms below, you may be suffering from spinal stenosis:
- Prohibitive pain, numbness and weakness in the lower back, legs, thighs or buttocks
- Pain that worsens with standing
- Pain that worsens while exercising
- Impaired bladder or bowel control
Laminectomy is one of the most common back surgeries and can improve spinal stenosis. During the procedure, one of the skilled neurosurgeons at Neurosurgery & Spine Consultants removes the rear portion of one or more vertebrae, creating a bigger opening for the nerves and spinal cord. This will require a brief hospital stay of one to five days, depending on the scope of your surgery.
What is the typical laminectomy recovery time?
For a few days following surgery, you may experience pain and discomfort that requires medication. Like the hospital stay, laminectomy recovery times may also vary depending on the extent of the surgery as well as your personal situation.
After a mild laminectomy you may be able to return to light activity within a few days to a few weeks. However, if you required a spinal fusion with your laminectomy, recovery times will be considerably longer—anywhere between two to four months.
Laminectomy in San Antonio
If you’re suffering from pain and discomfort from spinal stenosis, the skilled neurosurgeons at Neurosurgery & Spine Consultants can help relieve your back, neck or leg pain. Our advanced techniques and minimally invasive laminectomy in San Antonio aims to give you the fastest recovery times so you can get back to living your life without pain. For more information about our pain treatments, call 210-255-8935.