What is Spinal Surgery? What Conditions Does Spinal Surgery Address?

The spine is one of the most important structures in our body. A healthy spine is a crucial factor in determining an individual's quality of life. When spinal disorders arise, they can significantly impact daily functioning. Spinal surgery encompasses the diagnosis, treatment, and recovery process of spinal conditions. It plays a vital role in maintaining spinal health.

Spinal disorders can have various causes, such as disc herniation, spinal fractures, scoliosis, spinal tumors, and degenerative diseases. These conditions can make routine tasks challenging. Spinal surgery offers different methods for diagnosis and treatment, including surgical interventions and conservative approaches (medication, physical therapy, exercises).

The primary objectives of spinal surgery are as follows:

• Accurate diagnosis of spinal disorders.
• Alleviation of pain and restoration of functional mobility.
• Controlling, halting, or slowing down the progression of spinal problems.
• Preservation of the spinal cord and nerve roots.
• Enhancement of aesthetic outcomes.

Spinal disorders often result in difficulties in standing and movement, imposing limitations on daily activities. Spinal surgeons work in collaboration with other disciplines such as physical therapy, rehabilitation, and neurology to provide multidisciplinary care. After conducting examinations and additional tests based on the patient's symptoms, spine surgeons establish a diagnosis and create individualized treatment plans. Spinal surgery primarily addresses conditions such as scoliosis and kyphosis in children, disc herniation and degenerative disorders in adults, and osteoporosis in the elderly. Commonly treated conditions by spinal surgeons include lumbar herniated disc, cervical herniated disc, lumbar spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, and spinal trauma.