Spinal Decompression in North Texas

Spinal decompression is used to describe several specific techniques that are applied to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or spinal nerve branches. This pressure can cause pain, numbness in the arms and legs, and other medical complications if otherwise left untreated. Both nonsurgical and surgical methods of decompression have been used to treat patients who are experiencing pain due to pressure on the spinal cord. At Spine Care of North Texas, Dr. Kendall Carll provides minimally invasive microdecompression procedures to help relieve compression on the nerve roots in the lumbar spine. This allows for diminished spinal pain and healing of the nerve root. To learn more about spinal decompression, we invite you to contact one of our facilities in Addison or Plano to schedule a consultation with board-certified spine surgeon Dr. Carll.

Spinal decompression is often used to treat spinal stenosis by eliminating pressure on the nerve roots. Spinal stenosis is identified as narrowing of the spinal canal and can be caused by several different factors including spinal injuries, bone spurs, herniated discs, injured ligaments, and abnormal growths on the spinal cords. Before a spinal decompression procedure is suggested, Dr. Carll with perform diagnostic testing, and he will typically suggest nonsurgical procedures as initial forms of treatment. If these procedures are not successful, then he may recommend spinal decompression to alleviate your pain and discomfort.

For a majority of patients, spinal decompression surgery is successful in relieving spinal nerve pain. However, if a degenerative process such as osteoarthritis is the cause of the spinal nerve compression, the nerve pain will likely return as the disease progresses.

Minimally invasive spinal microdecompression is performed under general anesthesia through a small incision. Dr. Carll uses a series of dilators to create a channel that allows him to assess the affected vertebra and nerve root. Using an endoscope or microscope, Dr. Carll will remove excess bone and/or ligament tissue from around the nerve root. This alleviates pressure from the area and creates space for the nerve root to heal properly. Following the procedure, the incision is closed and patients can typically return home within the same day.

After a spinal decompression procedure, patients will typically need a few weeks to heal properly before they can return to their normal daily activities. They may experience some swelling and slight pain, but this can be alleviated through over-the-counter or prescription pain medications provided by Dr. Carll. Follow-up appointments are also required so that Dr. Carll can assess the success of the procedure and ensure the incision is healing as it should. If the procedure was successful, then pain should be eliminated within weeks following the surgery.

When there is pressure or an obstruction of a spinal nerve root, it can cause significant pain and discomfort. With minimally invasive spinal decompression techniques, Dr. Carll can alleviate this pain and help you return to your daily life pain free. Contact one of our North Texas facilities to learn more and to schedule your initial consultation with Dr. Carll.