What spinal conditions should I see a neurosurgeon for?

  In recent years, more and more people are suffering from spinal cord disorders, and patients are trending younger. At the 5th CMA Spinal Neurosurgery Congress, experts highlighted that patients with cervical and lumbar spondylosis, spinal tumors, and congenital diseases of the spine will have less damage, more accurate treatment, and relatively lower costs when treated in spinal neurosurgery. Currently, in developed countries in the West, more than half of the surgical treatment of spinal cord diseases is done by neurosurgeons or by spinal surgery centers built jointly by neurosurgery and orthopedics. Nowadays, there are more and more neurosurgeons in China who have accumulated a lot of experience in performing spinal cord disease treatment.  Neurosurgery used to be called brain surgery, which made people think that only intracranial tumors, hemangiomas and other diseases are managed here. In fact, in addition to intracranial diseases, from the cervical spine to the sacral spine are penetrated by the spinal nerves, also belong to the central nervous system, human movement and sensation are controlled by the nerve roots emanating from the spinal cord, so the entire spinal cord diseases are treated by neurosurgeons, which have a strong advantage in nerve protection and repair.  Five major types of spinal cord diseases are degenerative diseases, such as cervical spondylosis and lumbar disc herniation; occupational lesions, such as intradural tumors and intramedullary tumors; deformities, such as scoliosis and retrognathism; congenital diseases, such as submicrocephalic tonsillar herniation, spinal cord embolism, spina bifida and spinal membrane bulge; and spinal trauma.  Among them, the highest incidence of degenerative spinal disorders.  Spinal cord diseases can be severe enough to cause pain, numbness and even paralysis because when degenerative disease occurs in the spine or a tumor is present inside the spinal canal, the intervertebral disc, proliferating bone fragments, ligaments or tumors can cause compression or other injuries to the nerves and spinal cord. Therefore, it is important to treat the condition as early as possible before it becomes severe.  So, what are the symptoms that may indicate a lesion in the spinal cord?  First, pain. Neck pain, shoulder discomfort or upper limb radiating pain are common in cervical spondylosis, and lumbar pain and lower limb radiating pain are common in lumbar spondylosis.  The second is numbness and weakness of the limbs. Cervical spine problems may present with symptoms such as weakness of both lower limbs, weakness and numbness of upper limbs.  The third is urinary and bowel dysfunction. If these symptoms occur go to neurosurgery as soon as possible.  Microsurgery can better protect nerves The treatment of cervical spondylosis is divided into surgical treatment and non-surgical treatment. Spinal cord type cervical spondylosis requires surgery once diagnosed, while other types of cervical spondylosis, such as neurogenic type, can generally be treated conservatively first, and surgery can be taken when the treatment is not effective. In principle, it is required to achieve decompression of the spinal cord and nerve roots, establish spinal stability, restore the height of the intervertebral space, and restore or reshape the physiological curvature of the cervical spine.  There are many treatments for lumbar spine diseases, such as small acupuncture, plasters, tui na, orthopedics, traction, surgery, etc. Most patients can obtain better results through conservative treatment. Before non-surgical treatment, patients need to make a clear diagnosis and exclude diseases such as intravertebral tumor, spinal vascular malformation, spinal cord embolism, and spondylolisthesis, so as not to delay proper treatment. In cases where conservative treatment is not effective, surgical treatment is available. Surgery is further divided into minimally invasive decompression surgery, traditional open internal fixation and fusion, and minimally invasive internal fixation and fusion.  Neurosurgery in the treatment of cervical spondylosis and lumbar degenerative diseases applies microscopy, microscopic techniques, high-speed grinding drills, bipolar electrocoagulation and electrophysiological monitoring, from intervertebral foraminoscopic techniques to microscopic disc removal, and from open internal fixation fusion to minimally invasive internal fixation fusion surgery, which can protect the protection well. Patients have less bleeding, shorter hospitalization period, quicker recovery from early postoperative bed activities, and can return to work and life earlier, especially for senior patients.