THORACIC BULGE

I injured myself at work a year ago. After ging through a year of physical therapy and shots, they are now going to do a laminectomy on L4/5. I also have a protrusion at T4/5. I am told surgery is too dangerous to do on this area, since it isn't pressing on my spinal column. I am told to deal with this through pain killers and by avoiding the things that cause the spasms and pain. Movements like washing my hair, does that. Is there any type of relief besides the pills. I hate the groggy feeling they always bring.

[Kalvin]

Hope your laminectomy goes good, I had laminectomy and fusion at L4-5 about 8 almost 9 years ago. Without the fusion, you should have reasonably quick recovery.

Surgeons don't like doing anything in the T-Spine unless it up at the top or down at the bottom. Are you getting a lot of pain wrapping around to the front? I have some problems here too, I don't know what it is, and I don't want to know.

If you feel like this something you can't live with, you might look at Thoracic endoscopic surgeries. There are some procedures that they can do endoscopically without going through the chest. If this is some thing you might be interested in, make sure you get at least 2 or 3 opinions, and try to talk to some patients that have had it. You don't want to do something that's not safe or might make you worse.


Take Care