Spinal conditions
Dr Nash treats a number of spinal conditions that fall under the heading of neurosurgery.
Conditions include:
- Trauma related injuries of the spine e.g. fractures of the spine from fall, accidents etc.
- Degenerative disease of the cervical or lumbar spine.
- Myelopathy (spinal cord injury or inflammation).
- Lumbar disc prolapse (a herniated or bulging disc that may press on nerves in the lower back)
- Lumbar canal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal).
- Intradural spinal tumours (tumours inside the spinal canal) and extradural spinal tumours (tumours outside the spinal canal), such as meningiomas ependymomas and schwannomas.
Treatment
Conservative treatment: Nine out of ten patients with sciatica feel better after six to eight weeks of conservative treatment and the majority do not require surgery. Dr Nash is a conservative surgeon and will only perform an operation if absolutely necessary.
Surgery: Dr Nash treats a range of spinal conditions surgically after ensuring surgical management is the optimal choice for the patient. Post operatively the patients have access to the dedicated neurophysiotherapists and hydrotherapy at The London Clinic.
Follow-up: Are multidisciplinary (physio, OT, biokinetics) depending on what condition is treated.
For more information on your particular condition, please contact Dr Nash’s practice to book an appointment.
Investigation
CT scan: This machine takes a series of x-rays to build up a 3D image of your vertebrae. It takes 10 minutes and is painless, and the radiation level used is very low. You should not eat or drink for four hours beforehand, and you may be given an injection of contrast to allow certain areas to show up more clearly under the CT scanner.
MRI scan: This is similar to a CT scan but uses magnetism rather than x-rays. We have access to both the conventional and upright MRI that potentially provides more dynamic information. It can be slightly uncomfortable and noisy, and can make some patients feel claustrophobic: it takes around 30 minutes. You cannot have an MRI if you have a pacemaker or any kind of metal implant in your body.
