What is Adjacent Segment Disease?

If you’ve been diagnosed with adjacent segment disease, you probably want to know what the symptoms are, what treatment options are available, and what to expect. Here are some answers. You can also learn how common this condition is, and how you can help yourself deal with it. The good news is that there are plenty of treatments available.

What is adjacent segment disease?

Adjacent segment disease is a term used to describe a condition where the spinal segments in the back become affected due to excessive motion. The spinal column is composed of 24 movable vertebrae connected by discs. The discs in the spinal column are like motion segments; they absorb stress and distribute it when the spine is at rest and in motion. When one segment becomes affected, it affects the whole spinal column, and can cause problems.

Depending on the severity of the condition, different treatments are used. In mild cases, conservative measures such as weight loss, posture improvements, and controlled exercise may be enough. For more advanced cases, patients may require another spinal procedure, such as an artificial disc replacement. Your doctor will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each procedure with you.

Adjacent segment disease occurs when the spine develops new symptoms above or below the location of a previous spinal surgery. Sometimes, this condition is caused by the natural degeneration of the spine, such as after spinal fusion. In other cases, it may be caused by another ailment or by aging.

What does adjacent segment disease feel like?

Adjacent segment disease is a condition affecting the vertebrae and discs of the spinal column. During a person’s life, these segments absorb and distribute stress. But, when one segment becomes weak or damaged, it can lead to spinal instability. If this happens, it can lead to pain and discomfort, including pain from fusion or other types of spinal problems. Learn more about the causes of adjacent segment disease.

The symptoms of adjacent segment disease vary widely depending on the location and degenerative state of the disease. Some patients experience no symptoms at all, while others report debilitating pain. In the latter case, the pain is often accompanied by numbness and tingling in the arms and legs.

After fusion surgery, patients are frequently prescribed high-dose opioids for pain control. Patients who have had previous C2-C3 fusion may develop adjacent segment disease at C3-C7. The condition is caused by rapid formation of bone spurs. To reduce the symptoms of adjacent segment disease, patients should try to maintain a curvature after fusion surgery.

What can be done for adjacent segment disease?

In order to treat adjacent segment disease, your doctor will use minimally invasive techniques to restore spinal balance. These procedures have less trauma to surrounding tissues, which means fewer scars. They also allow for a faster recovery. Physical therapy is essential in the rehabilitation process. In addition, minimally invasive techniques are safer than open surgery.

Patients who suffer from adjacent segment disease may have a variety of symptoms. The condition usually affects the cervical, lumbar, and thoracic spine. Because these regions are the most mobile portions of the spine, they are at a higher risk for developing adjacent segment disease. In contrast, the thoracic spine is almost immobile, primarily because the ribs support it.

If conservative measures fail to relieve symptoms, additional surgery may be required. Revision surgery can be a difficult procedure with considerable risks. This is why patients with adjacent segment disease should stop smoking and stop vaping before surgery. They should also remain nonsmokers for as long as possible.

How common is adjacent segment disease?

Adjacent segment disease (ASD) is a condition that develops after spinal fusion surgery, which locks together two or more vertebrae. The lack of movement puts stress on adjacent levels of the spine, which can lead to accelerated degeneration. The condition can cause symptoms such as pain, radiculopathy, and myelopathy.

The etiology of this condition remains a topic of debate. Typically, patients are monitored using a range of motion to determine if arthrodesis has improved adjacent segment motion. However, other measurements, such as helical axis of motion, may offer additional insights into adjacent segment pathology.

There are many factors that can increase the risk of developing adjacent segment disease, including age, bone health, and number of levels fused. Surgical techniques that involve less invasive techniques and careful attention to spinal alignment can reduce the risk of developing this condition.

When does adjacent segment disease occur?

Adjacent segment disease is a condition that affects the spine and is most common in the cervical, lumbar and thoracic regions. These areas of the spine are more flexible, which means they’re more likely to suffer from the degenerative changes associated with age. Unlike the cervical and lumbar spines, however, the thoracic spine is essentially immobile because of the presence of ribs.

There are many potential risk factors for adjacent segment disease, including age, gender, and preoperative BMI. In a study, patients who had a preoperative BMI greater than 30 were at greater risk of developing the condition. Other risk factors included preoperative disc degeneration and lumbar lordosis reduction.

Adjacent segment disease (ASD) is caused by extra stress or wear on the intervertebral joints. As a result, degenerative changes may occur, leading to pain, numbness, and other symptoms. Although ASD can be asymptomatic, it can progress to a more severe stage and can eventually require spinal fusion.

Can a spinal fusion fail years later?

Although it’s rare, a failed spinal fusion can still cause problems years after the surgery. The most common symptoms are pain and stiffness in the neck or back. In some cases, patients may have difficulty walking or even moving their arms. In such cases, they should seek medical attention and consider spinal fusion revision surgery.

Physical therapy is essential during the recovery period. The physical therapist will teach you basic exercises and help you regain strength and mobility. You should avoid bending, lifting heavy objects, and twisting motions for the first few weeks. Your physical therapist will also suggest adjustments to your daily life. Usually, you will be able to resume most of your normal activities after 10 weeks.

A spinal fusion can fail if the bone doesn’t fuse properly after the surgery. This condition is called non-union, or pseudoarthrosis. A non-union causes the spinal bone to move around, causing pain months or years after the surgery. It can also lead to the breaking of rods and screws.

How many years does a spinal fusion last?

After spinal fusion surgery, patients often experience adjacent segment disease. This condition affects the discs and joints above and below the level of surgery. It is also known as adjacent segment degeneration or transitional syndrome. There are two major causes of this condition. One is aging, and the other is a spinal fusion.

Adjacent segment disease often occurs in the lumbar, cervical, or thoracic regions. These regions are the most mobile portions of the spine. While the thoracic area is the least mobile, it is also largely immobile. Hence, the risk of developing this disorder is higher in overweight patients.

Patients who undergo spinal fusions should know that their mobility will be limited. As a result, they may experience difficulty in bending forward, arching back, twisting, and tilting.

Is spinal fusion a disability?

When spinal fusion surgery is performed, patients are at risk for developing adjacent segment disease. This occurs because the surgery stops natural motion in the spine at the level of the surgery, causing discs and joints above and below the surgery level to degenerate. This is also known as adjacent segment degeneration or transitional syndrome. It can be caused by two factors. First, the patient’s body’s reaction to spinal fusion surgery. Secondly, the disease is more likely to develop in patients with obesity.

Second, the fusion surgery itself may create bone spurs in the adjacent segments of the patient. These may form on the adjacent segments of the spine and may require further treatment. As a result of the surgery, patients with adjacent segment disease may need to consider cervical fusion surgery if they have a poor sagittal profile or pre-existing degeneration in the neck. Third, patients should be examined for the presence of neurological symptoms after a spinal fusion.

In addition, spinal fusion may create permanent restrictions in an individual’s ability to work. These restrictions may prevent him or her from working full time or from doing jobs that require heavy lifting. Therefore, he or she may be a good candidate for Social Security disability benefits.