Damage to the spinal cord, the long, cylindrical mass of nerve tissue that houses the spinal column (backbone) and connects the brain to the rest of the body, is a dangerous medical disease known as a spinal cord injury (SCI). It is essential for sending signals that regulate involuntary processes like breathing, heart rate, and digestion, as well as voluntary motions like walking and writing and sensations like touch and temperature.
Why is spinal surgery performed?
Spinal surgery is performed to correct spinal pathologies that cause pain. Back surgery is used to relieve the pain and/or numbness associated with this pain, which often radiates to other areas of the back, arms and legs.
Normally, back and spinal pain is caused by the compression of a nerve within it. Nerves can be compressed for several reasons. An example would be disc problems, such as a herniated disk, which can end up pressing too hard on a vertebra against the nerve. Occasionally, osteoarthritis causes excess bone in the spine.
