It is not often that we hear about famous people going under the knife for spinal surgery, and not even among us, common folks. Surprisingly, data reveals that spinal surgery takes half of the total number of surgeries performed annually.
This kind of procedure sounds complicated and critical to us who are not familiar with it, but, success stories abound and give a renewed lease on life for these people.
One best example is Phillip Perkins, a professional jazz musician who played for many famous singers and bands.
Some years before, Perkins suffered from a serious neck injury but did not seek medical attention for it despite the pain it brought him. He used to think that his background as a soldier and an athlete would make him live through the pain and discomfort.
Eventually, his symptoms worsened and became unbearable. He suffered from dizziness and severe pain in the arm and shoulder area causing him to lose balance. In a year's time his health clearly deteriorated and playing the trumpet became a very difficult task. He continued to perform even if he was already wheelchair-bound, until one time his fingers felt numb and could no longer play.
For one who lives his life playing musical instruments, he was greatly bothered with his condition.
Recently, after seeking medical help, it was diagnosed that Perkins needed to undergo spinal cord surgery called, anterior cervical discectomy, to relieve pressure in the spinal cord caused by bulging discs. Like what we think of it, the surgery to remove the damaged bulging disc was very sensitive and complicated but produced excellent results.
Another case is that of Lolo Jones, an American track and field athlete who suffered from tethered spinal cord. The condition, which was congenital in Jones' case, limits spinal cord movement due to tissue adhesions that pull on the spinal cord and causing intense pain and increasing loss of function. Time came when even sitting for even less than an hour was already an ordeal. Of course, the condition limited her movements and was a cause for so much misery and it was then she knew she had to have the surgery.
In no time, Lolo Jones was back in training and was just so relieved to be free from the pain she suffered in the past and was all fired up for the indoor world championship like she never had any spine problem before.
So many other athletes and celebrities, such as Jennifer Grey of 'Dirty Dancing,' had spinal injuries that surgeries fixed and which put them back in top form again.
Spinal injuries almost usually get worse with time and if not treated the problem can just become more complicated or even permanent.
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Spinal injuries almost usually get worse with time and if not treated the problem can just become more complicated or even permanent.
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