The complex structure of the spine, the multitude of its diseases, the fact that it houses sensitive anatomical elements such as the spinal cord and nerve roots, as well as the fact that there are few specialized doctors who can intervene surgically when required, contribute to in the fact that sufferers hesitate to ask for help.
Something that seems to act as a deterrent in terms of early diagnosis and, therefore, the treatment of her problems.
“One of them is the aging of the spine, a medico-social problem, which “translates” musculoskeletally into back and/or lower back pain, difficulty in balance and walking and with symptoms that reduce the quality of life of the people in whom it manifests. It is estimated that today, 30% of the population with osteoporosis (one but not the only cause of spinal problems) is over 65 years old, while by 2050 this percentage is predicted to rise to 45%, employing one in two people”, points out o Mr. Panagiotis Zoumboulis Assistant Professor of Orthopaedics, Spine Surgeon, Director of Spinal Deformities Clinic at Metropolitan Hospital.
Who can help
Help comes from the medical specialists to whom we must turn for the early diagnosis of problems that appear with age and affect the spine and the musculoskeletal system.
“Osteoporosis is the most common of them, while others are the loss of muscle mass, neurological problems, rheumatological diseases, etc. The earlier they are diagnosed, the more effectively they can be treated. The preventive action includes interventions in the habits and diet, physiotherapy and exercise, administration of the appropriate drugs, etc., so as not to degrade the quality of life of the sufferers. Even if it is decided that what would help the most would be surgery, the new data is excellent. A combination is now applied that includes new surgical techniques, new minimally invasive procedures, robotically assisted procedures, new anesthetic techniques and highly specialized doctors with great familiarity with the subject, which leads to safe surgical procedures for spine problems”, emphasizes the specialist .
“The fact that the 15th annual conference of the Hellenic Spinal Society (November 2022) was co-organized with the corresponding global society, the World Spinal Column Society, is characteristic of the level of medical services provided in this field. In fact, as part of the Conference, an event open to the public with free entry was organized, where both spine problems and the help that specialist doctors can provide were presented in a simple way,” he says.
In conclusion, “symptoms of the aging spine can be effectively treated without the need for surgery, as long as we seek the help of specialists in time, but even in the event that an operation is deemed necessary, today it can be performed safely and effectively, allowing rapid mobilization of the patient and the return to his daily life with fewer restrictions and a better quality of life”, concludes o Mr. Zoumboulis.
Source :Skai
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