Spine Surgery

If you are suffering from any spine disorders and looking for spine surgery in Chennai, then Bharath Orthopaedics is the perfect destination. Dr. L Bharath is a senior spine surgeon in Chennai who is internationally trained with 15 years of experience in orthopaedic surgery.

What does spine surgery mean?
The spine helps to provide structural support to the human body and acts as a passage to the important nerves in our body. When there is any damage or dislocation to any of the discs, it should be treated immediately by consulting the best spine surgeon in Chennai.

Spine surgery treatment is a complex process that involves orthopaedic and neurological expertise with outstanding standards of care. This is exactly what we provide at Bharath Orthopaedics with the best Spine surgery physiotherapy and healing for immediate recovery.

Anatomy of a Disc
An intervertebral disc is a strong ligament to connects one vertebral bone to another. The discs are the shock-absorbing cushions that are located between each vertebra of the spine.

Each disc has a strong outer ring of fibers, the annulus fibrosus, and the nucleus pulposus.

The annulus is the strongest area of the disc to help the ligament connect with each vertebra together. The nucleus, or center of the disc, is hydrated often to serve as the main shock absorber.

Disc Injury
The annulus can either tear or rupture anywhere around the disc and gives severe back pain. If it tears, and when no disc material is ruptured, an annular tear can be excruciating as the outer fibers carry pain signals frequently. It takes time to heal with scar tissue over a timespan but it is more prone to future tears or injury. If the annulus tears, the central nucleus can squeeze. It is a piece of the disc from the center or exterior portion to break off and extend outward.

A disc herniation is defined as a displacement of disc material that is beyond the normal confining disc space. The other terms include the disc bulge, disc protrusion, disc herniation, ruptured disc, and slipped disc and simply implies that the disc material has left the normal disc space leading to severe back pain, and it can be diagnosed by an orthopaedic surgeon or spine specialist by treating it with simple back pain tests benefits of spine surgery.

Back Pain
Back Pain due to a herniated disc may be diagnosed by the best spine surgeon in Chennai after a complete history and comprehensive physical exam by spine specialists & spine doctors. In addition, several diagnostic tests can be used. Imaging studies at the Virginia Spine Institute are usually the first step in understanding spine pathology.

These include standing and bending X-rays to evaluate spinal alignment, stability, and disc space height. Your Spine doctor will determine whether additional tests are needed. An MRI is the standard imaging to assess disc and nerve pathology. An EMG may be used to determine which specific nerves are involved and the extent of possible nerve damage.

Benefits of spine surgery
If you consult a best spine surgeon in Chennai, they can help you with the following benefits that include:

Pain relief
Increased movements
Faster recovery
Free from muscle damage
Quality of life is improved
Ability to get backed to ordinary life
Spine Surgery Procedures Followed
Under the supervision of our senior specialist Dr. Bharath, we at Bharath Orthopaedics provide improved Spine Surgery and spine treatments of a herniated disc for treating pains without surgery using the following methods:

Physical Therapy
Epidural Steroid Injections
Psychological Treatments
Medication
Physical Therapy
The best spine surgeon in Chennai prescribes the Physical Therapy for calming the pain and inflammation, to improve core strength, spinal strength, mobility, coordination, and help achieve routine activities which are termed as range of motion assessment to determine the severity of the patient’s impairment.

Epidural Steroid Injections
An epidural steroid injection is a common procedure to treat irritations of the spinal nerves. It is termed ESI where a small amount of ‘cortisone’ is injected into the spinal canal.

Cortisone is a strong anti-inflammatory medicine which is given to ease pain and decrease nerve inflammation caused by irritated nerve roots. The beginning of the nerve or the nerve root gets irritated by a bulging intervertebral disc, disc contents or ruptured disc or bone spur, directly touches the spinal nerve. Dr Bharath, the best spine surgeon in Chennai states that the treatment is not always beneficial but provides short-term help to decrease the pain.

Psychological Treatments
Coping, relaxation, and distraction are the different skills that are used to help patients to manage their chronic low back pain.

Medication
Certain medications are used to alleviate spinal pain, which includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen or Aleve, nerve medications, muscle relaxants, antidepressants, and opioids. This method is commonly followed by the best spine surgeon in Chennai which can be used to control pain, inflammation, muscle spasm, and sleep disturbance. These can involve steroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs, pain medications, and muscle relaxers to help to control pain and reduce inflammation.

When do you require spine surgery?
It is advisable to consult the best spine surgeon in Chennai for a proper spine surgery.

If you have persistent pain in both arms and legs
If you feel numbness, muscle weakness, tinglings, or loss of reflexes in extremities.
If you have any increased pressure or irritation of nerves
If you have had extreme neck or back pain with a herniated disc.
If you have failed traumatic spine injuries
Cost for spine surgery in chennai
Many patients are concerned about the cost of spine surgery. Bharath Orthopaedic’s mission is to make healthcare more affordable and accessible. Costs for spine surgery in Chennai vary depending on the severity and type of your condition.

Quick Answers to your Questions regarding Mortgage Payment Protection Insurance

Loan and mortgage protection insurance is designed to help you, and your family keep up-to-date with your loan repayments, when life events happen unexpectedly and regardless of mitigating circumstances. Put simply, mortgages or loans are often long-term commitments, so it makes sense to protect them.

Do You Think About the Unexpected?

There are a number of reasons why even the most responsible money managers may get into financial difficulty. Any of the following reasons can strike at any time and will leave you struggling to make your loan repayments:

>> Change in health – due to sickness, injury or disease

>> Loss of income – due to involuntary unemployment, or

>> Death and Terminal illness – when cancer, stroke or heart attack, etc. may occur.

Loan and Mortgage Protection Insurance – The Benefits

There are a number of benefits you can get from having a loan and mortgage protection insurance plan in place, which include:

>> The premiums are fully tax deductible

>> Financial protection (you will save your family the worry of lost income)

>> You will save at tax time (you will get more money back in your tax return, and this means more money in your pocket)

>> You can choose how long you would like to receive cover benefits if you are injured and unable to work

>> Benefit payouts for total and permanent disability

>> A benefit amount (e.g. hospital cash) can be calculated for each night you spend in hospital

>> Associated accident costs can be provided to cover incidental costs (e.g. counseling and rehabilitation).

Common Questions regarding Loan and Mortgage Protection Insurance

Is Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI) different to Loan and Mortgage Insurance?

>> LMI – is compulsory and covers the lenders/credit providers if they lend you 80% or more

>> Loan and Mortgage Protection Insurance – covers your mortgage repayments in the event of death, sickness, unemployment or disability

Does the Unemployment Benefit apply if I am Self-Employed?

Yes. You may make a claim if:

>> You have worked in your business (for an average of 20 hours per week) for 180 days immediately prior to becoming unemployed, or

>> Your business has permanently ceased trading

What Happens to my Policy if my Unemployment Claim is Successful?

Your cover continues for death or terminal illness after making a successful unemployment claim, and your premium and benefits will remain the same.

Who will be the beneficiaries?

>> For a single life policy, the benefit will be paid to the policy owner or their estate, and

>> For a joint policy, the benefit payments are made to the policy owners jointly or to the surviving policy owner in the case of the death benefit

What happens if I need to make a claim and I have other insurance policies?

Upon acceptance of your claim, the loan or mortgage protection policy will payout a lump sum benefit directly to you or your estate and this will be in addition to any other payments you may receive from other insurance policies.

What if I am a Smoker now, will my Premium Change if I Stop Smoking?

>> Yes. Your premium can be changed to a non-smoker rate if you stop smoking for 12 consecutive months, and

>> You will need to make a declaration that you have not smoked any substance during this period

So, now that you are familiar with how “Loan and Mortgage Protection Insurance” can protect you and your family against any of life’s unexpected events, contact an insurance broker. He/she will understand your situation and suggest the best possible insurance policy for yourself.

Singh Finance is the perfect solution for your finance and insurance needs. The firm will help you in getting low rate home loan packages. It will also make sure that you get the best loan and mortgage protection insurance policy. Contact Singh Finance and get ready to make your life less stressful.

Metastasis of Liver: Stay Alert to prevent Secondary Liver Cancer

Being the largest internal organ, the liver plays an essential role in maintaining your body and keeping you healthy. Although it can regenerate itself, we cannot ignore the health of the liver. It is impossible to live without a functioning liver. Did you know liver cancer is one of the deadliest diseases in the world today? Even in our country, we are witnessing growing casualties related to liver cancer.

The problem with liver cancer or any other type of GI cancer is the late manifestation of symptoms. If you do not undergo routine medical checkups at your gastroenterologist, cancer may spread to other organs and prove to be a fatality in extreme cases. Metastatic liver cancer is such cancer.

In contrast to primary liver cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma or hepatoblastoma, metastatic liver cancer does not originate in the organ. It means that the cancer cells originated outside of the liver, but they metastasized (spread) to the liver because of a lack of medical attention and timely treatment. It is for the same reason liver cancer specialists call it “secondary liver cancer,” “liver metastases,” and “stage IV or advanced cancer.”

Often, 70% of colon cancer or rectal cancer metastasizes to the liver. One of the primary reasons for the metastasis is the portal vein. It connects the blood supply from the intestines to the liver. Other types of cancers as breast cancer, cancer of the esophagus, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, skin cancer, etc., can lead to metastasis of the liver.

Are there any Symptoms of Secondary Liver Cancer?

As liver metastasis does not begin in liver cells, it is difficult to look for symptoms in the earlier stages of the disease. However, if cancer metastasizes to the liver, you may experience the following signs:

>> Abdominal discomfort

>> Pain in the upper right abdomen

>> Bloating and itching

>> Weakness and fatigue

>> Loss of appetite

>> Unintentional weight loss

>> Jaundice

>> Enlarged liver

>> Nausea, vomiting, and fever

>> Edema/swelling of legs

>> Dark-colored urine

If you see consistent vomiting, blood in vomit or stools, swelling in the legs or the abdominal region, or jaundice, consult an experienced liver cancer specialist immediately. It is essential for patients with a history of GI cancer.

How will the Liver Cancer Surgeon diagnose Metastasis of the Liver?

If you have a history of GI cancer or notice symptoms of GI troubles quite frequently, you must visit a surgical gastroenterologist/liver cancer specialist for routine checkups. If the doctor identifies enlargement of the liver, he may suspect a metastasis of the liver and ask you to undergo the following tests to confirm the diagnosis:

a. Liver function tests help in understanding how your liver is functioning. With the help of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels, the doctor will identify whether the cancer is primary or secondary liver cancer.

b. An abdominal CT scan will provide images of the liver and help the liver cancer specialist to identify cancerous cells.

c. A liver ultrasound test will use high-frequency sound waves to understand the liver tissues in detail.

d. An MRI (Magnetic Reasoning Imaging) provides clear images of the liver with the help of radio waves and a magnet.

e. The liver cancer doctor can also use an angiogram to learn more about the soft tissues of the organ. He may even use laparoscopy as a diagnostic tool to confirm the presence of metastasis of the liver.

What is the Treatment for Metastasis of Liver?

Doctors call the disease Type IV cancer because curative surgeries are rarely possible. However, in selected cases of secondary liver cancer caused due to colorectal cancer, neuroendocrine cancer or certain other types of cancer, a curative liver resection surgery can help the patient.

The liver cancer surgeon may also recommend palliative surgeries and treatments to control the symptoms and help patients live as healthy as possible. The doctor will consider the following factors before suggesting possible surgery options:

1. Patient’s age and health

2. Patient’s past medical history

3. The size of the metastatic tumor

4. The spread of the primary cancer

Chemotherapy and targeted therapy can be a possible course of treatment to slow the growth of the cancerous tumor. There is also a therapy called radiofrequency ablation that generates heat to destroy the cancer cells in the liver.

Routine Medical Checkups is the Key

Once cancer has metastasized to the organ, there is often no cure. Doctors can help you to increase your life expectancy and offer palliative solutions. However, the best prevention against secondary liver cancer or any GI cancer is timely treatment. If we can avoid the metastasis of cancer in the first place, we can ensure a long and healthy life for ourselves.

So, the key to good health is routine medical checkups. Consult your surgical gastroenterologist and learn how you can keep the liver healthy and avoid secondary liver cancer. Avoid alcohol consumption, lead an active life and ensure a balanced diet to keep liver problems at bay.