Kyphoplasty Therapy Specialist for Cancer Pain Management in Houston and Sugar Land, TX

A kyphoplasty procedure is a surgery to correct abnormal curvature of the spine, known as kyphosis. Kyphosis is characterized by an outward curve in the cervical spine (neck region), which often causes a hunching of the back. During the procedure, the surgeon realigns the spine to improve the way it looks and feels. This realignment is achieved by injecting a special cement-like substance into the vertebrae; this can restore a damaged vertebra’s height and also help to relieve pain. Doctors might recommend kyphoplasty for vertebral compression fractures or vertebrae that have been damaged by cancer.

While kyphoplasty is a safe and effective option for back pain, it is not recommended in every situation. Factors that determine candidacy for kyphoplasty include:

• Source of back pain — Back pain is an incredibly common condition with a diverse set of causes; back pain caused by a spinal compression fracture is often treatable with kyphoplasty.

• The risk level of spinal compression — Even without a spinal compression fracture, certain risk factors can affect an individual’s likeliness for developing a spinal compression fracture; it is important to discuss any health conditions that affect bone and spine health with the physician beforehand. Conditions that can be treated with kyphoplasty include compression fractures or vertebral weakness caused by osteoporosis, hormone deficiencies, and cancer or cancer treatments.

• Other treatments have failed — In some cases, conservative methods, such as rest, pain medication, and braces are sufficient enough to allow the vertebrae time to properly heal; physical or occupational therapy can also expedite the healing process of vertebral fractures. However, in some cases, especially cases of severe spinal compression fractures, conservative treatments do not provide relief; kyphoplasty is indicated for these situations.

Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty share many similarities and are used to treat the same conditions, primarily vertebral compression fractures. Both procedures stabilize the bone and prevent further cracking by injecting specialized bone cement into the affected vertebrae. The main difference between the two procedures is that vertebroplasty involves injecting mixed bone cement into a cracked vertebra, while kyphoplasty starts by stabilizing a severe fracture and creating a space for the cement via a balloon-like medical device.

Some types of cancer, especially ones involving bone metastasis (the spread of cancerous tumors to the bones), can cause vertebral compression fractures, resulting in back pain. Kyphoplasty can help reverse these changes by realigning the vertebrae and promoting proper posture. However, in order for kyphoplasty to be effective, cancer must first be treated, or else additional damage could result, negating the effects of the procedure. Kyphoplasty can help with cancer pain when the pain is directly associated with spinal health and vertebral damage. If you are experiencing back pain that is caused by cancer-damaged vertebrae, kyphoplasty can help. At Modern Pain Management, our pain management specialists can help you find relief from your cancer pain. Contact us today or book an appointment with our kyphoplasty therapy specialist for cancer pain management. We have two Texas locations to provide you with better care: in Houston, TX, and Sugar Land, TX. We serve patients from Houston TX, Sugar Land TX, Pearland TX, Jersey Village TX, Missouri City TX, Stafford TX, and Richmond TX. We look forward to serving you!