Bishops Wood Hospital
Rickmansworth Road, Northwood, Middlesex, HA6 2JW DirectionsPhone
Opening hours
Mon - Sun: 8am - 10pm
Due to COVID restrictions no visitors are currently allowed
Car parking
Yes
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Expert assessment and treatment for spinal concerns
Spinal problems are often mechanical in origin and caused by wear and tear. However, very rarely there may be a link to a more serious condition which needs urgent attention.
A problem in the spine can have significant, sometimes life-changing effects on health, mobility and quality of life.
Common symptoms of a spinal problem include:
If you have any concerns about the health of your spine, it is sensible to get expert assessment and advice. The Consultant Spinal Surgeons at Bishops Wood in Middlesex provide management and treatment for a wide range of symptoms and conditions. They would be delighted to help you.
When symptoms are mild and not interfering with movement, it can be easy to dismiss them. If the symptoms become more severe and are affecting daily life, it is far harder to ignore them! It will often be at this point that a person realises they need to get medical help.
To treat any spinal condition, it is crucial to have an accurate diagnosis.
It may be found that the cause of your symptoms is nothing serious and that your symptoms should ease naturally with suitable rest and time. Other times, it may be discovered that treatment will be needed to successfully resolve the problem.
If you would appreciate expert assessment and advice, why not book an appointment with one of our experienced spinal surgeons?
Minimally invasive spinal surgery is carried out for a number of spinal conditions. With smaller cuts required, pain and bleeding are reduced, recovery is faster, and scarring is kept to a minimum.
A discectomy is normally carried out when a slipped disc is compressing a nerve. A small part of the disc is surgically removed in order to resolve the problem. This operation is done under general anaesthetic with open surgery.
Alternatively, a slipped disc may be treated with a percutaneous discectomy. Carried out under sedation, a large needle is inserted into the disc using X-ray guidance and a laser then used to destroy the affected area. As no incisions are made, there is no scarring.
If your spinal canal has narrowed (this is known as spinal stenosis), a vertebral laminectomy / spinal decompression may be carried out if nerves have become compressed in the spine. This may involve a discectomy, a laminectomy, a spinal fusion, or often a combination of all three.
Vertebroplasty involves injecting a special cement into a fractured vertebra. This is often used to treat pain caused by osteoporotic fractures in the spine.
Spinal fusion can help relieve severe back pain where other treatments have not been effective. It may be carried out for the lumbar spine (lower back) or cervical spine (neck). The vertebrae have screws placed into them and are then fixed together with rods and bone grafts placed around the joints (these bone grafts fuse to the vertebrae over time, restricting movement in the spine). Although benefits are often felt within a few weeks, the bone grafts will take 6 – 12 months to fully fuse.
They will carry out a physical examination to determine the health, strength and mobility of your spine.
Nearly everybody who comes for a spinal assessment will need an MRI scan, which can highlight problems such as inflammation, disc bulges and vertebral problems.
Some conditions may benefit from other investigations like ultrasound, CT or nerve conduction studies. Some of these will need to be arranged outside the hospital if they are required.
Once a diagnosis has been made, your Consultant will meet with you again to discuss treatment options. If you have any questions or concerns, they will be very happy to talk through them with you.
It may be that treatment is an injection (of a steroid and local anaesthetic), either at the painful area itself or at the point the nerve leaves the spinal cord (this is known as the nerve root). This injection may be able to be given by your consultant during your appointment. Other times, X-ray guidance may be required, in which case the injection will be arranged for you at the earliest possible time.
When you visit Bishops Wood Hospital for help with your spinal condition, you will benefit from:
For peace of mind and expert care for spinal problems, please contact us to book your private appointment at Bishops Wood Hospital today.
Consultant Orthopaedic Spinal Surgeon
BM, MSc, MRCS (Ed), FRCS Ed (Tr & Orth)
The Chiltern Hospital 2 more Bishops Wood Hospital The Saxon Clinic
Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon
FRCS (Orth & Trauma)
The Clementine Churchill Hospital 1 more Bishops Wood Hospital