Your spine comes in the form of stacked-up bones. Collectively, we refer to it as vertebrae. Lumbar discs, however, are the cushions on the bottom part of the vertebrae. These allow your bones to move seamlessly without causing friction.

When lumbar discs become too worn out to function, you may experience joint pains, numbness, and tingling in your arms and neck. When this happens, you may need to undergo artificial lumbar disc replacement.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the things that you may need to do to prepare for the process.

Complete Necessary Laboratory Tests

Before your surgery, your doctor may ask you to take several laboratory tests. These can include blood tests, x-rays, CT scans, and likes.

The said tests will ensure that your body can handle the process. It will also help prevent issues like allergic reactions, overlooked conditions, and likes.

Though this is not always the case, it’s required if your surgeon tells you to. This may take a lot of time, but it guarantees a safer and more guaranteed procedure.

Avoid Vices

In some cases, your doctor may advise you to avoid smoking and/or drinking alcohol to prevent additional risks. This usually causes higher chances of heart attack, blood clot, and other lung-related issues.

Smoking, however, is the most common thing prohibited before surgery. This ban can last for at least 12 hours to as long as a week before the scheduled lumbar disc replacement.

Stop Taking Conflicting Medicines

If you currently have underlying conditions that need maintenance, such as hypertension and diabetes, your doctor may ask you to stop taking them before the surgery.

You also need to tell them about the current vitamins and supplements that you’re taking. In this way, they can advise you to stop taking something beforehand. This is because some supplements contain ingredients that can affect the surgery’s success.

Follow Fasting Terms and Medication

More often not, you may be subject to fasting before surgery. This is when you won’t be allowed to eat anything. It won’t take long, though. Most of the time, it will just take 8 to 12 hours before the scheduled surgery.

Along with this, you may need to take additional medications to ensure that your lumbar disc stays in its current condition instead of worsening.

Terms about fasting and medication are strictly required, so you can’t skip these.

Summary

Note that the process of lumbar disc replacement will still depend if your doctor recommends it. You are also subject to further evaluation. It will help your healthcare provider see if you’re a good candidate for the surgery.