Ramsay Health Care UK: Spine pain and spinal problems in the UK

Ramsay Health Care UK (formerly Capio) is one of the leading providers of private healthcare in the UK with 22 private hospitals. Spinal surgery is one of a wide and comprehensive range of procedures undertaken in Ramsay Hospitals.

Recognised by all major medical insurers, Ramsay offers fast, convenient, effective and high quality treatment for all patients in a safe and clean environment, whether medically insured, self-pay, or from the increasing number referred by the NHS.

Why choose Ramsay for spinal surgery?

• Ramsay’s orthopaedic consultants are all fully accredited and are listed on the GMC specialist register. Many are members of the British Orthopaedic Association.

• Ramsay's operating theatres utilise ultra clean-air technology, minimising the risk of hospital infection from bacteria such as MRSA.

• 24 hour clinical support is provided by resident medical officers. These are fully qualified doctors who provide on site support to the consultant orthopaedic surgeon who carries out your spinal surgery operation.

• All patient bedrooms are en-suite with TV and radio facilities.

• All Ramsay Health Care Hospitals are audited by the Care Quality Commission.

• There is free on site car parking for you and your visitors.

• All hospitals have a well equipped physiotherapy department with wide range of modern physiotherapeutic equipment to enable a rapid recovery from spine surgery. All staff are experienced Chartered Physiotherapists registered with the Health Professions Council.

• Diagnostic facilities include state of the art imaging departments with MRI and CT scanning facilities

Spinal surgery techniques available at Ramsay hospitals

Lumbar discectomy for Sciatica

The back is a complicated structure built around the bones of the spinal column. The bones join together at the disc joints and fact joints of the spine. The nerves of the spinal cord, which connect the brain to the rest of the body pass down the middle of the spine. The spinal nerves pass out of the spine at the levels of each disc going to the arms, trunks and legs. If a disc becomes worn it may develop into a bulge which is referred to as a slipped disc. This bulge may press on a nerve and cause leg pain (Sciatica)

A lumbar discectomy procedure offered by Ramsay will help patients to recover from sciatica more quickly and reduce future reoccurrences. The operation involves an incision into the lower back and the removal of the piece of disc that is pressing on the nerve. Usually before the procedure, the patients will receive an MRI scan to confirm the location of the slipped disc.
 

Intervention options for back pain

Orthopaedic surgeons or pain specialists at Capio Hospitals can also offer a number of intervention options as day case procedures. These include:

• A caudal epidural injection (often under X-ray control to pin point accuracy), which can improve back pain by 50-60%.
• A nerve root injection (done under sedation) which can improve sciatica by 75%
• A facet joint injection

Pain management for spinal pain

Pain management specialists at Ramsay can offer advice on the management of pain and techniques for self-management and can offer pain relief in the form of :

• A lumbar epidural injection for lower back pain
• A cervical epidural injection for neck pain

For the injection options, pain relief can be immediate but can often be gradual over a period of 5 – 7 days. The benefits can be felt for three months and often up to six months. Sometimes this allows you to continue with an exercise programme to keep your pain under control.

Physiotherapy and chronic back pain

Treatment for chronic back pain can incorporate a variety of techniques including:

• Acupuncture

• Ultrasound etc including TENS

• Massage

• Manipulation

• Hydrotherapy

• Exercise

Patients will be assessed and a treatment pathway discussed and subsequently delivered. For back pain they will be encouraged to attend a ‘Back care Education’ session which may be offered separately or included in your 1:1 physiotherapy sessions. Ramsay physiotherapists will advise also if the patient needs to seek specialist support from a Consultant Surgeon or Pain Specialist.

Physiotherapy and ankylosing spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a rheumatic disease mainly affecting the Spine. AS affects approximately 1 in 200 men and 1 in 500 women in the UK, typically striking in the late teens / early twenties.

Spondylitis means inflammation of the joints in the spine and ankylosing means fusing together. In AS some or all of the bones of the spine fuse, although entire fusing is unusual. Fusion usually begins low down in the sacro-iliac joints and often doesn’t progress much higher than the lumbar region. Ankylosing spondylitis symptoms include gradual onset of back pain and stiffness and early morning stiffness which wears off with movement and is worse after rest and better after exercise.

Appropriate exercise is essential however to maintain mobility and to prevent stooped postures. Physiotherapy can help by promoting postural awareness, fitness and self help measures.  If ankylosing spondylitis is managed carefully, you should be able to live a full and normal life.  

Other treatments

• Lumbar microdiscectomy for back and leg pain 

• Lumbar canal widening for back and leg pain

• Anterior cervical fusion for arm and neck pain 

• Injections for low back and neck pain 

• Facial pain due to trigeminal neuralgia 

• Carpal tunnel decompression for carpal tunnel syndrome

Ramsay hospital locations

There are 22 hospitals across the UK, from Cornwall to Yorkshire. To locate your nearest hospital, visit the Ramsay web site.

Contact details

Head office

Ramsay Health Care UK Operations Ltd

1 Hassett Street

Bedford

Bedfordshire

MK40 1HA

Tel: 01234 273473

Web: http://www.ramsayhealth.co.uk/

Ratings and reviews on Ramsay Health Care hospitals

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The Private Healthcare UK “Ratings and Reviews” system allows patients to record their experiences of treatment and to read the opinions and comments of other patients..

• Read reviews about treatment at Ramsay Health Care  hospitals

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