Many young people suffer from spinal degeneration.

The number of young patients undergoing surgery at Tam Anh Hospital due to diseases related to spinal degeneration in the past three months increased by more than 51% compared to the same period last year.

Master, Doctor Vu Duc Thang, Spine Department, Orthopedic Trauma Center, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, announced the above information on March 28.

"About 35% of Vietnamese people have degenerative spine disease, of which 30% are aged 25-45," the doctor said, adding that spinal diseases tend to increase and become younger, while previously they were common in people aged 60-69.

Spinal degeneration is often accompanied by disc degeneration, vertebral body surface degeneration, lateral facet degeneration, vertebral spurs, causing pain during movement, daily activities or sports. This can be the cause of diseases such as disc herniation, spondylolisthesis, nerve damage, spinal cord causing limb weakness.

Dr. Thang explained that the reason for the trend of younger people getting sick is due to a sedentary lifestyle or incorrect exercise in young people. This age group is often subjective and does not seek medical attention until the disease is severe, affecting their mobility. Many cases refuse surgery, mainly due to fear of sequelae and paralysis later on.

Nhu Thinh, 22, was surprised to be diagnosed with a herniated disc. He had a habit of high-intensity gym workouts. A few months ago, he had pain and numbness in his legs but did not go to the doctor until the pain became severe.

As for Ms. Linh, 28 years old, an office worker, overweight, often sitting in one place increases pressure on the discs. Recently she had a lot of back pain, went to the doctor and found out that she had a herniated disc and spinal spurs.

Doctor Thang examines a young patient with spinal degeneration. Illustration: Tam Anh General Hospital — Doctor Thang examines a young patient with spinal degeneration. Illustration: *Tam Anh General Hospital*

Currently, treatment methods for spinal degeneration are divided into two main groups: conservative and surgical. Mild and moderate cases are often treated with medication, physical therapy, etc. Surgery is indicated for severe patients, in whom conservative treatment is ineffective, with severe pain and reduced mobility.

Mr. Thinh and Ms. Linh underwent minimally invasive spinal surgery. The doctor made a very small incision, inserted a 2 cm diameter catheter into the spine and removed the herniated mass. The microscope magnified the surgical site dozens of times, increasing the precision of the operations.

Tam Anh Hospital also uses robots in surgery, which helps warn if nerves are approached, avoiding damage to surrounding structures. On the first day after surgery, the patient's pain and numbness are significantly reduced, and he can walk easily and be discharged from the hospital.

Doctor Thang said that thanks to the development of equipment, techniques and professional capacity of doctors, the success rate of treatment is more than 90%, minimizing the risk of nerve damage and complications.

Doctors performed a herniated disc surgery on Mr. Thinh. Photo: Tam Anh General Hospital — Doctors performed a herniated disc surgery on Mr. Thinh. Photo: *Tam Anh General Hospital*

The spine is an important part of the body, helping to bear weight and keep the body upright and stable. The spine also contains elements such as the spinal cord and peripheral nerves that control the function of many other organs in the body. Spinal degeneration increases the risk of pain, numbness, weakness in the legs, and disability.

Doctor Thang recommends that patients should not be subjective, they should go to the doctor early if they have back pain, pain spreading down the legs, leg numbness, pain when changing positions... Patients who have had spinal surgery need to do it promptly so that nerve cells can recover better. When complications such as leg weakness, urinary and bowel disorders due to sphincter damage appear, recovery efficiency is reduced by 50%.

Spinal degeneration is a disease that can be prevented by living a healthy lifestyle and maintaining the right posture. Young people should exercise regularly at a moderate intensity, maintain the right posture when lifting objects, and stand up and walk around after every 30-45 minutes of sitting at work.

Phi Hong

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