Centre du dos et de neurochirurgie

Back and Neurosurgery Center - Clinique la Colline

Dr. Antoine Dinichert and Dr. Benoît Jenny, founders of La Colline Back and Neurosurgery Center, provide multidisciplinary and personalized care, from the initial consultation to post-operative rehabilitation follow-up.

The Center treats various back conditions, including mechanical pain (low back pain, disc compression, osteoarthritis, etc.) and neurological pain (nerve compression).

Modern therapeutic methods enable the Back and Neurosurgery Center to treat these various conditions using a range of treatments and spondylodesis (back surgery).

Anatomy of the back - Back and Neurosurgery Center

Anatomy of the back

The back's skeletal structure supports most of the body's weight and is used in almost all daily movements, between 1,500 and 2,000 times a day. It is therefore not surprising that the back becomes tired and worn out after a certain age.

The spine, also known as the vertebral column, supports the head and back and consists of a stack of articulated bones called vertebrae.

These vertebrae have different names depending on their location. The cervical vertebrae (C1 to C7) are located in the neck, the thoracic vertebrae (T1 to T12) in the chest, the lumbar vertebrae (L1 to L5) in the lower back, and finally the sacral vertebrae (S1 to S5) in the pelvis, below the hips.

The spine ends with a final vertebra called the coccyx.

All vertebrae (except for the first cervical vertebrae) are separated from each other by an intervertebral disc. This disc cushions shocks to the spine and distributes loads and pressures. These discs are composed of cells, water, and extracellular matrix.

Due to natural aging, the water content of the intervertebral discs decreases. As a result, the discs lose their elasticity and the vertebrae become increasingly compressed. This increased pressure between the vertebrae can cause irritation and pain.

Inside the spine and along its entire length is the spinal cord. Its main function is to transmit nerve signals between the brain and the rest of the body. The spinal cord has three circuits: the descending circuit, which relays motor information to the muscles; the ascending circuit, which carries sensory information to the brain; and a third circuit, which coordinates certain reflexes.

From the age of 20 onwards, the intervertebral discs wear out over the years, a phenomenon known as age-related degeneration.

Pathologies and treatments - Back and Neurosurgery Center

There are two types of back pain: mechanical pain and neurological pain.

Mechanical pain is caused by the collapse of the intervertebral discs and occurs mainly after activity. Back pain can spread to the buttocks, hips, and thighs but does not cause numbness or weakness in the leg because there are no "pinched" spinal nerves.

• Low back pain
• Disc compression
• Osteoarthritis

Neurological pain, on the other hand, is caused by a compressed or "pinched" spinal nerve

"pinched" spinal nerve, which causes weakness or numbness in the extremities (leg or foot) and, in the longer term, muscle weakness and slowed reflexes. Spinal surgery is used to treat neurological pain. These disorders cause compression of the cervical nerves or compression of the spinal cord.

• Herniated disc
• Narrow spinal canal
• Anterior surgery

Herniated disc - Back and Neurosurgery Center

Herniated disc

A lumbar or cervical herniated disc occurs when an intervertebral disc in the spine shifts out of place.

In general, such displacement is caused by age-related degenerative disc disease, following trauma or repeated strain. The pain travels down the leg to the foot due to the nerve being pinched by the herniated disc at the level of the vertebrae.
Disc degeneration is caused by normal wear and tear or injury. Without the discs, the spine is no longer able to absorb shocks between the vertebrae, leading to mechanical back pain (see section). A weakened disc is the source of herniated discs, which are caused by compression of a nerve around the spine. This compression causes pain in all areas traversed by the nerve in question.
When the disc deformation (due to a herniated disc) affects the sciatic nerve, this is known as sciatica, which causes sharp pain in the legs.

Low back pain - Back and Neurosurgery Center

Low back pain

Incorrectly referred to as "back pain" or "lumbago," this type of pain is muscular and caused by abnormal muscle spasms.

Lumbago (lumbar region) occurs suddenly following exertion (sometimes minimal) performed in a bad position, twisting, stumbling with a heavy object in your arms, or repetitive movements. To confirm the presence of lumbago, an X-ray of the lumbar spine is performed.

People who are most prone to this type of back pain are those who are not in very good physical shape, or those who do physical work that involves frequent heavy lifting.

The pain is intense but subsides quickly after a few days, disappearing completely after one to two weeks.

Contact - Back and Neurosurgery Center

Dr. Benoît Jenny

FMH specialist in back surgery and neurosurgery

T +41 22 347 67 40
F +41 22 347 67 42

 

 

Dr. Antoine Dinichert

FMH specialist in back surgery and neurosurgery

T
F +41 22 702 23 33