Best Spine Doctor in Gurgaon

"Back pain" is a symptom, not a diagnosis. The same complaint can come from a strained muscle, a worn facet joint, a bulging disc pressing on a nerve, a narrowed spinal canal, an inflamed sacroiliac joint or a collapsed vertebra. Each has a different natural course and a different best treatment. Dr. Snha's first task at a consultation is therefore to work out exactly which structure is responsible, using a careful history, a hands-on neurological examination and only those scans that will change the plan. Many patients arrive with an MRI already done; the skill lies in matching what the images show with what the patient actually feels.

Lumbar spinal stenosis is a gradual narrowing of the channel through which the nerves travel in the lower back. Discs lose height and bulge, the facet joints enlarge with arthritis, and the ligament at the back of the canal thickens. Together these changes squeeze the nerves, particularly when a person stands upright or leans backwards. It is most common after the age of fifty and is one of the main reasons elderly parents in Gurugram households gradually stop taking their evening walk in the society park.

The typical pattern: neurogenic claudication

People with stenosis often describe heaviness, aching, tingling or weakness in the buttocks and legs that comes on after walking a certain distance and eases when they sit down or bend forward. Many notice that leaning on a shopping trolley in a supermarket lets them walk further. This pattern, called neurogenic claudication, differs from the calf pain of poor circulation, which settles on simply standing still. Because both conditions are common in older adults and can coexist, checking the foot pulses and sometimes arranging a vascular test is part of a thorough assessment.

Treatment choices for stenosis

Mild to moderate stenosis is often managed well with flexion-based exercises, stationary cycling, weight control, pain relief and occasionally epidural injections. When walking distance keeps shrinking despite these steps, or when there is progressive weakness or balance problems, decompression surgery may be considered. The aim is to remove the thickened ligament and bony overgrowth pressing on the nerves while preserving as much normal structure as possible. Dr. Snha performs endoscopic spinal stenosis surgery for selected patients, which can be particularly helpful in older people because it generally involves less blood loss and allows early walking. Where the spine is also unstable, for example with a slipped vertebra (spondylolisthesis), a stabilisation procedure may be discussed.

Osteoporosis thins bone silently for years, and the first sign is often a fracture of a vertebra. In an older person, particularly a woman after menopause or anyone who has taken steroids for a long time, a vertebral body can collapse after a slip in the bathroom, a jolt in a car over a speed breaker, or even a bout of coughing. The pain usually begins suddenly in the mid or lower back and is sharply worse when sitting up, turning in bed or standing. Some fractures cause surprisingly little pain and are discovered only when the family notices a loss of height or a stooping posture.

Why these fractures should not be ignored

An untreated compression fracture can leave a parent bed-bound for weeks, and immobility in older people brings its own dangers: chest infections, clots in the legs, pressure sores, muscle wasting and low mood. A collapsed vertebra also increases the likelihood of further fractures at neighbouring levels. Occasionally, a fragment of bone or a progressively collapsing segment can press on the nerves, causing leg weakness. Prompt assessment makes it possible to control pain, get the person moving safely and begin treatment for the underlying osteoporosis.

How they are assessed

Standing X-rays show the shape of the spine and the degree of collapse. An MRI helps tell a fresh fracture from an old healed one, which matters when deciding on treatment, and also helps exclude other causes of a weakened vertebra, such as infection or a tumour deposit. A bone density (DEXA) scan and blood tests for vitamin D, calcium and other factors guide long-term bone-strengthening treatment, often in partnership with the family physician or an endocrinologist.

Treatment options

More detail on the range of injuries and treatments is available on the spinal fractures page. Surgery in older adults requires careful planning around heart and lung health, diabetes, blood thinners and bone quality, and Dr. Snha works closely with anaesthetists and physicians so that every step is proportionate to the patient's overall condition.

Making the home safer after a fracture

• Fit grab bars in the bathroom and use a non-slip mat in the shower area.
• Keep night lights on the route from bed to toilet.
• Remove loose rugs and trailing wires, especially on marble or tiled floors.
• Choose a firm chair with arms and a bed at a height that allows the feet to rest flat on the floor.
• Review medicines that cause drowsiness or dizziness with the family doctor.
• Encourage safe daylight walks and balance exercises once pain allows.

Physiotherapy works best when it follows a clear sequence and is matched to the diagnosis. The phases below are a general framework. Your own programme will depend on whether the problem is a disc, stenosis, SI joint dysfunction or a healing fracture, and whether you have had surgery. Always progress under the guidance of your spine surgeon and physiotherapist.

Signs your programme needs adjusting

Mild muscle soreness after exercise is expected. However, leg pain that spreads further down the limb, new numbness, or pain that remains markedly worse the following morning suggests the load has been increased too quickly. Rather than stopping altogether, step back to the previous level for a few days and let your physiotherapist know. Passive treatments such as massage, traction or electrical machines may give short-term comfort, but active exercise is what produces lasting improvement.

For carefully selected patients with a lumbar disc herniation that has not improved with conservative care, endoscopic discectomy offers a way to free the nerve through an incision often under a centimetre in length. A slim endoscope with a high-definition camera and fine instruments is guided to the herniation under X-ray control, and the fragment compressing the nerve is removed while muscles and ligaments are largely preserved. Depending on the case, it may be performed under regional or general anaesthesia.

1. Before the day: blood tests, a review of medicines (especially blood thinners and diabetes medication) and an anaesthetic check, often arranged together at one visit.
2. Morning of surgery: admission after fasting; the procedure itself commonly takes around one to two hours, depending on complexity.
3. A few hours later: most suitable patients are helped to walk once the anaesthetic effect has worn off, and many notice that the leg pain has eased.
4. Going home: discharge the same evening or the following morning, with a simple dressing and a written plan.
5. The following weeks: gradual return to desk work, often within one to two weeks, with heavier lifting and sport reintroduced over the next few weeks as advised.

Not every herniation is suitable for an endoscopic approach, and like any surgery it carries risks, including the possibility of a recurrent disc herniation. Dr. Snha discusses the realistic benefits and limitations for your particular scan before recommending it. Read more on the endoscopic spine surgery page, or explore patient experiences on the videos and testimonials page.