Lumbar Spondylosis (Kamar Ki Takleef)

Specialist diagnosis and treatment of lower back wear-and-tear — disc degeneration, bone spurs, and lumbar nerve compression in Lahore, Pakistan

What is Lumbar Spondylosis?

Lumbar spondylosis is the medical term for age-related degenerative changes in the lumbar (lower) spine. It is extremely common in Pakistan — affecting a large proportion of adults over 40 and an increasing number of younger people due to sedentary lifestyles, heavy physical work, and lack of ergonomic awareness.

The condition involves the gradual wear of intervertebral discs, the formation of bone spurs (osteophytes), thickening of spinal ligaments, and arthritis of the small facet joints. Individually these changes are part of normal ageing. When they combine to compress spinal nerves or the spinal canal, symptoms become significant.

Dr. Waqas Mehdi, FCPS Neurosurgeon at MidCity Hospital Lahore, specialises in evaluating lumbar spondylosis and designing a treatment plan — from physiotherapy and pain management to minimally invasive surgery when conservative methods fail.

Symptoms That Need a Specialist Evaluation

!Chronic lower back pain lasting more than 3 months

!Pain radiating from back down one or both legs

!Leg numbness, tingling, or weakness

!Difficulty walking long distances — leg cramping or heaviness

!Pain worse with prolonged standing or walking

!Morning back stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes

!Bladder or bowel changes with back pain (urgent — see doctor immediately)

!Back pain after a fall or trauma

What Causes Lumbar Spondylosis?

Age & Natural Wear

The most common cause. Spinal discs lose water content and height with age, reducing their shock-absorbing ability. This typically begins in the 30s and progresses over decades.

Heavy Physical Labour

Decades of heavy lifting, bending, and carrying places repetitive stress on lumbar discs and joints — accelerating spondylosis. Very common in Pakistani labourers, farmers, and construction workers.

Prolonged Sitting

Office workers, drivers, and students who sit for hours with poor posture load the lumbar discs excessively, speeding up degeneration.

Obesity

Excess body weight places chronic mechanical overload on the lumbar spine — accelerating disc and joint degeneration significantly.

Previous Spine Injury

A previous disc injury, fracture, or surgery can alter loading patterns and accelerate degeneration at adjacent levels.

Genetic Predisposition

Family history of back problems increases the rate of disc degeneration — some individuals have genetically softer disc material.

How is Lumbar Spondylosis Diagnosed?

The key is correlating your symptoms with investigations — an MRI showing spondylosis does not always mean surgery is needed. Dr. Waqas Mehdi examines you clinically and then reviews investigations to make this determination.

MRI of Lumbar Spine: Gold standard. Shows disc degeneration, disc herniation, nerve compression, spinal canal size, and ligament thickening. Essential before any treatment decision.

X-Ray (AP, Lateral, Flexion/Extension): Shows disc space narrowing, bone spurs (osteophytes), alignment, and whether there is instability or spondylolisthesis.

CT Scan: Better for assessing bone detail — quantity and location of osteophytes, facet joint arthritis, and bony canal dimensions.

Nerve Conduction Study (NCS/EMG): Confirms which nerve is compressed and to what degree. Useful when symptoms are atypical or in cases of possible peripheral neuropathy.

Lumbar Spondylosis Treatment Options

Conservative Treatment (First Line — 80–90% of patients improve)

› Physiotherapy — core strengthening, lumbar stabilisation exercises
› Weight loss — reduces mechanical load on spine significantly
› NSAIDs and muscle relaxants for acute flares
› Hot and cold therapy for pain relief
› Ergonomic changes at work and home
› Activity modification — avoiding prolonged sitting or heavy lifting
› Posture correction and back school education

Interventional Pain Management

› Lumbar epidural steroid injection — reduces nerve inflammation, provides months of relief
› Facet joint injection or medial branch block — for facet arthritis pain
› Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) — long-lasting pain relief from arthritic facet joints
› Nerve root block — targeted injection for radiculopathy

Surgery (for nerve compression or failed conservative care)

› Endoscopic lumbar decompression — for stenosis or disc herniation (keyhole, same-day)
› Microdiscectomy — for disc herniation with leg pain
› Lumbar laminectomy — for significant canal stenosis
› Lumbar fusion (PLIF/TLIF) — only when instability or severe deformity is present

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between lumbar spondylosis and a herniated disc?

Lumbar spondylosis is a broader, gradual degenerative process — disc height loss, bone spurs, and facet joint arthritis that develops over decades. A herniated disc is a specific event where disc material pushes out and compresses a nerve, which can occur as a complication of spondylosis or independently.

Who is the best doctor for lumbar spondylosis treatment in Lahore?

Dr. Waqas Mehdi, FCPS Neurosurgeon and Assistant Professor at KEMU and Mayo Hospital, Lahore, is widely regarded as one of the best neurosurgeons in Lahore for diagnosing and treating lumbar spondylosis, from conservative pain management to minimally invasive spine surgery, seeing patients at MidCity Hospital.

Can lumbar spondylosis be treated without surgery?

Yes. 80-90% of patients improve with conservative treatment — physiotherapy, core strengthening, weight loss, NSAIDs, and activity modification. Interventional options like epidural steroid injections and radiofrequency ablation can also provide months of relief before surgery is considered.

When is surgery needed for lumbar spondylosis?

Surgery is generally reserved for patients with significant nerve compression causing leg pain, numbness, or weakness that has not responded to conservative treatment, or for cases of severe spinal canal stenosis or instability. Options include endoscopic decompression, microdiscectomy, laminectomy, or fusion depending on the specific problem.

What are the warning signs of lumbar spondylosis that need urgent evaluation?

Seek specialist evaluation urgently for chronic low back pain lasting more than 3 months, pain radiating down one or both legs, leg numbness or weakness, difficulty walking due to leg cramping, or any bladder or bowel changes accompanying back pain, which is a surgical emergency.

Get a Specialist Opinion on Your Back Pain

Dr. Waqas Mehdi evaluates lumbar spondylosis at MidCity Hospital, Lahore — Mon to Sat, 6–8 PM. Bring your MRI or X-ray reports. Most patients can be managed without surgery.

Call: 0300-8482624 Book Appointment

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Pakistan's trusted neurosurgeon for brain tumor surgery, spine surgery, and all complex neurological conditions. Book your appointment at MidCity Hospital, Lahore.

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