How Do I Know When Surgery is the Answer

Most back pain isn’t treated with surgery as much anymore.  Surgery is too risky.  But if you are considering whether to have surgery, you should make sure you’ve tried everything else first.  Spine surgery should always be a last choice and not a first option.  That means you might have to aggressively let your doctor know he or she should try everything in their arsenal of treatments before recommending surgery.  Also, the doctor should be able to tell you with certainty that surgery has a good chance of fixing what’s causing the pain.  That right there tells you why the number of spinal surgeries are declining.  It’s really hard to say with any certainty that surgery will fix a back pain problem.  You don’t want to be a guinea pig, but it’s up to you to tell the doctor.  I would see at least 2 and probably 3 different doctors before I’d agree to surgery.

Making It Permanent

Sometimes there’s no choice but to have surgery.  When two vertebrae don’t work properly at the joint, spine movement may cause unrelenting pain.  When nothing else works, the doctor may recommend spinal fusion.  Fortunately, this kind of surgery is getting to be less and less necessary as doctors learn more about the spine and causes of pain.  Also, the way the surgery is handled is changing.  It used to take long incisions and high risk cutting, but new technologies like microsurgery have made it possible to change the way a particular surgery is done.

By the way, a spinal fusion is where two vertebrae are fixed in place using a rod or some other surgical device.  Eventually it’s hoped the vertebrae will grow together.  A spine fusion can be considered a risky surgery in comparison to other surgeries.  It’s a last resort attempt many times to stop back pain.

I’m Not So Sure About This Surgeon

Picking a surgeon you trust your back to can be a traumatic decision.  We like to think all doctors are fully qualified and competent in their specialties, but we also all know it’s not true.  Your regular doctor will probably be the person who picks the first surgeon you see.  But it’s important to know you don’t have to stick with the surgeon your doctor picks if he or she fails to meet your expectations.  If you have any doubts at all about your surgeon, then you need to find another one.  You have the right to have your medical records transferred so it’s not like you’re starting all over again.  You should make sure you ask the surgeon any question on your mind.  A lot of people get shy around doctors or just accept everything they say without question.  Doctors are human too, don’t forget.  You need to feel completely comfortable with the person who will be operating on you.