When is back surgery the right choice for You?
Spinal stenosis is a common problem in the aging spine. Stenosis means the space around the spinal cord has narrowed. Bulging discs and overgrowth of bone and ligaments can all contribute to the narrowing, which presses on the nerves and causes pain. In some cases, fusion can be part of the solution.
When to talk to your doctor about back surgery?
However, when the pain is persistent and clearly related to a mechanical problem in the spine, you might talk to your doctor about surgery. There are a variety of procedures for spine-related back problems, but the 800-pound gorilla in the room during any discussion of back surgery is spinal fusion.
Can you fix back pain with back surgery?
Not all patient pain complaints can be fixed with spine surgery. Your doctor may use a multidisciplinary approach to address your pain: This means that instead of relying on one treatment (eg, medications or surgery), he or she may recommend a mix of therapies that comprehensively address different facets of your pain.
What happens when back surgery does not work?
Learning your spine surgery did not produce the outcomes you expected can be extremely disappointing, but therapies may help reduce your pain and restore your ability to function in everyday life. Not all patient pain complaints can be fixed with spine surgery.
When do you know you need back surgery?
Do you need back surgery? Back surgery might be an option if conservative treatments haven’t worked and your pain is persistent and disabling. Back surgery often more predictably relieves associated pain or numbness that goes down one or both arms or legs. These symptoms often are caused by compressed nerves in your spine.
Not all patient pain complaints can be fixed with spine surgery. Your doctor may use a multidisciplinary approach to address your pain: This means that instead of relying on one treatment (eg, medications or surgery), he or she may recommend a mix of therapies that comprehensively address different facets of your pain.
What happens if you don’t have back surgery?
In other words, your and your surgeon’s expected surgery outcome—that your spine pain would be minimized or eliminated—didn’t happen.
When to consider fusion surgery for lower back pain?
If the patient does not get low back pain relief after 6 to 12 months of conservative treatment, however, a fusion surgery may be a reasonable option. When the patient has the right indications, low back surgery to stop the motion at a painful motion segment and remove the pain generator should reduce the patient’s lower back pain.