Spine surgery is one of the most effective treatment options for patients dealing with neck and back pain. However, not everyone is the right candidate for spine surgery. You have to get a diagnosis from a spine surgeon before considering it as an option. There are many questions which you must ask yourself as well s your doctor before settling on it as an alternative to your pain management.
One of the questions which you must ask your doctor is whether spine surgery is the best solution compared to physiotherapy or pain medication. Some back and neck conditions can be fixed without the need for surgery, whether invasive or minimally invasive. For example, neck strain can simply go away with simple neck exercises over time. When you dislocate a disc or have some of them fused together, you might have to get it fixed through surgery.
Another question you might have to ask your doctor is whether you need a disc replacement vs spinal fusion options. These two options are used to treat different types of back and neck pain. However, depending on the underlying case of your pain, one of the two may be appropriate.
The other decision your doctor may help you reach is whether you need the open spine surgery or a minimally invasive one. The latter is becoming more and more preferred by doctors and patients because it is minimally invasive therefore meaning less recovery time. It is also perfect for patients who would like to reduce blood loss or degeneration. It also means less time spent in recovery in hospitals, where you would also incur costs.
People suffering from extreme neck and back pain may find spine surgery helpful in treating their conditions and managing their pain. The disc replacement vs spinal fusion options are easily discussed with your spine surgery who is an expert in the two types of surgery. He or she will tell you whether you are the right candidate for either of the procedures and give you a full spinal exam to determine whether you need surgery to start with.
You do not have to suffer from extreme back and neck pain all your life. The good news is that with the expert help of a spine surgeon, you can easily region your normal and pain-free life. The trick lies in finding a trusted and experienced surgeon who can bring your back to good health.