Back Surgery Options
March 21st, 2008 | by admin |
Back Surgery
Back surgery – Neurosurgeon or Orthopedic Surgeon? Does it Matter?
If your back pain is chronic then chances are good you’ve tried all manner of conservative back pain remedies, stuff like resting, medication, heat or cold therapy, physical therapy, visits to the chiropractor and even cortiscosteroid injections. If the back pain persists it may be time to consider a more invasive approach.
Your primary care physician can help you find the right Neurosurgeon for your procedure. Here are some questions you should ask your surgeon well before your surgery date:
1) Are there alternatives to surgery? You may think you’ve tried them all, but your neurosurgeon could have suggestions beyond what you’ve attempted thus far. Further, he’s seen your type of pain a great deal and may know just the conservative remedy for you.
2) What are the risks of this surgery? It’s important that you know all the long and short term risks that accompany your potential surgery. This is a tough question to ask but it will help you to weigh your decision and it’s better to know the risks up front.
3) What are the benefits of this surgery? This may sound like an obvious question, but it will help you make sure that the surgeon knows exactly what pain you’re having and that he’s discussing the operation that’s best for you. Further, there might be some benefits of the surgery that you don’t really need. Talk this one all the way through and help diagnose yourself fully.
4) What will happen if I don’t have this surgery? There might be more factors than your continued back pain. If so, you should know these factors before making your final back surgery decision.
5) Where can I go for a second opinion? This may seem like an odd question, but it’s a great test of your neurosurgeon’s mettle. If he’s quick to rattle off second opinion options then it’s clear that he’s confident in his diagnosis. His confidence should NOT be your only deciding factor. Even if you really like your doctor it’s imperative that you get that second opinion. You’ll have your back for the rest of your life so make sure you’re getting it the best care possible.
6) How long can I expect to be in the hospital? The answer to this question gives you an idea of how invasive the procedure really is, plus it will give you an idea of how to plan for other aspects of your life such as work and family responsibilities.
7) How long will it take me to recover? Full recovery from the surgery could potentially take longer than your stay in the hospital. Talk this one through with your surgeon to get a good idea of the full extent of recovery, and even some things you could do to speed recovery.
What if I still have back pain after surgery? Be sure to ask this question of any and all neurosurgeons you see prior to surgery – it’s vital that you have a road map of the potential lengths you have to go through to achieve relief from your pain. Ideally, should pain persist, you’ll be able to relieve it using more conservative methods.
9) When can I resume normal activities? This question should give you the final analysis on how long you’ll be out of commission due to the surgery. Be sure to have a list handy of all the activities that are important to you and go down the list with your neurosurgeon to see if there are any special cases that may have longer or shorter wait times.
10) What is your experience with this surgery? Make sure you get at both angles of this question… You’re asking not only how many times your surgeon has performed the operation, but how well the operation has achieved its goals over time. Take your time with this question and get a thorough answer. You could also consider looking up your doctor’s online profiles to check his experience. Mine are here: Dr Steven Gelbard (from SpineUniverse.com) and here Dr Steven Gelbard (HealthGrades).
So there you have it, the top ten questions to ask your neurosurgeon before surgery. I also suggest that you ask him about costs, and what items or people you should bring with you to the hospital on the day of your surgery.
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This is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Seek the guidance of a licensed physician if you need medical advice.
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14 Responses to “Back Surgery Options”
By Janet Sue Adams on Mar 27, 2008 | Reply
Thank you for your website and the information you are sharing.
I had disk-fusion bone graph surgery about 10 years ago now, and I have started having more and more pain lately in my back, hips, and lower
pelvis area than I have had since the original surgery. I have had some chiropractic care with some relief but at times I have a great deal of pain in the early morning getting in and out of bed, or turning over in bed, or in walking after I have done strenuous work. Can you advise or recommend my continued care or where to go for some answers. Janet Sue Adams @ jerry36adams@gmail.com
By Jomary on Apr 12, 2008 | Reply
My mom had Lumbar disk surgery about six weeks ago she was feeling fine for about six week now she has the pain again they did say there was a 10% chances it would come back… she does not want to live with pain what would the next step to take any suggestion?… please let me know.. thanks JoMary
By reed covelli on Apr 22, 2008 | Reply
I have bulging discs and bone spurs in my neck and am looking for laser surgery close to home I live in fort morgan colorado
By pat on Aug 21, 2008 | Reply
I had disk fusuion surgey, since my legs. ankles and other part of body swelling. Anyone ??? thanks
By wcsmith on Sep 11, 2008 | Reply
Since 1958 I have had back pain, compressed vertbra and bone spurs from a fall of over 30 ft. in an industrial paper mill environment.
After short re-cooperation I have had a very active carrer in sports with college baseball, sumer leagues, tennis and in the past 20 years golf.I currently play only golf with moderate work-ot at YMCA.
Yes, I have arthritis in knees, right hand and back. Within last 15 yrs. sciatic nerve problem in both legs and hot feet when lying on my back. Upon getting out of bed some mornings it’s hard to stand and walk until I get stretching and moving. Also, I had pacemaker, TIA 6 months ago; yet, in better shape than 90% of my age group. I take comadium, beta blocker, etc. for heart and other medication for high chlorestrol.
Sounds like I’m a wreck but I’m not. By the way I’ll celebrate my 71 birthday in Nov. 2008.
Who wants to help relieve me of constant back pain????? W C Smith 336-854-1508
By wcsmith on Sep 11, 2008 | Reply
At my age I want the best non-invasive surgeron available. We can make history with recovery and correction. WCSMITH
By apatton on Sep 14, 2009 | Reply
I had a back fusion in October 2007. The bone graft failed, I was told I needed a second surgery, so I got that one in November 2008.
After the second back surgery I woke up in constant pain, my leg is numb from my knee to my toes, I have what feels like electrical shocks running from my lower back down my leg exiting out my toes, charlie horse type feelings in my calf of my leg and front of leg.
A hot sensation on the top of my foot. a constant throb like a tooth ache in my whole leg, and my leg feels heavy like weighted down. Any advise out there, I’m only 34. I live in pain 24/7.
By Linda on Sep 18, 2009 | Reply
Dear apatton, I am so sorry that you are having to deal with this at any age, but you are really young to have had back surgery. Was the need a result of an accident or what.
The hot spot has to be nerve inpengment, and probably the weight thing too.
I have been going to a chiropractor for spinal maintance after several accidents. That was a Godsend for me. I am 63 and only now needing to look for some kind of permanent solution for a deteriorated disc. Thank you for sharing your excperience.
Any time there is a suggestion by a doctor to solve a problem with surgery I research everything I can find on the subject and get several opinions from different kinds of health
care providers including nutritional and physio-therapy, ultrasound, acupuncture. Most pain is caused by inflamation, which could be caused by a host of things, even infection. My suggestion to you is before you do anything else, make a committment to yourself to weed through all the info you can find about outcomes of any suggested surgery. What surgeons do is surgery! That’s what they get paid for. Some have the good moral content to tell you about other therapies that you should try first and some may not. Sounds like what you had done has not worked or made your condition worse. Do everything you can to improve you nutrition, decrease stress, decrease inflamation, no steoids please, perhaps ice packs morning and night and don’t expect more than your body can perform without pain.
We have to be our own healers these days because every specialty discounts other concerns. You need a good whole body doctor, perhaps an MD naturapath, and you probably need a team to support your whole health picture. Don’t depend on one source for your answers.
By Allen on Oct 19, 2009 | Reply
I had cervical spinal surgery when i was 34.
C3-C7 ACDF (anterior cervical decompression & fusion). After the the recovery & healing period (14 months) my doctor/surgeon gave me strict light duty orders that will be in place untill my time here is done. I was symptom free for the most part, aside from my light duty orders & reduced range of motion of my head / neck. I Felt great for 3 1/2 years, then i started having pain & muscle tension again, in my upper limbs & body. I found out that i have a new disc rupture at the next level below the fusion, C7-T1. Unfortunately the spinal specialist who performed my first surgery is now retired. I have seen other specalists in my home area, all of who are trying their best to convince me that this new disc rupture is normal in fusion adjacent discs. But none of them are able, or willing, to give me an estimate of how common this ocurrance is. I was aware that this was a possibility, i find it hard to believe that this is as common as the doctors are trying to convince me it is. I have contacted several WELL known spinal doctors, hospitals, & institutes, in search of an answer, to find out just how common this condition is. They ALL dance circles around my question & i wind up with no true answer.
I know everyone is different & the same answer does not apply to every spinal fusion patient. But with this procedure being done to almoast 1/2 a million people per year, i would have thought that someone would have done a study on this subject, somewhere, by now.
So my search for answers continues.
By rick on Nov 17, 2009 | Reply
hello im 32 years old with two bad discs my neurosurgeon wants to do a anterior spinal fusion on my two most lower lumbar ive talked to several folks who say that after i do this my pain is going to be increased 3 to 10 fold.this started from a on the job injury and my first action was a chiropractor he didnt help things abit.i started a 3 day a week schedule of phys therapy it was grueling.im very thin and ive lost alot of muscle mass due to this condition.im just wondering is this the right thing to do?what is the percentage of people being helped by this procedure versus the people being hurt worse by it?i havent heard one good thing about this procedure yet,does anyone out there who have had this done have any comments for me? sincerely yours stressed to the max
By Misti Ballard on Jan 29, 2010 | Reply
My boyfriend had back surgry on Jan. 15th.He is 36 They had two take out oart of his L4 and replaced it with bone marrow from his hips. Then they pulled back his L5 it had completly slipped away from the rest of his spine and was crushing his right siotic nerve and was pinching his left. They put in two rods and 4 screws after they surgry his left leg is hurting . He says that it feels like he has been sitting on them and they have fallen asleep. The pain is everytime he stands or sits up he cant even walk to the bathroom or stand in the shower with out them hurting. They have not said why this is happening please i need to know what is going on.
By paul on Feb 13, 2010 | Reply
if u find out any info please let me know thanks
By Michael Brown on Aug 19, 2010 | Reply
I started having back trouble in 1984. Did all the non invasive things you do before considering surgery. Even shots in the spine at a pain clinic before going to work. A lamenctomy by a neurosurgeon in 1985 didn’t really help Between ’85 and ’93 I continued to work, stll trying to find anyway to take care of the pain. I finally gave in, in 1993 and had a fusion with rods and screws at L5-S1 which 4 doctors said I needed. So I went above and beyond the call of the “second opinion”. That surgery finished me off. I’ve been Avinza, a 24 hour time release Morphine for the last 6 years. Even with it, there are a lot of things that aren’t considered strenuous that I can’t do without causing major pain. They can’t do a CT or MRI scans on me now because the metal in my back makes them useless.
Anyone considering back surgery, unless it’s the new minimally invasive type, Google ‘failed back surgery syndrome’. It makes for some interesting reading. The last neurosurgeon I saw said there was nothing else that could be done, except cover it up. Luckily our family doctor is not anal about prescribing pain meds to people who need them. I would probably be spending most of my time in bed without them.
Mike
By Tonia on Aug 27, 2010 | Reply
I had back surgery in March 26th of this year just before my 37th birthday. Total disc replacement with the prodisk.Although now I can walk. I am still in severe pain 24/7. I have only seen doctors who just treat me like I am some drug addict, it is very depressing. All I do now is just stay in bed and just get up to go to get groceries and hospital visits. I have just decited that this is going to be how it is for now on. I am going to the only hospital close to me which is a 26 mile drive on a dirt road. Everytime I go and ask for pain medicine I am just given a couple for a few days and that is it for the month. I am now just on motin about 800mg 4 to 5 times a day. there is nothing else.