You are the only person who can determine if back surgery is your best option, no matter what your surgeon/doctor recommends. You need to weigh the risks, as well as the expense, and you must also realize that the outcome may not be what you had hoped for. At the same time, many people come through back surgery and find the relief they were hoping for.
Getting a second opinion has always been good advice for any major medical decision such as surgery. The standard advice given to anyone who is facing any type of operation is to talk to another surgeon and get his or her opinion. Back surgery is not something that a reputable doctor will recommend lightly, and he or she will always explain any alternatives to you. If you are in an emergency situation, of course, back surgery may not be something you have time to think about. However, in normal situations, your doctor may recommend other treatments for your back problem. So if your doctor suggests back surgery, getting a second opinion is a must. Always ask what alternative treatments there are and what the advantages and disadvantages of surgery would be compared to these. Some doctors are quicker to suggest surgery than others.
Your surgeon could recommend that exploratory surgery would be beneficial in diagnosing your specific problem. This is done strictly for the purpose of diagnosis and doesn’t involve any actual treatment. Regardless of which type of exploratory surgery your physician plans, there are still risks that you should consider. In fact, many surgeons are reluctant to perform exploratory surgery on the back because the risks may outweigh the potential benefits. On the other hand, there are now some less invasive options such as laproscopic surgery, where tiny cameras are inserted under the skin that can give the surgeon the information he needs. Have your surgeon tell you of any alternatives to exploratory surgery as well as explain all the risks involved.
Even with the information mentioned above, you may still not be able to make a final decision about having surgery. If that’s the case, explore further some of the less radical treatments you can try before you opt for surgery. Many of them may give you the relief you seek. Spinal adjustments done by a reputable chiropractor have worked miracles for a lot of people with back problems and pain. It’s true, chiropractics hasn’t always been accepted by mainstream medical practitioners, but that situation is rapidly changing as more and more doctors become aware of the benefit of chiropractic adjustments. Another successful method of treatment is acupuncture, which has been a staple of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for centuries, and is very successful at treating back problems. There are many exercises you can search for online that will help strengthen your back and realign your spine. Also, appointments with a physical therapist can be very beneficial in relieving your back pain. Sometimes, the only solution appears to be to have the surgery on your back; however, in most cases it’s possible to find other solutions that work just as well.
In conclusion, back surgery is a procedure that is only recommended for a small minority of patients with back problems. Spinal deformities are rare, but if they do occur, the surgeon may recommend surgery to straighten the spine so that the individual can have a normal life. Many other options usually exist aside from surgery for a back problem. If the surgery can actually help you, with only a few complications, you might want to talk to your doctor to make sure that this decision is best for you.