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Back Surgery
Back Surgery has been a popular
treatment for back pain
for many years. The science of
spinal surgery
has improved greatly over the last few decades. Modern spinal surgery is much more effective, and less invasive, than procedures performed in the past.
Orthopedic surgeons
and
neurosurgeons
have become increasingly specialized in certain
surgical procedures
and it is now easy to find a specialist for almost any type of surgical intervention.
Back Surgery Operations
* Neck Surgery
* Cervical Spine Surgery
* Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery
* Back Pain Surgery
* Surgical Risks
* Surgical Complications
* Spinal Surgery Alternatives
* Avoiding Back Surgery
* Recovering from Spinal Surgery
* Failed Spinal Surgery Syndrome
* Post Operative Spinal Surgery Pain
* Sciatica Surgery
Back Surgery Procedures
* Discectomy
* Disc Replacement Surgery
* Artificial Discs
* Disc Surgery
* Herniated Disc Surgery
* Spinal Implants
* Foraminotomy
* Nucleoplasty
* IDET
* Intradiscal Electrothermal Therapy
* Spinal fusion surgery
* Spinal fusion advice
* Laminectomy
* Radiofrequency lesioning
* Vertebroplasty
* Facet Rhizotomy
* Kyphoplasty
* Coccygectomy
* Neurotomy
* Spinal Stenosis Surgery
Back Surgery Statistics
When I first wrote this article, I had the chance to interview several people who have had various spinal surgeries. It is a little more realistic and personal to meet the actual patients and hear their own back surgery stories, than to read the statistics in some medical journal. It left a big impression on me... * One car accident victim was completely pain free and thrilled with his surgical result. BRAVO…a good doctor and a wise choice for this particular occasion.
* 2 patients reported that their pain had been relieved but they now were so restricted in their life that they would reconsider surgery if they could do it all over. * 5 others had experienced pain and symptom relief, but suffered from a similar pain condition that re-appeared in another area of their spine. Of those 5, one patient had a second surgery on the new problem and was still in pain after the second procedure. * 1 final patient had poor surgical results and said her pain was worse after surgery than before. She actually commenced a lawsuit on her doctor for improper diagnosis. She lost. This is a small pool of statistics, but I am still scared by the
back surgery results.
It is obvious to me that the surgeries did not live up to expectations, due to
misdiagnosis
of the actual problem causing the pain. When it comes to surgery…99% sure is NOT ENOUGH. In the years since this article was published, I have spoken to thousands of post-surgical patients who have reported stunningly shocking statistics when it comes to spine surgery. The majority regret their decisions to have undergone surgical intervention and many are worse off now than ever. A minority of patients experienced some relief, while very few enjoyed complete symptomatic resolution. I really wonder how the surgical aspect of the
back pain industry
can be so well established with such abysmal curative results…
Bottom Line on Back Surgery
I had been told by several doctors that I was a good surgical candidate. One doctor in particular told me that I would never get better without surgical correction, since my
back
had deteriorated so much… He also predicted dire health consequences for me, including possible paralysis, if I did not acquiesce to his suggestion...I get a certain pleasure now that I am completely pain free and never had to resort to such a drastic method of correction. I would love to tell that one doctor in particular, that my back pain was cured through
knowledge therapy
alone …not surgery. Spinal surgery should be a last resort as a treatment for back pain. Surgery has inherent risks from anesthetic and infection and the outcome is not always successful. Many patients receiving surgery for back pain end up in worse condition after their operation than before. Some patients are free of their pain, but have been severely restricted in their movement and activity level for the remainder of their lives. There have been many cases of surgical correction fixing a back problem in one area of the spine, just to have the same or a related problem occur in a different area. I would strongly caution against back surgery in all but the most extreme of cases… YOUR BACK PAIN STORY Share your own back pain story with the world by taking part in my interactive forum. Speak out now and make a difference!
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5/23/06 Revised 8/18/09

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