When Should You Go to a Spine Surgeon?

Doctor diagnose cervical vertebrae x-ray image by mri cervical spine with radiologist team for consult

If you are suffering from back pain, then you cannot ignore the problem for a longer time. The pain affects your daily life in a different way. Many patients can recover from back pain by applying non-surgical treatments. But if you take rest and medicines, but cannot reduce the pain, then you may have to do spine surgery. But is it the ultimate solution for everybody? Let’s find out.

If you cannot reduce back pain after a few weeks, then you should visit a spine specialist. The specialist may recommend you to do an MRI scan and an x-ray to examine the current condition. He or she can understand the condition including the intervertebral discs for degeneration and herniation, vertebrae for alignment, and the facet joints for arthritis. In the beginning, the expert may not suggest you do surgery. He or she can recommend doing few things based on the clinical and imaging findings such as,

  • physical therapy,

  • medications

  • spinal injections

  • t-home exercises.

In most cases, patients recover from the pain after applying these treatments. But few patients may experience chronic pain even after taking these treatments. In that case, the spine specialist may recommend you to do spine surgery.

Symptoms That Indicate Back Surgery

  • If you notice that the back pain is persistent for a longer period of time, then it is time to consult with a spine surgeon.

  • You experience weakness, numbness, tingling in the specific area including in the legs and arms. It may happen due to compressed nerves in the spine. Remember that nerves can be compressed because of bone spurs or a herniated disc.

  • You can also notice bowel issues for a while. Bowel problems can happen due to the pressure on the nerves that supply function to the bowel and bladder.

  • If you are suffering from a degenerative spinal condition, then you can also experience back pain. The degenerative spinal conditions are spinal arthritis and spinal stenosis.

  • If you do not lead a healthy life for a while, then you may suffer from back pain as well. If the back pain hampers your daily activities then you should contact a spine specialist immediately.

Recover from Back Pain

If you lost hope about how to reduce your back pain and return to your daily life, then contact Oklahoma Pain Treatment Centers in OKC. The specialist will help you to get rid of the problem.

**Disclaimer: This blog post does not establish terms of a doctor-patient relationship and is not intended to be taken as a doctor's advice.

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What You Need to Know about Spine Surgery After Care?

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Herniated Disc and Symptoms (Infographic)