Signs That You Are an Ideal Candidate for Spine Surgery

Do you endure back pain that seems not to want to go away? If yes, then you’re not alone. Thousands of Americans seek back pain treatment in various healthcare facilities across the United States every year. If you’ve been experiencing severe back pain for a prolonged period, it’s normal to think of spinal surgery as a long-lasting solution to this chronic problem. Although surgery can ease chronic back pain, it’s sometimes not necessary. There are other alternative treatments to surgery that have been proven effective in easing back pain.

Physical therapy and over-the-counter pain relievers are non-invasive treatments that are effective in treating chronic pain. However, certain conditions call for back surgery. So as to find out whether spine surgery is the perfect solution for your condition, schedule an appointment with a spine specialist at Spine MD. The specialist will perform an in-person physical examination to determine the best treatment for your chronic back pain.

Despite it being more common, back pain is not easy to diagnose. The extremity and intensity of the pain are not enough to determine whether a patient is an ideal candidate for back surgery, although it is one of the signs to keep your eye on.

Pain That Persists

Typical acute back pain lasts for a few days to weeks. In addition, multiple studies have revealed that 70 to 90 percent of lower back pain cases get better in less than a month. For someone having difficulty sitting comfortably, walking, or even standing, that one month may feel like a year. Moreover, if the pain has lasted for more than two weeks and it seems to persist, it’s unsurprising that you may begin to think of back surgery.

Although some patients may opt not to seek treatment hoping the situation will get better over time, it is unreasonable to wait out and suffer the pain. Many spine specialists first recommend patients to try out various non-surgical treatments, such as physical therapy, lifestyle changes, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, epidural injections, and corticosteroid shots.

If these conventional treatment and maintenance options don’t ease your back pain, the specialist will automatically recommend back surgery.

The Pain Spreads to Your Arms and Legs

If you’ve a backache coupled with arm and leg pain, you’re enduring radiculopathy or simply radiating pain. This usually signifies that a nerve root on your back is absorbing pressure. A spine specialist may recommend surgery based on the cause and extremity of the condition.

Bone spurs and herniated disks are the primary causes of radiating back pain.

Also known as osteophytes, bone spurs are a result of spinal osteoarthritis. They occur when the articular cartilage in spinal bone joints erodes, leaving the bones exposed to each other. Bone spurs can form close and within the nerve roots and mount pressure on them.

If non-invasive treatments are ineffective, the spine specialist will have no other option than recommend surgical treatment.

Severe Symptoms and Trauma

When backaches and related symptoms are brought about by an emergency and trauma, a spine specialist will typically choose to perform surgery immediately. Emergencies constitute accidents and extreme events emanating from underlying conditions, like cauda equina syndrome. This syndrome can cause permanent paralysis, rendering it an emergency.