April 2018 - Houston Physicians Hospital

If you suffer from severe back pain, you may wonder what the best pain management method is. Surgery is a viable treatment for many people in Webster, Texas, and the surrounding areas, but is it right for you? At Houston Physicians’ Hospital, we understand that it can be difficult to determine whether surgery is the best option to help reduce your back pain, so we’ve listed some signs that back surgery may be the best treatment option for you:

Non-Surgical Treatment Options Have Not Helped

According to The Maine Lumbar Spine Study, Part 3, 28% of patients treated with non-surgical methods continued to experience reduced back pain for at least one year after treatment (1). Typically, non-surgical treatments are primarily recommended by orthopedic specialists before surgical procedures to avoid unnecessary invasive treatment. However, not every patient has success with non-surgical options. If these options have not helped decrease your back pain, it may be time for surgical treatment.

Your Quality of Life is Reduced

While any kind of back pain can be irritating, it should not impact the overall quality of life. However, both the frequency and severity of your back pain can impact your quality of life and determine if surgery is needed. In fact, a study published in Spine medical journal states that those who suffer from daily back pain reported a significantly lower quality of life, along with physical mobility (2). If your back pain has reached a point where both your life and ability to move are severely affected, it is time to seek the help of a back surgeon.

You Experience Symptoms Associated with Compressed Nerves

If your back pain is accompanied by symptoms like a loss of sensation in the feet, a burning pain that spreads to your lower extremities, or problems with hand coordination, it may be due to spinal cord compression or other compressed nerves. Surgery may be the best option to reduce these symptoms and alleviate associated pain. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, surgical decompression of nerves can significantly reduce unpleasant, painful symptoms of compressed nerves within the back.

You Have a Progressed Spinal Condition

Some spinal conditions, such as scoliosis or spinal stenosis, cause a change in the normal alignment of the spine. If addressed in the early stages, the resulting pain can be reduced with braces or physical therapy. However, if the condition has progressed significantly, surgery may be the best option to help treat pain. The medical journal, Spine, cites surgery to correct spinal deformities as an effective method to help reduce associated pain (4).

If your back pain is interfering with your life, it may be time to seek the help of Houston Physicians’ Hospital’s Spine Solutions Center. We are committed to revolutionizing the world of spine care. Give us a call at 832-340-2134.

Month: April 2018

Is Back Surgery the Best Treatment Option? Here’s How to Find Out