What can I do instead of back surgery?

How can I heal my back without surgery?

Acupuncture, massage, biofeedback therapy, laser therapy, electrical nerve stimulation and other nonsurgical spine treatments can also make a difference for chronic back pain. Talk to your spine specialist about alternative treatments that could benefit you.

Can spine surgery be avoided?

Most bone, joint and/or muscle pain requires no surgical intervention. Instead, it can often be treated with physical activity, lifestyle modifications and a focused commitment to taking care of one's health. My patients are often relieved to find out that they don't need spine surgery.

What else can be done instead of spinal fusion?

Cervical Disc Replacement (CDR), especially in the cervical spine, is an excellent alternative to a fusion. Like a fusion, artificial disc replacement alleviates nerve pressure from disc degeneration or herniation.

What is the most common non surgical treatment for back pain?

Physical therapy is an effective and safe treatment option for lower back pain, especially lumbar spinal stenosis. In most cases, a physician will recommend physical therapy for a minimum of four weeks to see if the patient experiences relief from pain or discomfort.

Why Avoid Back Surgery at all Costs-Try this instead. Avoid Back Fusions.

How do I permanently get rid of back pain?

How can I live a normal life with back pain?

Slowly increase your activity as you are able. Use over-the-counter and prescription pain relievers for severe pain as directed by your doctor. Get physical therapy to help strengthen muscles and improve your posture. Check with your doctor or physical therapist before starting any exercise routine.

Why you shouldn't get a spinal fusion?

Spinal Instability and your pain issues

We don't like to recommend spinal fusion because it does not, in many cases, correct the underlying problems of lumbar spinal instability as many people would think it would. In fact, spinal fusion surgery may increase spinal instability and degeneration.

How do you fix spinal stenosis without surgery?

Is spinal fusion the only option?

Alternatives to Spinal Fusion Surgery

In serious situations where the minimal approaches such as exercising, stretching, over the counter pain relievers, and some of the procedures listed below have not eliminated the back pain, then a surgical procedure may be the only option.

Why you should not have back surgery?

One of the primary reasons why back surgery should be avoided is the risk. All surgeries carry the risk of infection, excessive bleeding, and nerve injury. Not to mention many people don't like being put under general anesthesia or that they may have to use potentially addictive pills to manage the pain after surgery.

When is back surgery absolutely necessary?

Most Back Pain Doesn't Require Surgery

Unless you have a serious spinal cord injury, your surgeon will only recommend back surgery if you've tried other treatments first, says Ronald A. Lehman Jr., MD, director of degenerative and minimally invasive spine surgery at Columbia Orthopedics in New York.

What percentage of back surgeries are successful?

What Percentage of Back Surgeries Are Successful? Back surgery success rate range from 60-80%. This is not bad, however the failure rates are the problem. In addition to the quality of surgeon, the surgery type and other factors, your back pain recovery and success rate can be determined by your health as well.

What happens if you don't fix back pain?

Prolonged nerve irritation, which occurs when back pain is left untreated for too long, can lead to permanent disabilities. Untreated vertebrae injuries can even lead to spinal stenosis (the narrowing of the spinal canal), radiculopathy (severe nerve pain), and nerve damage.

Can flat back be fixed without surgery?

Many patients may be treated without surgery. Initially, nonoperative measures will be recommended. These measures include physical therapy, including gait and posture training, exercises, and pain medications.

Do back injuries ever fully heal?

Back muscle strains typically heal with time, many within a few days, and most within 3 to 4 weeks. Most patients with mild or moderate lumbar strains make a full recovery and are free of symptoms within days, weeks, or possibly months.

What is the newest treatment for spinal stenosis?

What are interspinous spacers? Interspinous spacers are a new approach to treating spinal stenosis that work gently and in a targeted way by opening the spinal canal to create room and reduce pressure on crowded nerves.

Is surgery the only option for spinal stenosis?

Most patients with cervical or lumbar spinal stenosis respond well to non-surgical treatments (such as medication), so you may not need spine surgery.

Can you live with spinal stenosis without surgery?

Many people with mild spinal stenosis find that nonsurgical treatments such as pain medication and physical therapy relieve symptoms and help them remain active. NYU Langone spine specialists work with experts in pain management, rehabilitation, and orthotics to create a treatment plan.

Can you live a normal life after spinal fusion?

Even people requiring bigger surgeries like spinal fusion are 90% likely to return to work and stay at work long term. While most people recover from back pain through exercise and healthy lifestyles, those who require surgery can expect to return to work and "get their life back" too.

When is spinal fusion not recommended?

The biggest risk for spine fusion procedure is continued pain, meaning that the surgery did not substantially reduce or eliminate the patient's pain. The number one reason this occurs is that the fused disc was improperly identified as the cause of the patient's pain, so fusing the disc was unnecessary and irrelevant.

Can spinal fusion cause problems later in life?

Spinal fusion can cause problems later in life, namely hardware failure, adjacent segment disease (ASD), or spinal muscle injuries. All of these problems can lead to new or reoccurring back pain and neurological symptoms.

Can lower back pain ever be cured?

Most low back pain is acute. It tends to resolve on its own within a few days with self-care and there is no residual loss of function. In some cases a few months are required for the symptoms to disappear.

Is constant back pain serious?

A common cause of back pain is an injury like a pulled muscle (strain). Sometimes, medical conditions like a slipped disc, sciatica (a trapped nerve) or ankylosing spondylitis can cause back pain. Very rarely, back pain can be a sign of a serious problem such as a broken bone, cancer or an infection.

What percentage of people live with back pain?

A leading cause of work limitations

Some 16 million adults — 8 percent of all adults — experience persistent or chronic back pain, and as a result are limited in certain everyday activities.