What's the good and bad points about back surgery?

Question

I'm considering 3 alternatives. 1. Steroid injections for as long as they'll work 2. Spinal Fusion 3. Disk replacement

Can anyone give me some really good points on the pros and cons of each decision? I'm really all over the place in what to decide. I'm afraid of steroids and the quick fix and brittle bones but I'm also afraid of surgery. So which is the lesser of 2 evils?

Answer 1

1. Steroid injections - Temporary relief. Major problem, it permanently damages the blood vessels at and near the injection point and literally eats bone away. Stick with pain killers instead.

2. Spinal fusion. Yes, you may have some relief, but it's not permanent. You are changing the biomechanics of the spine in the joint that is meant to move. By fusing the joint, the vertebral joints above and below the fused joint will move much more to compensate, in time, both top and bottom will wear out and instead of just one joint that gave you pain, you now have two joints that will give you pain.

3. Disc replacement. Questionable relief. It's still relatively new technology and not enough large data to make a proper risk assessment. Some patients report relief, some patients didn't.

May I offer a 4th option? I refer my patients to a special type of chiropractor in town, they do a great job for herniated discs. They understand the biomechanics of the spine very well and reposition the offending vertebra back into 3D alignment so that the herniated disc will start to heal and become less painful.

http://www.gonsteadseminar.com/referral.aspx

Answer 2

I personally do not recommend back surgery. I had a family member that went thru 2 surgeries and it was a nightmare for them. Have you tried yoga? It will help in getting your back in shape with the stretches, and strengthening it up. Steroids are a life shorting method. Go on to Google and do an extensive research before making a life altering decision. There are new discoveries everyday.