Spine Surgery

Spine surgery is rarely an initial treatment for back pain, however, there are a few emergencies that may require surgical treatment. In most patients, spine surgery is only considered after a long course of conservative therapy. As stated earlier, back pain often takes quite some time to resolve.

Therefore, rushing into spine surgery may not be the best idea. Most commonly, doctors will advise at least 3 to 6 months of conservative treatment before considering spine surgery.

Traditionally, spine surgery is usually performed as open surgery. This entails opening the operative site with a long incision so the surgeon can view and access the spinal anatomy. However, technology has advanced to the point where more spine conditions can be treated with minimally invasive techniques.