Understanding whether spine surgery is necessary can be daunting. The good news is that most of the time, the answer is no. At Orthopaedic Medical Group, we compare surgical to non-surgical treatments to help you make an informed decision based on your specific symptoms.
Evaluating Your Spine Health
All neck and back symptoms should be taken seriously with prompt care. A common question we encounter is, “Do I need surgery?” Fortunately, many conditions like muscular spasms, certain arthritis types, and sciatica often respond well to non-surgical interventions. However, there are cases where surgery might become a necessary discussion, especially if non-surgical treatments haven’t provided relief.
Navigating spine issues can be complicated at times and requires a provider who is willing to take the time to truly understand your symptoms, your exam, and your imaging – and even more importantly a provider who will is willing and able to educate you regarding your spine pathology. This is the only way that you as a patient are empowered to make the right decision for you regarding your care. Our qualified practitioners will be able to accurately evaluate your situation and advise you on the surgical and non-surgical treatment options that are likely to work best for you. Visit Orthopaedic Medical Group of Tampa Bay to get started with a consultation.
What Are the Common Sources of Spinal Symptoms?
Before we can suggest the best treatment method for you, we must first determine the source of your pain. Spine symptoms can stem from many causes, such as:
- Sprains or strains
- Muscular imbalance, weakness, or spasms
- Herniated discs (often causing radiculopathy or sciatica)
- Spinal stenosis (often causing symptoms in the arms or legs)
- Spinal deformity (often due to scoliosis, kyphosis, or flat back)
- Disc degeneration, arthritis
- Spondylolisthesis, pars defects
- Fracture
- And less commonly things like cancer or infection
Learn more > What Is Spinal Stenosis?
Non-Surgical Spine Treatment Options
At Orthopaedic Medical Group of Tampa Bay, we typically recommended non-surgical treatment methods before resorting to surgical procedures. If your spine symptoms can be lessened through conservative treatment, it can help you ease into a healthier lifestyle without going through a surgical procedure.
Physical Therapy
Physical Therapy is a popular treatment method that’s both effective and conservative. It is the most recommended choice since it can be easier on the patient and is beneficial in more ways than one. Not only can physical therapy set you up with a Home Exercise Program that you can continue after the session is over, they can also use therapeutic modalities (such as TENS, ultrasound, therapeutic massage, and dry needling) to help alleviate your symptoms.
Medications:
At Orthopaedic Medical Group of Tampa Bay, we may couple physical therapy with different types of medication to help our patients recover more quickly. Depending on the patient’s symptoms, we could discuss different options (such as NSAIDs and nerve pain medications) that can help with the patient’s ailments while completing conservative treatment. Given the numerous side effects, we do not recommend narcotic pain medications for non-surgical pain in most patients.
Injection-Based Treatments
When physical therapy is not showing the desired effects, injections may be the next course of action. While some injections can be done in the office, most will require referral to an interventional pain management physician. Depending on the patient’s pathology we can discuss options including epidural steroid injections for disc herniations, nerve blocks/ablations for arthritis, trigger point injections for muscular spasms, and a number of other options.
Lifestyle Adjustments for Spine Health
Whether you require surgical or non-surgical treatment, certain lifestyle changes are always recommended for maintaining a healthy body which can help with spine pain and other symptoms. This includes working on achieving an optimum weight, eliminating nicotine use, and regular exercise. These alone can result in dramatic improvement in symptoms for many people.
When to Consider Spine Surgery
Spine surgery should always be seen as a last resort; however, if the treatments listed above fail to adequately control your symptoms, your doctor may discuss surgical options. Depending on the patient’s pathology and symptoms, the possible surgical interventions could be:
- Minimally Invasive Discectomy (Microdisc)
- Open Decompression (laminectomy)
- Anterior Spinal Fusion (ACDF, ALIF, XLIF)
- Posterior Spinal Fusion (TLIF, PLIF)
- Posterior fixation
- Disc Replacement
- Spinal Cord Stimulator
- …along with a variety of other potential options.
Our providers at OMGTB will be able to discuss all options, form a personalized treatment plan, and provide educational materials for each patient in our care.
We Offer Comprehensive Spine Care
For comprehensive spine care near you, call or visit Orthopaedic Medical Group of Tampa Bay today to get started on a consultation. We will help get you started on the path to effective spine treatment.
