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Spine Surgery Considerations

More than 1 million Americans will undergo spine surgery this year. While most people will find relief after surgery, as many as 1 in 3 surgeries are considered unnecessary or will fail.

If you are considering spine surgery, use this guide to help you understand your options and what to consider.

DOWNLOAD A COPY OF THIS GUIDE

Guide Contents

1. Before Choosing Spine Surgery

2. Red Flag Symptoms

3. Conditions that Benefit from Spine Surgery

4. When to Have Surgery

5. Seek a Second Opinion

6. How to Select a Spine Surgeon

7. Why Choose Neurosurgery One?

8. Meet Our Neurosurgeons

9. Meet Our Interventional Pain Management Physicians

10. Schedule an Appointment

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Before Choosing Spine Surgery

With the exception of trauma or neurological emergencies, surgery to relieve your neck or back pain should not be your first option.

More than 80% of cases of spine pain can be successfully treated without surgery.

Download a guide about non-surgical procedures that can reduce or eliminate back and neck pain.

BEFORE CONSIDERING SURGERY, YOU SHOULD TRY:

Physical Therapy

Lifestyle Changes

Weight loss, smoking cessation, control of diabetes, hypertension

Pain Management Procedures

Injections, nerve blocks, ablation, spinal cord stimulation

Red Flag Symptoms

Although most spine surgeries are not emergencies, there are times when surgery becomes urgent. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should seek immediate care:

Severe or worsening pain after recent trauma

Such as a car or sport injury or a fall

PAIN ACCOMPANIED BY:

Lost of sensation or movement in your arms or legs
Loss of bladder or bowel control
Fever or chills
Numbness in the groin area
Unexplained weight loss

Conditions that Benefit from Spine Surgery

Chances are high that sometime in your lifetime you will suffer from neck and/or low back pain.

When pain is not helped by conservative treatment, surgery can provide benefit for certain conditions that are confirmed with imaging or diagnostic injections:

DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE

Kim Paxton celebrates pain free living after lumbar spinal fusion with Neurosurgery One.

Watch her story.

Schedule an appointment with the Neurosurgery One Back and Neck Pain Clinic and get started on the right path to pain relief!

Seek a Second Opinon

Unfortunately, there are times when spine surgery is recommended but unnecessary or unsupported by medical research. We recommend that patients seek a second opinion before undergoing spine surgery.

The benefits of second opinions include:

MORE CONFIDENCE

If your diagnosis and surgery recommendation are confirmed, you will be more confident in your decision to move forward. Studies show that more confident patients may experience better outcomes.

ADDITIONAL OPTIONS

A second opinion may provide you with ideas for additional non-surgical treatments you hadn’t considered.

MORE CERTAINTY

When the benefits of surgery are not always certain, a second opinion can help you and your doctor make a decision.

INSURANCE COVERAGE

Oftentimes insurance plans may require a second opinion prior to elective surgery.

How to Select a Spine Surgeon

NEUROSURGEON VS. ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON

Neurosurgeons undergo extensive training to treat the nerve and spinal structure

Neurosurgeons have two more years of training than most orthopedic surgeons

Neurosurgeons typically perform more spine surgeries during residency than orthopedic surgeons

EXPERIENCE MATTERS

Benefits of a more experienced surgeon include:

Lower infection rates

Improved patient selection

Reduced rates of revision surgeries

INTERVIEW YOUR SURGEON

Spine surgery is a serious decision, so don’t be afraid to ask your surgeon questions about their training, how many times they have performed the surgery they are recommending, and exactly what to expect during recovery and long-term results.

Why choose us for your back pain?

Neurosurgery One offers complete treatment for neck and back pain, including non-surgical pain relief procedures. We provide customized treatment plans, starting with the least invasive therapies and avoiding unnecessary or ineffective spine surgery.

Our spine program offers:

Options and Expertise. As one of the largest spine centers in Colorado with over 40 spine specialists, we offer all non-surgical and surgical treatments for spine pain so that you don't have to settle for less than the optimal solution for your pain.

Fast-Track to Treatment. We can see new patients in our Back and Neck Pain Clinic within 5 days to get you started on the right path to pain relief, including immediate referrals for imaging, physical therapy, injections or, if needed, scheduled for surgery.

Interventional Pain Management. Our pain management physicians offer multiple treatments to relieve pain that can help you delay or avoid spine surgery.

Bone Health Clinic. We specialize in treating patients with pain caused by spine fractures and helping patients strengthen their bones prior to surgery.

Neuro-based Spine Surgery. As neurosurgeons, we approach your health holistically, understanding and treating your nervous, skeletal and muscular systems.

Enhanced Recovery. Our Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) program helps patients recover quicker with less pain, reduces the use of opioids and reduces complications.