We have noticed that the number one reason people opt for low back surgery is money. Their insurance will pay for it...so why not do it. In the last 6 months I have had 10 people who chose low back surgery over our program because they did not want to come out of pocket. All of which who within 2-3 months called and said that they were worse off, in more pain, and would I be able to help them now that they have had surgery. The answer to their question is I can't touch you for 6 months and at that point we will look at a new MRI and see what we can do. Some of these patients had had cosmetic surgery, corrective eye surgery, cosmetic dentisty and had no problem reaching into their pockets for those procedures. They looked for the easy, cheaper road and were hood winked by the surgeon in believing that surgery was their only option.
There are a small group of people who should undergo surgery. But the majority, specifically the group under the age of 60 who suffer with low back and leg pain due to disc bulge or disc herniation, should absolutely not be going under the knife. The reasons are many and they are listed all over my website at Southerncaliforniaspinecenter.com. But, let me say this, once you go down that road you begin a cascade of events that will impact the on going quality of your life. Failed surgeries, instability and weakness, more surgeries. I have come into contact with so many people wanting our care who we cannot treat because of the amount of scar tissue and the destruction of the low back structures. People who start out having a simple microscopic laser discectomy, that quickly are looking for more relief and ever more invasive surgeries. I meet people in their 30 and 40's who have had 4-8 low back surgeries and are in agony...it breaks my heart. For god sake people, respect your body, make the conservative choice first...our success rate is off the chart for these conditions. Don't you think it makes more sense to have a conservative doctor who treats severe low back conditions tell you when surgery is appropriate, rather than a surgeon........... whose only means of treatment is surgery.
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