Is surgery for neck or back pain necessary? Sometimes. It is reasonable to consider spine surgery if the pain has not diminished after months of non-surgical treatment, if pain does not respond to medication, or if you're unable to complete basic daily activities. Some surgery options are minimally invasive (microdiscectomy for a herniated disc) and allow for quick recovery, while other types of surgery (a posterolateral fusion for degenerative disc disease) are more extensive.
Articles: Complete Listing
- Anterior Approach to Spine Surgery
- Anterior Cervical Corpectomy Spine Surgery
- Artificial Disc Replacement or Spinal Fusion: Which is Better for You?
- Assertiveness Skills to Prepare for Back Surgery
- Back Surgery and Neck Surgery Overview
- Benefits of Psychological Preparation for Back Surgery
- Causes of Failed Back Surgery Syndrome
- Cervical Spinal Instrumentation
- Cervical Spine Surgery
- Cognitive Techniques to Prepare for Back Surgery
- Considerations for Lumbar Laminectomy (Open Decompression) in Treating Spinal Stenosis
- Controversies about Spinal Fusion Surgery: Allografts, Autografts, and Fusion Levels
- Deciding on Surgery for Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease
- Deciding on X-STOP Surgery for Spinal Stenosis
- Description of Kyphoplasty Surgery
- Facet Replacement or Total Element Replacement Devices for Spinal Stenosis
- Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS): What It Is and How to Avoid Pain after Surgery
- Getting Adequate Pain Control After Back Surgery
- Goals of Posterior Motion Preservation Devices
- Healthy Habits After Back Surgery
- How Decompression Surgery Is Performed
- How Microdiscectomy Surgery Is Performed
- How to Prepare Psychologically for Back Surgery
- IDET: A New Procedure for Discogenic Back Pain Management
- Interspinous Process Spacers
- Kyphoplasty for an Osteoporosis Fracture
- Kyphoplasty for Vertebral Compression Fractures
- Kyphoplasty Procedure Overview
- Kyphoplasty Risks and Potential Complications
- Laminectomy and Spinal Stenosis: Risks and Complications
- Lumbar Decompression Back Surgery
- Lumbar Decompression Back Surgery Considerations
- Lumbar Discectomy Outpatient Spine Surgery
- Lumbar Laminectomy Surgery for Spinal Stenosis (Open Decompression)
- Lumbar Microdiscectomy Recovery: Discharge to 14 Days
- Lumbar Microdiscectomy Recovery: Weeks 2 to 6
- Lumbar Microdiscectomy Recovery: Weeks 6 to 12
- Lumbar Spine Surgery
- Lumbar Spine Surgery Alternatives
- Microdiscectomy (Microdecompression) Spine Surgery
- Microdiscectomy Spine Surgery: Risks, Complications, and Success Rates
- Minimally Invasive Anterior Approach Spine Surgery
- Other Considerations for Failed Back Surgery Syndrome
- Outpatient Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF)
- Outpatient Lumbar Fusion
- Outpatient Lumbar Laminectomy or Laminotomy
- Outpatient Posterior Cervical Foraminotomy/Discectomy
- Outpatient Spine Surgery Considerations
- Pain Management After Outpatient Spine Surgery
- Posterior Cervical Decompression (Microdiscectomy) Surgery
- Posterior Cervical Laminectomy
- Posterior Dynamic Stabilization Systems
- Posterior Motion Preservation Spine Surgery: Alternative to Spinal Fusion
- Postoperative Care for Lumbar Microdiscectomy Surgery
- Potential Risks of Surgery for Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease
- Potential Risks of Vertebral Augmentation
- Practical Advice for Recovering from Back Surgery
- Preparation Before Back Surgery
- Preventing Constipation After Back Surgery
- Recovery After Lumbar Laminectomy (Open Decompression) for Spinal Stenosis
- Rehabilitation After Spine Surgery
- Relaxation Exercises to Prepare for Back Surgery
- Research Update on IDET for Pain Management
- Scar Tissue and Continued Pain After Back Surgery
- Scar Tissue and Pain After Back Surgery
- Scoliosis Surgery Recovery: 3 Months Post-Operation and Beyond
- Scoliosis Surgery Recovery: After Discharge (2 Weeks to 3 Months)
- Scoliosis Surgery Recovery: After Discharge (First 14 Days)
- Scoliosis Surgery Recovery: At the Hospital (4 to 7 Days)
- Scoliosis Surgery: Planning for Postoperative Care at Home
- Scoliosis Surgery: Postoperative Care
- Scoliosis Surgery: Potential Risks and Complications
- Spinal Fusion for Idiopathic Scoliosis
- Spiritual Issues to Prepare for Back Surgery
- Surgical Options for Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease
- Surgical Procedure for Lumbar Laminectomy (Open Decompression) in Spinal Stenosis
- The Importance of Psychological Preparation for Back Surgery
- Theoretical Possibilities With Posterior Motion Preservation
- Treatment Options for Pain After Back Surgery
- Treatments to Try Before Cervical Spine Surgery
- Vertebral Augmentation for Compression Fractures
- Vertebroplasty After a Painful Spine Fracture
- Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty Comparisons
- Vertebroplasty Procedure
- Vertebroplasty Risks and Potential Complications
- Vertebroplasty vs. Kyphoplasty
- What Are the Current Indications for IDET?
- What is Known About Outcomes for IDET? (Research Article)
- When Surgery Can Relieve Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease Symptoms
- Who Does the IDET Procedure? (Research Article)
- X-STOP Limitations