Thinking About Back Surgery? I Suggest You Wait!

Dan Frith

Contributor

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I am 50 years old and starting to feel it! You know...those everyday aches and pains. This past summer I injured my back while exercising and ended up with pain and numbness shooting down my leg and couldn't get comfortable sitting, standing, or lying down for extended periods of time. My doctors did not recommend surgery and for that I am grateful. A few weeks of rest and medication did the trick! But too many doctors recommend surgery to repair a bulging or herniated disc - and now you've got some information to put the brakes on the recommendations from a "cut-happy" doctor!

Two government-funded studies on back surgery for painful herniated disks reveal there is no clear reason to choose an operation over more conservative treatment. The pain and physical function of the patients, who were suffering from a condition called sciatica, improved significantly after two years whether or not they had surgery. About 250,000 Americans have disk surgery for sciatica each year, while another quarter-million instead choose physical therapy, painkillers or rest until they feel better. The surgery costs anywhere from $5,000 to $8,000.

The findings, published in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association, are the first from a big government-funded research project on spine surgery. Patients were treated at 13 spine centers in 11 states.

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For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Medical Malpractice and Negligent Care.