Alternatives to back surgery


There are different causes that lead to back pains and while some of them might require surgery in the back region, there are some disorders that can be cured by alternatives to back surgery. In the case of severely ruptured interverbetral disc, there is no other option but to opt in for back surgery, quite a number of orthopedic surgeons are of the opinion and also recommend their patients to consider approaches that are more conservative for less serious issues. There are many alternatives to back surgery that help patients get relieved from the pains and traumas of pain in the back and some of them include rolfing, acupuncture, pilates, tai chi, neuromuscular therapy, yoga, and chiropractic.

Surgeons all over the world are beginning to recognize these alternatives to back surgery and are recommending them to their patients when the causes of back pain are not so severe that it warranties surgery. There are many occasions where pain and pressure can be relieved by targeted and gentle lower back stretches. According to some surgeons, nearly 50% of the spinal surgeries that are conducted are unnecessary. Spinal surgeries are not without their due share of risks, especially because of the complex mass of nerves that lie in the region of the spinal cord.

Damaging even one of them might paralyze the patient forever and in acute cases might even lead to his untimely death. This is one of the foremost reasons why more and more surgeons are recommending alternatives to back surgery as far as possible and wherever it is practical. There is yet another reason why an increasing number of surgeons all over the world are recommending alternatives to back surgery to their patients. The vast majority of back pains are not caused due to injuries in the spinal region but due to spasm and muscular strain.

There is no doubt about the fact that spasm or strain in the back can also lead to acute pain and that the only way to cut out such pain is by addressing its source… the musculature. There is one disadvantage that the surgeons face while trying to find out the source of the back pain before they can advise on alternatives to back surgery. Diagnostic tools like `magnetic resonance imaging' (MRI) and X-rays cannot determine or reveal the existence of muscular spasm or strain. This can be assessed only be the experienced touch and eyes of a surgeon.

In the good old days, doctors used to rely more on their sight and their touch to diagnose ailments but this is no longer the case. With advanced technological equipments being available to them, the doctors are no longer trying to become experts in visual or physical inspection of the human body. They are far too reliant on machines. Even if the results of the MRI tests and X-ray examinations reveal presence of disc bulging, disc disease, and herniation, there are alternatives to back surgery that can be pursued to cure them.

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