Low Back Pain: When Is Back Surgery Necessary?

Low back pain has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. It’s estimated that as high as 80% of the population will experience low back pain at some point in their life. The good news is that most of these back pain episodes will resolve on their own and never require medical intervention.

The bad news is that despite considerable advancements in the treatment of low back pain, a definitive reason for the onset of symptoms continues to elude even the most skilled practitioners. I am often asked by patients if I think they will require surgery and my answer is always the same — probably not.

In my experience, only about 10% of low back pain sufferers will require surgery. Meaning 90% of people suffering with back pain can be helped with conservative measures. Despite this fact, however, the “surgery question” still comes up.

I came across this interview with a neurosurgeon I thought might shed some light on what goes into making a surgery decision for treating low back pain. I think you’ll find it very informative.

As you learned in this interview, surgery IS NOT necessarily the first or best alternative in managing low back pain. People experiencing back pain should look into more conservative measures first before even entertaining the notion of back surgery.

The Erase Your Back Pain program is an excellent alternative to treating low back pain and has an established track record of getting results where other back pain treatment methods have failed. Learn more here: Back Pain Relief

I’d really like to know your reaction or comments to the information on this video. Please use the form below to comment.

Dedicated to Erasing Your Back Pain.

Malton A. Schexneider, PT, MMSc
The Back Pain Expert