Where to Turn When All You Can Think of is Pain

When you are experiencing extreme pain to your back or legs, it can be hard to think straight. The only thought in your head might be: “How can I get rid of this pain?” If you are in that situation, it can be challenging to navigate where to look next. If this is the condition you’re in, my goal is to be the person you can turn to for answers.

Where Can I Get Advice?

The first natural course of action for most people in today’s world is to search the internet for answers. While that can be an excellent source of information, it can also be an anxiety inducing experience. So many potential answers for so many potential problems, with very little personalization.

One of the most rewarding parts of being a spine surgeon, is helping patients navigate those situations. Focusing on a patient’s specific problem, taking the time to listen to their unique experience, knowing that just because their MRI may show a similar problem to someone else, that it doesn’t mean that their experience is the same. For this reason, it is so important to find someone who is willing to walk you through your condition, to take the time to explain not just the condition, but also the options available to you.

Non-Surgical Options

The great news for most people is that the vast majority of these pain experiences will go away with limited intervention through non-surgical options. There is a great deal of power in conservative options such as physical therapy, activity modification, the use of over the counter NSAID medications, and time itself. The other great news is that, even for those patients who are unable to get the relief that they desire from those modalities, there are plenty of surgical options which are far different from what has been done in the past.

Advances in Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

This is a very exciting time for spine surgery. Surgeries that were performed in the past using large incisions, long periods of bracing and significant pain medication usage have been replaced with newer, less invasive options. Technology has changed significantly in spine surgery, and the innovation continues every day. The advent of intra-operative navigation, endoscopic spine surgery, robotic spine surgery and the over-arching umbrella that is considered “minimally invasive spine surgery,” has changed the perception of spine surgery. What was once done through large incisions with significant pain and long-term hospital stays, has been replaced with techniques which allow for quicker mobilization, minimal muscle damage, limited narcotic usage and a quicker return to a life that YOU want to live.

It is imperative for spine surgeons of our time to both embrace the capabilities of technology and Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, but also to make sure that the tenets on which spine surgery was built are followed. There are situations where larger, more-invasive surgeries are necessary, and the most important thing is getting each patient back to the quality of life that they desire. I believe that for many people, the quickest route back to the life that they want can be found through minimally invasive spine surgery, and I would love the opportunity to speak to you regarding its utility in your life.

If you are in extreme pain, with high anxiety after reading all the expansive information on the internet, make an appointment to come see us. A mentor of mine once told me, “The decision is much more important than the incision.” I can ensure that each decision for your care will be made through a partnership together, and together we can decide which treatment plan is right for your specific situation. My promise to you is that we will take the time to listen to you, that you WILL be heard, and a plan will be made with the quickest path (through the least invasive means) back to the life that you want to live.