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What a neurosurgeon wants you to know about back surgery

Find out who really needs it, how to best prepare and what you can do to speed up recovery.

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The prospect of having back surgery can be nerve-wracking, but knowing what to expect, from your first doctor's visit through the removal of your final stitch, may help ease that worry.

Knowing your procedure may be performed using minimally invasive techniques, something surgeons aim to do, might also be reassuring. This kind of surgery causes less nearby tissue damageShow More

office worker experiencing back pain
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Who really needs spine surgery?

Back pain caused by overexertion, poor posture or wearing high heels often goes away by itself, but nonsurgical treatments like physical therapy, pain medication and steroid injections to help reduce inflammation may speed it along. In these cases, when pain is caused by muscle of ligament strain,Show More

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Traditional surgery vs. minimally invasive spine surgery

You and your provider will make a number of decisions about your procedure, one of which is choosing between an open surgery and a minimally invasive one.

Traditional open surgeries involve incisions about 5 or 6 inches long, which may cause nearby muscle and tissue damage and require long recoveryShow More

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Common types of spine surgery

The type of procedure you have will ultimately depend on your specific back issue. These common spine surgeries, which each address different problems, may be performed using either minimally invasive or open techniques.

Laminectomy: Lamina is the bony part of the vertebrae protecting the spinalShow More

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Preparing for your surgery

Much like studying for a big exam, you can take steps to prepare your body for spine surgery. Prior to the operation, you will likely be evaluated by your primary care physician and any doctor you see on a regular basis, like a cardiologist. You may be asked to give blood and urine samples. ToShow More

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There are still risks

Even the smallest procedures have some risks, including the possibility of infection, blood loss and adverse reactions to anesthesia. Surgery—even the minimally invasive kind—poses a risk of nerve damage, as well. "We do have to manipulate the nerves when we do these surgeries, and there is a riskShow More

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What recovery might be like

Everybody is different, and every procedure comes with a different recovery period, but most people bounce back quickly after less invasive spine surgeries. The average hospital stay following these procedures is one to two days, shorter than the three- to five-day stay often recommended after anShow More

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