Many people that I encounter tell me that they would never have back surgery again or that after 2-3 surgeries they are still not better or perhaps even worse than when they started. However, unfortunately, they often had a surgery performed without the correct diagnosis which leads to the incorrect treatment. For instance, pain that radiates down your extremity referred to as radicular pain is going to have different treatment options and responses than the pain that is regional or constant and will look differently on imaging.
There are also key things you should ask of your doctor before agreeing to treatment and if your doctor will not or cannot answer your questions then you should consider finding one that can. Such questions as what are the different treatment options for my condition and symptoms, have you seen this treatment work for your patients with similar causes for the pain as mine, how many times have you performed this treatment, what percentage of success do you see with this treatment, what is the best case and worst case outcome after this treatment, what will happen if I wait and do not have the treatment today?
Your doctor may say that they cannot guarantee success or decide for you which treatment is best which is a true statement. However, they should be able to give you the answers to these questions so that you can make the decision that is right for you.
A second opinion from The Medical Consultant will ensure that you have the right diagnosis so that you can get the best treatment options available from your doctor.
