Spine Surgery

Back surgery is a procedure that aims to change a patient's anatomy, such as removing a herniated disc that is causing pain, with the purpose of providing pain relief. Back surgeries vary, with some procedures minimally invasive and allowing for quick recovery and others more extensive and requiring longer recoveries.

How do you know when you need spine surgery?

When someone comes to us with extremity symptoms, we almost always suggest they first get an evaluation with their primary care physician. If a person is experiencing low back pain or neck pain, we will usually watch them over time and encourage them to maintain good, stable physical activity to see if the issue resolves. If the issue is not resolving with physical activity, over the counter treatments, or pain management and anti-inflammatory medication, the next step would be to see a doctor for an evaluation.

Many patients with spine problems can be treated non-surgically. Physical therapy, home exercises, medication and often times spinal injections are recommended prior to considering surgery. If the problem still isn’t resolved, then surgery becomes a good option.

For instance, if a patient has significant neurogenic pain in the extremities and non-surgical management has not provided relief, surgical intervention is the best decision. For those with symptoms related to spinal cord or nerve root compression, such as significant weakness in an arm or leg or limb, we may recommend surgical intervention if non-surgical management was unsuccessful.

What should you look for in a good spine surgeon?

A good spine surgeon is dedicated to patient care and excellent outcomes, and is willing to learn new approaches and techniques while gaining expertise in standard approaches and techniques. A spine surgeon should also be a good communicator who is willing to spend time explaining their reason for surgery as well as the treatment options they offer.

What makes Penn such a special place is that, due to its collaborative nature, if someone comes in to see one of our surgeons and that surgeon is not the perfect fit for that person, we can reach across our vast network to find the surgeon that is right for them. We have such a broad range of expertise here we can always find surgeon that is the right fit for each individual.