Comments on: When Is Back Surgery Helpful?

New Study Suggests Operations Can Benefit Some Back-Pain Sufferers, But Not All

[lkmdallas]

I have had occasional pain in my back through the years, always remedied through rest and occasional muscle relaxers. I was totally blindside about a month ago with excreciation pain in my lower back, with some numbness in my upper thigh and extreme pain above my knee. The spine doctor pretty much had the attitude that with heniated discs in L3 and L4, surgery might be required. I explained I was one of those "don't" do surgery unless other things don't work. I've now had two spinal injections and am scheduled for a third. At first I wasn't sure they worked but a week after the second one I'm pretty much out of pain. I will next start some rehab. I read somewhere that no matter what you do, most back pain will resolve itself in about 3 months (I'm not mimimizing those people that have constant pain). I don't know what the future holds --I'm a realtor so needless to say spend lots of time at my desk and in my car. My heart goes out to those of you that are in constant pain. I'm also losing weight--10 lbs so far. I think we can't just sit there carrying all the extra pounds either with a bad back. I recommend the injections as a first step. I stopped the pain pills yesterday--talk about side effects--they made me crazy.

[twistedsiste]

I have scoliosis and had a Harrington Rod placed back in 1974. Those of us having this surgery then did not have the benefit of our surgeons knowing that not adjusting to the 3 dimensional plane of the spine only led to more problems later on in life. I have 17 fused vertebrae in my neck, thoracic and lumbar spine. I can barely walk due to pain and cannot literally straighten up, I am bent over due to my body compensating for the loss of lordosis in my lumbar spine. My hips and knees will be the next thing to go as they are taking on the extra stress that my spine cannot handle. My only alternative is chronic pain management. Surgery for correction which may or may not work is not offered in my state and my HMO wouldn't approve it anyway. When your back goes you are literally at life's mercy. Take care of your back and don't hesitate to ask questions about any procedure a physician recommends. It is your body. You have the right to know.

[davidberlind-2009]

Part I of II

Surgery works. I had a severely ruptured disk between L4 and L5. It was like a popped scallop. About 90 percent of the disk had ejected itself into the nerve sack. It was crushing the nerves going down my right leg and the pain was so unbearable, 24/7... even methadone had no effect. Quality of life was nil. The best position by the way (for those of you who haven't tried it) was draped over one of those big gym balls (stomach down). Finally, my doctor and my chiropractor concurred that I needed an epidural. The pain was excruciating. My foot was completely numb. They sent me to a neurologist who took one look at me and said he wasn't giving me an epidural... he was sending me to surgery. He told me that had I had "dropped foot" and had I not come to him when I did, I might have lost the use of my leg for the rest of my life (continued in my next comment .. Part II)

[theblonde31]

Donald Eastman, I feel exactly like you do. I cannot shower everyday either, I was in a car accident 6 years ago and have only gotten worse since. I have had the tests you have had, and nothing works so far. I am on 400 mg of morphine a day, which doesnt seem to work since I am still in severe pain. Disability fights me, says I can work because of my age, 42 now. I cannot sleep in a bed, I sleep in a computer chair. Otherwise I wake up crippled and cannot move if I sleep in a bed. I only get an hour or two of sleep a night. I quit driving because I do not think I am alert enough to be on the roads. Back pain is not in our heads!!! I had such an active life style before this. I worked 7 days a week at two very physically exhausting jobs. Now I choose between the dishes or laundry to do each day since I can no longer do both on the same day. It would be nice to be taken seriously for once. I lost everything because I cannot work. But disability says I can. I had to move away from my children to live with family just so that I would have a roof over my head. I will die before I ever have to be separated from my children again. Which scares me since the little lawsuit I got is running out while I await disability to deny me again. PS. I had two houses before this, and my life was as close to perfect as I could have ever asked for.

[sunni2u]

I have had the injections. Initially, they worked. Unfortunately, after several years, the injections stopped doing any good.

[danosr47]

I have had (3)Three Spinal Surgeries. The first was for a herniated disc,or so I was told.The second was to remove Disk Fragment(s) left in as a result of the first surgery.Some of the fragments were in the nerves of my spine the rest cause massive scar tissue build up. The third surgery (7.5 hrs.)was performed @ UVA Medical-Center and did give me some relief for about six (6) months before the pain,pressure & burning sensation returned. In my Pain Management Physican's opinion,I will be on pain killers for the rest of my Life.

[dsofield-2009]

I am a registered nurse who has suffered with back pain for almost 3 years now. I continue to work a 12 hour shift. It is extremely painful everyday. My co-workers ask me how I manage to work with such pain. I was diagnosed w/ herniated & buldging disks from L3 to S1. Worse on the left than on the right. By the end of the day it feels like a bear trap is on my buttocks, a pulled hamstring, and a numb foot all on the left side. I have had 6 epidural injections over the past 13 months (facet joint block & transforamen injections) and recently had some nerves cut in my back (radiofrequency neurotomy) in hopes of aleviating this pain. Nothing has worked for me. My pain has not changed one bit. I am however more aggravated. I did participate in a physical therapy program that had taught me some stretching exercises. This provides me w/ minimal relief along with using a lumbar pillow and a heating pad every night allows me to get out of bed in the morning to do it all over again the next day to work a 12 hour shift in the hospital. Pain medications that I have been on in the past have done nothing except make me drowsy & constipated. I don't believe Dr's take back pain serious. This is the worst pain I have ever had. I'm a frustrated 39 yrs old healthcare worker. Pain management has told me that there is nothing more they could do for me (I could have told them that six months ago).

[oradurand]

THE LORD HAS BLESSED WITH 58 YEARS. PRAISE GOD FOR HIS GRACE AND MERCY!!I'M A SINGLE PARENT WHO HAD TO WORK IN A TEXTILE FACTORY PICKING AND PULLING ON HEAVY BUNDLE DURING THIS TYPE OF WORK INJURIED MY BACK. THIS WAS BACK IN 95. I NEVER WANTED TO HAVE THE SURGERY. I ELECTED TO HAVE THE SPINAL INJECTION.I DID GET SOME RELIEF.BUT I WENT TO WORK DURING THE HEAVY LIFTING. I HAVE 3 BAD DISC IN L3-L-4&L5 PLUS A HERNIATED DISC.I'VE NEVER STOPPED WORKING .PAINS PILLS AND MUSCLES RELAXES HAVE HELP ME THEY CALLED IT PAIN MANAGEMENT!! BUT IVE BECOME ADDICTED!!! THE NERVE IN LEFT LEG

[june2010-2009]

I was pleased to read a publication that compared surgery to non-surgery. If you haven't read the publication in NEJM, than I highly recommend it. nejm.org However, I'm confused by Dr. Weinstein's comments about the cost of surgery not being worth it. That isn't anywhere in his paper. I'm confused by this comment because Dr. Weinstein's paper showed that patients who had surgery got better quicker, and had outcomes that were "superior" to those who had non-surgical treatment. He even points out that the patients who had non-surgical treatments only had a "moderate" improvement. In fact, they never reached the same success as the surgical patients. Does he realize how much non-surgical options cost? I do. I've had several opportunities to pay for it and it is expensive. I am all for learning about viable options, so that I don't have to waste any more money on ineffective, unproven treatments that only have a temporary effect, if at all. I checked out Dr. Weinstein's quote regarding the study on people with herniated discs. Did he forget that he told another publication: The as-treated analysis showed %u201Cstrong, statistically significant advantages for surgery at all follow-up times through two years.%u201D aaos.org/news/bulletin/marapr07/cover1.asp What patients really need is honesty from those who claim to be experts, whether that is a doctor or the media. If you%u2019re a patient, check out these links. Take the info to your doctor, and make a decision that is right for you.

[taylpatr]

I think that the recovery rate is better for heart surgery than back surgery.Of the four people I know who've gone under the knife, only one said they have had less pain since the operation. The lack of information in your story is reflective of the general prognosis of most doctors. They treat you like a junkie in emergency rooms. They make you sit and wait and then observe your behavior to see if you're just pill chasing or really hurting. They don't understand what it's like working 10 and 12 hr. days in construction, wearing 20 to 30 pounds of tools all day. If you're a doctor or E.R. staff and you're reading this, try and imagine what it was like to build your hospital. Or, better yet, go to a construction sight and watch how hard some people have to work to make this country work. Then, you can see why there are so many bad backs in this world.