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If you’re a resident of Dallas and are experiencing back pain, you may be wondering if you need back surgery. While back strains are common, and can easily be treated with a mix of rehabilitation and rest, more serious strains and injuries do happen. When they do, back surgery in Dallas may be the best option for lasting treatment. Fortunately, there are common signs to look for that will often indicate whether you should consider surgery to relieve your pain.
In this short blog, find out what those signs and symptoms are so that you can make an informed decision about your treatment.
Patients who have experienced “spinal trauma”—any serious injury that’s causing functional changes to the spinal cord or the surrounding areas—are often considered good candidates for spinal surgery.
The spinal cord is a complex instrument—one that contains both bones and thousands of nerves that carry messages between the brain and the body. For those who are suffering from a serious back injury (one that can be technically considered a “trauma”), this can cause both physical and physiological symptoms, as well as mental and emotional ones—so that it feels like your injury is affecting every aspect of your life.
Serious spinal cord injuries can cause a range of symptoms, including loss of movement, loss of sensations, such as the ability to feel hot, cold, or touch, bowel or bladder control issues, exaggerated reflex responses and spasms, and even changes in sexual function. You may also experience difficulty breathing, intense “stinging” sensations, numbness or tingling in the hands or feet, or weakness, paralysis, or difficulty coordinating different parts of your body.
Keep in mind: A serious spinal injury may not always be immediately obvious, and, if left untreated, can often cause more severe injuries to occur. If you’re experiencing any of the aforementioned symptoms, call 911 immediately for emergency assistance. You or a loved one can schedule a follow-up appointment at the Comprehensive Spine Center of Dallas for a complete diagnosis after, so that you can find out if back surgery in Dallas is right for you.
When treating back pain, surgery should very rarely (outside of emergency situations) be the first line of treatment. Surgery can often provide relief, but often at a cost. Although effective, surgery is highly invasive, and requires time for the body to fully recover. Plus, there are risks with any type of operation no matter how 'minor' it appears. For these reasons, it’s often encouraged that patients consider more conservative treatments, often in the form of physical therapy, lifestyle changes, and/or medication, before they consider surgery.
Of course, if these treatments don’t work as intended, and/or provide little, if any, relief from pain, back surgery may be the best treatment option for you.
If you’re experiencing debilitating back pain, or if your symptoms are only getting worse following conservative treatments, it may be a sign that you need back surgery. No one should have to suffer with chronic pain, and while physical therapy, pain management, and medication can help, they can do little to provide long-term relief if the underlying cause of the pain isn’t properly addressed. Moreover, because back injuries and chronic pain can often impact your ability to move freely, they can often increase your risk for more serious injuries in the future.
For these reasons, it’s often better to undergo back surgery and remedy the cause of your pain than to suffer from acute, abnormal, or chronic pain for life.
Not sure if back surgery is right for you?
If your back pain is affecting your ability to do the things you want to do when you want to do them, don’t hesitate to contact the Comprehensive Spine Center of Dallas today! We’ve helped thousands of patients fully treat their back pain—with both non-invasive and surgical treatment options—and would love to help you treat your pain. Whether you’re a good candidate for minimally invasive back surgery in Dallas or something more complex, we can help you determine the best treatment option for you!
Schedule an appointment today to take back control of your life and live it—pain-free!
