Hello Cobra
I would suggest, if you can afford both the time and cost, that you have at least 2 other consultations, with MDs that have strong recommendations from knowledgeable people.
My "spinal stenosis" surgery in 1997, done because I wanted to prevent the problems I saw in my mother, who had "spinal stenosis" led to some, but not all pain elimination, but now I have a signficant scoliosis because in modifying the lamina to allow free nerve access from the spine to the periphery, the lamina collapsed and I am worse off, slightly, than before. I have used a Chiropractor when my pain was signficant post-operatively, but this can be tricky if nerve damage is occuring while pain and function are under control.
I could not properly advise anybody, because each patient and the findings are differernt but the results are both unpredictable (as was mine) and the anatomy and precedures are subtly different.
Generally, as a Physician myself, I would avoid elective surgery without a thorough evaluation unless there was so much pain and or function loss that I literally had no choice, but I would make sure you had a thorough evalulation of ALL NERVE FUNCTION because back disorders knock out subtle areas, like anal sphincter and bladder sphincter and are somewhat silent in symptoms, but with time, these can be significant. Most MDs look for the obvious defects, pain, some major function losses and miss the subtle ones. It is not as rewarding an occupation to be a REALLY GOOD Neurologist, and these findings when documented would lead to careful treatment of these issues before they become beyond treatment.
I think I would go to a recognized center for COMPLETE evaluation and careful planned treatment. Newer treatments do take time to evaluate ALL eventualities and if you are very affected by your back issue, you may have little choice, but make sure all aspects of your current neurological problems are carefully documented. My subtle findings were missed by my surgeon pre-operatively and not found until a later evaluation for a different problem turned them up. The first surgeon was top-notch in the OR but lacking (as I discovered later) in a thorough work-up and for some reason had a problem with post-op physical therapy.
It is a scientific gamble, and I don't think you can do too much pre-op evaluation and unless it's an emergency, I would certainly seek ALL evaluations you can afford in time and money because you will be stuck forever by any significant surgery on your back.
Reply Report Ignore |
