Is Back Surgery Worth It?

Hello Boston. This is Dr. Chris Quigley from Charles Street Family Chiropractic. In doing some research today, I came across a quite shocking article from the Journal of Pain Research back in 2017. It's titled "Prevalence, Characteristics, and Burden of Failed Back Surgery Syndrome, the Influence of Various Residual Symptoms."

On patient satisfaction and quality of life. The numbers in this research article are quite shocking. Regarding surgery for low back pain, an average of 3.4 years after surgery, the overall CE of failed back surgery syndrome was 20.6%. Further, the residuals of these cases demonstrated that 94% of people had low back pain.

So that means these people went in for back surgery. 94% of them had back pain. Three years later, 69.8% had numbness. 43% had cold sensations and 35% had paresthesias. (some tingling or something like that in their hands or legs.) Severe low back pain prior to surgery demonstrated an odds ratio of 15.2 to develop failed back surgery syndrome.

Now, I'm not a mathematician, but I'm told that's about a 15 times higher probability of having failed back surgery syndrome. They also write that within the diagnosis, monitored in this failed back surgery syndrome study, 89% would be eligible for conservative approaches to treatment, which translates into English. What that means is you want to try every conservative approach possible before you have back surgery.

In our field, we always say that once you cut, you can't go back. I recommend doing everything you can to avoid back surgery, because the numbers don't lie. This is Dr. Chris Quigley, Charles Street Family Chiropractic. Call us at 617-720-1992 if you're ever considering back surgery. See if we can help you avoid that fate.

I hope you have a great day.

Видео Is Back Surgery Worth It? канала Charles Street Family Chiropractic