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Back and neck pain
Spinal degenerative disease and related disorders
Conclusions
Surgery is often regarded as a ‘last resort’ in the management of spinal degenerative disease, but regarding it in this way can sometimes be inappropriate. Surgery is usually not needed, even when a person feels that he or she has finally been driven to this point. On the other hand, timely surgery can relieve disabling symptoms and considerably improve an individual’s quality of life. A person suffering from troublesome back pain, neck pain or related symptoms should certainly see a doctor so that the source of the pain can be diagnosed. Hopefully non-surgical treatment, principally physiotherapy, will suffice. If not, referral to a specialist may be necessary to discuss other options.
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Contents
- Introduction
- What causes spinal pain?
- Why do I experience different types of pain?
- What other symptoms can develop?
- How common are spinal problems?
- Could it be something serious?
- What will happen if the pain is not treated?
- What do the various words used by doctors mean?
- What tests can be performed?
- How is spinal pain treated?
- When is an operation necessary?
- What do you recommend, doctor?
- Who should perform my operation?
- What are the drawbacks of surgery?
- What is the recovery period?
- What is surgery fails?
- What advances are likely in the future?
- Conclusions
- Other organisations that may be able to help
