The Pros And Cons Of Having Surgery For Your Herniated Disc
When you're diagnosed with a herniated disc, your doctor will typically tell you there are two primary treatment approaches you can take: surgery or physical therapy. There is no right or wrong choice. It all depends on your own goals, preferences, and lifestyle. Some patients do really well with surgery, and for others, the more conservative approach is better. To help you decide which approach is ideal in your own situation, take a look a the following pros and cons of herniated disc surgery.
Pro: You'll get it over and done with.
Conservative therapy is a long, drawn-out treatment approach, and it's hard to say how long it will really take. For some, it takes 6 months. For others, it takes 2 years. Surgery is a one-and-done solution. Yes, there will be a recovery period of 2-3 months, but after that, you're done. If you need to move on with your life and get back to work ASAP, surgery is the more reliable path in that direction.
Con: There are some significant risks to worry about.
Your back surgeon will of course do everything they can to minimize the risks associated with the procedure. However, there are things that can go wrong. You may suffer accidental nerve damage, develop an infection, or have an allergic reaction to anesthesia. Conservative therapy is much less risky at the end of the day.
Pro: You won't have to worry as much about re-injuring your back.
When you have surgery, your surgeon will either fuse the affected vertebrae together or completely remove the part of the disc that has herniated. In either case, once you are healed, you won't really have to worry about injuring the area again. This is not always the case when a herniated disc is treated more conservatively. Even when you get to the point that your pain is gone, the disc will still be somewhat abnormal and at an increased risk of becoming herniated again, so you will need to be careful with your back.
Con: Recovery can be painful.
When you opt for conservative therapy, you know the pain is really only going to get better as time goes on. With surgery, this is not the case. You know the first few days of recovery, in particular, are going to bring pain. The pain is manageable with pain relievers, but it is still something to consider.
Talk to a back surgeon to learn more about the pros and cons of surgery to fix your herniated disc. Every patient is different. They can help you determine what type of herniated disc treatment you should pursue.
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