Most people have back surgery to relieve pain, but all too often it doesn't help. For the half million people who undergo back surgery each year, and the additional million who are seriously contemplating it, Do You Really Need Back Surgery? is a godsend--an informed, reliable guide to when you should consider surgery and when you should not. Written by an internationally recognized expert in nerve and spinal surgery, this highly readable guide covers everything back patients need to know to make informed decisions about their treatment. The book discusses the details of spinal anatomy; explains the difference between acute, chronic, and recurring pain; shows how to keep the spine healthy; and defines such terms as spurs, stenosis, and slippage. It also reveals what clues your physician uses to predict whether a given type of pain is likely to go away with rest and exercise, and which types may become emergencies. Dr. Filler discusses the risks of surgery, the decisions you may be faced with and what options you have, and your expectations for recovery. He provides detailed explanations of the wide array of spinal injections and surgeries, including discectomies and fusions, as well as innovative procedures such as electrothermic and laser techniques and artificial disks. He explains the various medical imaging and diagnostic tests available and even covers the complexities of health insurance. From Pilates to pedicle screws, and from osteoporosis to spina bifida, Do You Really Need Back Surgery? covers all the questions your doctor usually doesn't have the time to answer. Featuring more than 80 illustrations, it is an essential manual for every neck or back pain sufferer.

Foreword. Preface. Disclaimer. How to Use This Book: Two Dozen Visits to Your Doctor. Part I: SPINE HEALTH. 1. Acute, Chronic, and Recurring: A Quick Tour of Neck and Back Pain 2. The Nature of Pain and How it is Treated 3. Keeping the Spine Healthy: Ergonomics for Life 4. Renewal Without Surgery: Schools of Therapy 5. Anatomy 101: From Bones, Disks, and Joints to Mind, Muscles, and Nerves 6. Disks, Spurs, Stenosis, Slippage, and Osteoporosis 7. Spinal Symptoms: Where Does the Pain Come From? 8. Accidents of the Embryo: Spina Bifida and Variations at Birth 9. Medical Imaging and Diagnostic Tests: X-Rays, Electrons, and Magnetic Spin 10. Recovery and Repair in the Nerves and Spinal Cord Part II: SPINE SURGERY. 11. Without an Incision: Percutaneous Procedures for Diagnosis and Treatment 12. Surgery- Before, During, and After: Common Elements You Should Know About 13. Surgery to take the Pressure off the Nerves 14. Surgery Inside the Spinal Dural Lining 15. Spine Carpentry: History and Principles of Rebuilding the Broken Spine 16. Fixing the Cervical Spine: Surgical Approaches for the Neck 17. Thoracic Spine Operations: Surgical Approaches to Mid- and Upper- Back Problems 18. Lumbar Implants and Fusion: Major Surgeries for the Low Back 19. Genes, Designer Proteins, and Biomaterials: The Role of Biotechnology in Spinal Surgery 20. Risks, Outcomes, and Choices 21. Recovery after Surgery 22. Health Insurance and the Cost of Surgery Epilogue. Knowledge and Resilience. Glossary. Index.

Aaron G. Filler, M.D.Medical Director of both the Institute for Nerve Medicine and the Center for Advanced Spinal Neurosurgery, and is an Associate of the Institute for Spinal Disorders, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles

"Dr. Filler's text takes you from injury, through understanding and decision-making, to treatment and recovery for most common problems with the spine. In addition to giving you important knowledge about your back, it also will provide an equally important 'peace of mind.'"--Richard Fessler, University of Chicago |k No