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Choosing a Spine Surgeon
Patients often ask if they can or
should be seen by a
chiropractor for the
treatment of back
pain. There have been
some studies that
show effective
treatment of some
types of back pain by
chiropractors.
However, not all
causes of back pain
should be treated by
a chiropractor. There
are some conditions
that should be
identified and
treated by a
spine surgeon
rather than a
chiropractor.
Why should I be
seen by a medical
doctor?
Some cases of
back pain can be
effectively treated
by a chiropractor.
However, there are
some conditions,
potentially serious
problems, which must
be considered before
initiating any
treatment. Most of
these conditions can
be screened with a
thorough history and
physical examination.
Symptoms that
raise concern
include:
- Any problems
controlling
bowel or bladder
function
- Numbness
around the
genitals
- Pain with
associated
fevers, chills,
sweats
- Pain that
awakens you at
night
Furthermore, there
are some symptoms
that are better
treated by an
spine surgeon
than a chiropractor.
These include:
- Back pain
with associated
leg pain
- Numbness or
tingling in the
legs
- Weakness of
the muscles of
the legs
These above symptoms
are found in patients
who may have a
problem other than a
lumbar muscle strain
or ligament sprain.
When the underlying
problem is a muscle
strain or ligament
sprain, then
chiropractic
treatments can be
effective.
When NOT to see a
chiropractor
Patients who have
symptoms of nerve or
spinal cord
compression should
not undergo
chiropractic
manipulations until
cleared to do so by a
medical doctor.
Furthermore, there
are rare problems
such as infections
and tumors of the
spine that should not
be treated by
chiropractors.
Unfortunately, there
are stories of
patients who undergo
manipulations of the
spine and sustain
devastating
complications because
of nerve injury.
These cases are
incredibly rare, but
it is important that
there is a good
understanding of the
cause of back pain
before initiating
manipulations of the
spine.
Because of
inadequate exposure many less invasive
procedures may also require an additional
standard discectomy to adequately address
the problem. This doubles the operative
exposure, operating time and cost. Knowing
when to appropriately utilize less invasive
procedure is a matter of judgment based on
the training and experience of the spine
surgeon.
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