Fear of Surgery Prevents People from Getting Back Pain Help

People are so fearful of being told they will need surgery that they may not seek even the most basic help for their back pain — that’s according to a recent North American Spine Society (NASS) member survey.

“It is heartbreaking to see that myths and an unnecessary fear of surgery are holding people back from getting even the most conservative help for their back pain,” says Joseph S. Cheng, MD, MS, FAANs, associate professor of neurological surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and chair of the NASS Public Affairs Committee. “The truth is that surgeons spend most of their time telling new patients that they do not need spine surgery!”

The vast majority (90 percent) of people with back pain will get better without treatment or by using conservative treatments such as anti-inflammatory medication, exercise, coping skills and physical therapy, reports the NASS, which also notes that spine surgery is recommended in only about one percent of cases, with very specific diagnoses, after a more conservative course of treatment already has been tried. For more information, click here to read the full release.