Comments on: 5 Surgeries to Avoid

By: Dr. Jeremy Leimback

Dr. Jeremy Leimback — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 20:29:30 +0000

How could an article about alternatives to back surgery not include Chiropractic care? Chiropractic and acupuncture are both very effective treatments for low back pain.

By: Dr Robert Ebeling

Dr Robert Ebeling — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:33:39 +0000

Disc surgery is needed only when there is a “progressive neurological deficit” which means the person can no longer control the bladder and/or bowels. Another not so good sign is a person with back and leg pain, the back pain goes away, but the leg pain remains. But, even these cases can be helped non surgically. In Denver Colorado we secialize in helping people like this http://www.youneedmeback.com

By: Denise

Denise — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 07:39:10 +0000

After reading these comments and articles, I am even more confused about having surgery. Is it a good thing or not? I have been through physical therapy, shots, acupuncture, exercises, chiropractor, and I am on narcotics. This is not the life I want, but I have low back pain constantly. Please respond.

By: barbdiehm

barbdiehm — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:16:29 +0000

I had spine surgery in l994 for a severe case of scoliosis. I have Harrington rods in my back and or course fusion. I started every day with pain that continued thruout the day before the surgery.

I had a great and caring surgeon (he has since retired) and it was l00% successful.

By: Deanna

Deanna — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 17:01:14 +0000

I sure wish my husband would have read this on lower back surgery; however, I don’t believe he had a choice in the matter because the workers’ comp insurance company calls the shots. My husband had surgery in March of this year because of hernaited disks and nerve impingement with severe sciatica. Immediately following the surgery he knew something was wrong and he did not feel at all like the neurosurgeon told him he would feel. Two weeks after the surgery the surgeon went in again!! He claimed that the nerve was free but he cut away some ligament (just in case) and everything looked great. More $$ for him I suppose.
My husband is now about ten times worse than he was before the surgeries and has been diagnosed with nerve damage. His ankle and leg are getting worse and he has been recently diagnosed with RDS/CRPS caused by the surgery. They are working on keeping the disease from taking over his entire leg.
I feel that if he would have stayed out of the operating room, I would have a husband in 50% less pain than he is in every day of his life.

By: M. Anderson

M. Anderson — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 08:12:18 +0000

I ended up having lower back surgury, after 3 yrs of pain and frustration.I had epiderals , physical therapy,and lots of drugs. The pain meds made me sick, so I needed more pills to fix that. Plus by delaying the operation,I have 30% loss in the rt. leg, and 20-25% in the left leg. I also picked up a flesh eating staph infection at the hospital, that was interesting.I now have a Med-Tronic Intrathecal Pump.I can’t say enough on how wonderful it is working for me. It dosen’t block the pain 100%, but makes it very tolerable. I can honestly say it saved my life. The pain was so bad at one times I thought seriously of suicide many times .There are careing doctors out there. Do your research, and become an informed consumer. Good Luck All.

By: Michael

Michael — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 08:10:55 +0000

By: Sherri Cumpston

Sherri Cumpston — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 19:12:58 +0000

Regarding the article on back surgery, I couldn’t agree more. However, after living with low back pain for five+ years, I learned with the help of an MRI that I suffered from DDD (Degenerative Disk Disease)at L5-S1. After viewing the x-ray with my surgeon, there was no doubt that surgery was necessary. The disk was gone! It’s been 5 years since my surgery and much to my relief, I have been pain free.

By: Dan Mc Donald

Dan Mc Donald — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 03:52:24 +0000

Why not eliminate the cause of all these health problems? Stop eating all the acid forming cooked dead foods loaded with pesticides, hormones, antibiotics flavor enhancers, iodized salt, sugar and colorants.
It is also very helpful to avoid all dairy products (even organic), processed grains, soda, dead animals, fried foods etc. When you learn to eat the foods that were designed by nature for your species (fruits vegetables and herbs), you will experience energy, clarity and health that is almost unknown in today’s world. It is so easy to eliminate disease that it is almost a laughing joke that people still go to doctors who know very little about the medicines they prescribe for diseases of which they know less to heal humans of which they know nothing!!! Eat fruit, walk daily, find a way to forgive yourself and everyone else…. Enjoy Life :)

By: specialrider

specialrider — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 19:19:45 +0000

I still feel that better diagnosis is the key to avoiding some of these unneeded surgeries. In my experience(as a patient with a herniated disc and another bulging disc and times of chronic acid reflux), the cause of most low back issues & acid reflux are psychosomatic in origin. Unfortunately many, if not most, doctors are unable to make a diagnosis like this. Also, most patients are unwilling to accept a diagnosis like that.

Check out Dr. John Sarno if you want more info on this.