Category: General Questions

When I consider the types of surgery to perform, I usually go with the most minimally invasive surgery as a first line intervention. A very common example of that would be in the low back. There’s some patients that may ultimately seem like they need a fusion. But there’s a good chance with a minor outpatient procedure you could relieve enough of their symptoms without having to do fairly major surgeries such as putting screws and rods at their back.

When that’s an option I always go with a smaller procedure after a discussion with the patient.

Patients often ask me when is it time to have surgery, and that really is very patient dependent. And one of the most important things I ask patients are, are they getting better? Are they getting worse? Are they staying the same? Generally, if somebody’s getting worse and they’ve tried everything, all other treatment options, it’s time to think about surgery.

If they’re getting better generally, it’s a good idea to hold off on surgical intervention. Patients that are staying the same and they’ve tried everything and they can’t live their life, that would also be a good time to consider surgical intervention.

Recovery for herniated disc surgery in the neck is also typically pretty quick. In both cases, most patients go, typically go home the same day. Recovery varies a little bit in time, whether you’ve had a fusion or disc replacement. But generally, patients are back to routine activities fairly quickly.

So, recovery for surgery after a herniated disc that’s done through a typical microdiscectomy is fairly quick. Our guidelines are, we expect you fully back to normal at four weeks. Patients vary. Younger patients are typically back to normal at three weeks. Older patients sometimes need a little physical therapy to get back to normal.

Surgery for a herniated disc in the neck is typically done through the front of the neck and involves taking the bad disc out and then either performing a fusion procedure or a disc replacement procedure.