Surgery has been
found to be
helpful in only 1 in
100 cases of low
back problems.serious. This in itself will cut down the number of persons who require detailed
investigations. Secondly, I am advocating for you exactly what I would do if I have an
attack of acute back pain. If I had severe back pain, I’d make darned sure that there is no
underlying serious condition that has been missed. If that means
an X-ray, MRI or blood test so be it. I do not want to leave a
tumor in my spine undetected till it is too late!
Back pain does not mean surgery
Just because you see your physician or orthopod does not
mean surgery. Even if you have severe back pain it does not mean
that you need surgery. Surgery has been found to be helpful in only 1 in 100 cases of low
back problems. Patients with acute low back pain alone rarely benefit from a surgical
procedure. If the only symptom is back pain, surgery may do more harm
than good.
This is why we need some sort of indicators for surgery. These indicators are known as
“Red Flags” and tell us that surgery must definitely be done if permanent damage is to
be avoided and that the benefits of surgery far outweigh the complications that may
arise due to the procedure.
Let us find out more about what these “Red Flags” are.
Red Flags
Findings on the history and physical examination that raise suspicion of serious
underlying spinal conditions that may require surgery are known as red flags.
Basically, we are looking for evidence of nerve irritation or compression that is causing
one or more of the following:
- Difficulty in urination or loss of bladder and/ or bowel control
- Saddle anesthesia – numbness around the genital area and buttocks
- Numbness/ tingling in one or both feet/ toes