Interactive Tool: Should You Consider Surgery for Your Low Back?

What does this tool measure?

Click here to find out whether surgery may help decrease the symptoms of a back problem .

This interactive tool will not diagnose a back problem, but it will tell you whether surgery might help decrease or eliminate symptoms related to your low back problem. There is always a risk with any surgery, so most people don't want to have surgery unless there is a very good chance it will help them. Although research shows that surgery is very likely to be effective for some problems, it rarely helps with others. This tool will help determine whether your own low back problem might be helped by surgery. You will want to talk to your doctor about surgery and your other options.

This tool is not meant for people in emergency situations. Talk to your doctor immediately if you are concerned about your symptoms or if you have any of the following problems:

• Bladder or bowel problems, including not being able to go to the bathroom as you normally do or not being able to control bowel movements or urination
• Loss of feeling or rapidly decreasing feeling over your feet and heels or in your “saddle area”—this includes any part of your skin that might touch a saddle if you were on a horse, including your buttocks, your inner thighs, and the backs of your legs
• Increasing weakness or problems with coordination in one or both legs

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Author:	Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH	Last Updated: May 16, 2007
Medical Review:	Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine Andrew Swan, MD, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine
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