Sometimes there’s no choice but to have surgery. When two vertebrae don’t work properly at the joint, spine movement may cause unrelenting pain. When nothing else works, the doctor may recommend spinal fusion. Fortunately, this kind of surgery is getting to be less and less necessary as doctors learn more about the spine and causes of pain. Also, the way the surgery is handled is changing. It used to take long incisions and high risk cutting, but new technologies like microsurgery have made it possible to change the way a particular surgery is done.
By the way, a spinal fusion is where two vertebrae are fixed in place using a rod or some other surgical device. Eventually it’s hoped the vertebrae will grow together. A spine fusion can be considered a risky surgery in comparison to other surgeries. It’s a last resort attempt many times to stop back pain.
