If you have started to wonder whether you are going to need surgery for your spine, you will want to take a moment to review the following points. This way you will know whether it is time to start talking to a surgeon for their opinion.

The Pain Level Is Not Getting Better

In many cases, problems with the back can take a while to get corrected through non-surgical means. However, should should be noticing some signs of improvement. If your primary care doctor or chiropractor has been treating you for a few months and you are not noticing any amount of improvement in your level of pain or range of motion, it might be time to talk to a surgeon.

Your Doctor Is Resorting To Nothing More Than Pain Pills

Some back issues are simply not able to be resolved through any other means other than surgery. If your doctor has tried what he or she could and has simply come to the conclusion that all that can be done through their office is pain management, then it is time to talk to a surgeon. Prescription pain medication can help temporarily manage the pain that you have in your back, but it is not a long-term solution. The last thing you want to do is become dependent on prescription pain medication in order to get through the day.

Your Ability To Function Normally Is Affected

It is one thing to be limited to the type of activities that you can do for a few days because of an injury. However, if you are finding that you seem to no longer be able to do a lot of the things that you used to do and it is affecting your quality of life, it is time to speak with a skilled back surgeon. For example, if you cannot walk, sit, lay down, bend over, or pick things up without finding yourself in a lot of pain, your home and work life will be disrupted. You will want to explain all of this to the surgeon so he or she can use that information in deciding whether you need surgery now or if it should wait until you try other treatments.

With those three signs in mind, you should have a much easier time deciding if you need to talk to a surgeon about having your back operated on in the near future. For more information, contact a professional like those at The Advanced Spine Center.