Here are six tips:
1. Dr. Snyder suggests visiting a primary care physician for imaging if back or leg pain is consistent and debilitating, preventing a patient from performing daily activities.
2. Patients may not want to consider spine surgery unless they do not receive relief from six months to 12 months of non-operative treatment.
3. Minimally invasive spine surgery allows many patients to return home the day of surgery. The surgery technique is designed to reduce pain and shorten recovery.
4. Minimally invasive surgery can treat disc herniations, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, sciatica and spondylolisthesis.
5. Severe scoliosis, infection and tumors may require traditional open treatment, however.
6. Dr. Snyder received her medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, and completed a neurosurgery residency and spine fellowship at Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix. She then completed another spine fellowship at Rush Medical Center in Chicago.
More articles on spine:
Geisinger refunds up to $1k for spine surgery if patients aren’t satisfied: 5 things to know
5 key thoughts on treatment options for lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis
8 things for spinal surgeons to know for Thursday — Nov. 12, 2015
