An internationally recognized expert in nerve and spinal surgery covers everything a back patient needs to know in deciding whether or not to have surgery, discussing the various types of surgery available, the risks of surgery, and the options one may have.

"Making the right decision for you about undergoing spine surgery is critical. When performed for a specific anatomical problem with matching symptoms, the outcomes are consistently satisfying. However, when surgery is conducted to address pain without a clear source, the consequences can be unpredictable, with patients faring poorly or becoming much worse. A failed spinal surgery can destroy your life. Do You Really Need Spine Surgery provides you and your medical providers important information to make the best choice. All relevant variables are addressed and organized into a "Treatment Grid." With this, you and your health care team can determine the most effective approach and course of action. Do You Really Need Spine Surgery gives back control of the surgical decision to you, the patient. Take it!!"--Author's website

According to Dr. Nathaniel Tindel, there is an alternative to back surgery in 19 out of 20 cases. This authoritative and plain-spoken guide to what back surgery can and can't do reveals behind-the-scenes information on back pain, back doctors, and back treatments delivered candidly, using case studies and clinical evidence. It arms readers with the information and the courage to ask the right doctors the right questions, so that they can make the right decisions. Topics covered include: What causes back pain and sciatica -- Why surgery doesn't always work -- The truth about disc replacement -- The key to successful pain management -- Back-pain emergencies -- Types of surgery and non-surgical alternatives -- Surgical risks--Publisher.

A prominent surgeon and a veteran health writer deliver an authoritative and plain-spoken guide to what back surgery can and can't do. It tells the behind-the-scenes story of back pain, back doctors, and back treatments-a story that is rarely delivered so candidly to patients. It arms you with the information and the courage to ask the right doctors the right questions so that you can make the right decisions. The basics of spines-so you can talk to any doctor knowledgeably, The truth about back pain-so you can understand what your diagnosis really means, Emergencies-so you know when your condition requires timely action, The types of surgery-so you know which surgery might (or might not) work for you, The nonsurgical choices-so you know your alternatives, The risks of surgery-so you know what you're getting into. With case studies, clinical evidence, and an honest look at the doctors' debates that patients seldom hear, I've Got Your Back is the insider's guide to navigating the world of back pain. Book jacket.

Dr. John E. Sarno's groundbreaking research on TMS (Tension Myoneural Syndrome) reveals how stress and other psychological factors can cause back pain-and how you can be pain free without drugs, exercise, or surgery. Dr. Sarno's program has helped thousands of patients find relief from chronic back conditions. In this New York Times bestseller, Dr. Sarno teaches you how to identify stress and other psychological factors that cause back pain and demonstrates how to heal yourself--without drugs, surgery or exercise. Find out: Why self-motivated and successful people are prone to Tension Myoneural Syndrome (TMS) How anxiety and repressed anger trigger muscle spasms How people condition themselves to accept back pain as inevitable With case histories and the results of in-depth mind-body research, Dr. Sarno reveals how you can recognize the emotional roots of your TMS and sever the connections between mental and physical pain...and start recovering from back pain today.

The acclaimed author of Carved in Sand—a veteran investigative journalist who endured persistent back pain for decades—delivers the definitive book on the subject: an essential examination of all facets of the back pain industry, exploring what works, what doesn't, what may cause harm, and how to get on the road to recovery. In her effort to manage her chronic back pain, investigative reporter Cathryn Jakobson Ramin spent years and a small fortune on a panoply of treatments. But her discomfort only intensified, leaving her feeling frustrated and perplexed. As she searched for better solutions, she exposed a much bigger problem. Costing roughly $100 billion a year, spine medicine—often ineffective and sometimes harmful —exemplified the worst aspects of the U.S. health care system. The result of six years of intensive investigation, Crooked offers a startling look at the poorly identified risks of spine medicine, and provides practical advice and solutions. Ramin interviewed scores of spine surgeons, pain management doctors, physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians, exercise physiologists, physical therapists, chiropractors, specialized bodywork practitioners. She met with many patients whose pain and desperation led them to make life-altering decisions, and with others who triumphed over their limitations. The result is a brilliant and comprehensive book that is not only important but essential to millions of back pain sufferers, and all types of health care professionals. Ramin shatters assumptions about surgery, chiropractic methods, physical therapy, spinal injections and painkillers, and addresses evidence-based rehabilitation options—showing, in detail, how to avoid therapeutic dead ends, while saving money, time, and considerable anguish. With Crooked, she reveals what it takes to outwit the back pain industry and get on the road to recovery.