Ten questions worth asking.
You do not need to ask these word for word. Use them as a starting point and ask your doctor to explain any answer that is unclear.
- Have we tried everything else to treat my pain before doing a fusion?
- Are there other types of surgery for my injury that might be safer than spinal fusion? Are any of them less complicated?
- I heard some people need more surgery after having a spinal fusion. Why would that happen?
- Will this surgery make all my back pain go away, or might I still have pain afterward?
- I heard only a few people get fully better after this surgery. Why is it so hard to recover?
- Will I need to keep taking strong painkillers or have ongoing physio after the surgery?
- What movement and functions are likely to return to normal for me, and what are some examples of activities that I might have ongoing trouble with?
- Are there serious complications that might happen with spinal fusion? Is that a possibility in my case?
- Will this surgery make me less flexible or harm other parts of my spine?
- What is Adjacent Segment Disease? Could that happen to me and mean I’ll need another surgery later?