How successful is lower back surgery

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Do i need back surgery quiz...

Medically reviewed by Alaa Abd-Elsayed, MD, and Padma Gulur, MD, March 18, 2024.

Back Surgery

Most pain in the lower back can be treated without surgery.

Back surgery cost

Why back surgery should be avoided

Do i need back surgery quiz

Age limit for spinal surgery

Is back surgery dangerous

In fact, surgery often does not relieve the pain; research suggests that 20 to 40 percent of back surgeries are not successful. This lack of success is so common that there is a medical term for it: failed back surgery syndrome.

Nonetheless, there are times when back surgery is a viable or necessary option to treat serious musculoskeletal injuries or nerve compression.

A pain management specialist can help you decide whether surgery is an appropriate choice after making sure you have exhausted all other options.

When should I consider back surgery?

According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the following conditions may be candidates for surgical treatment:

Herniated or ruptured disks, in which one or more of the disks that cushion the bones of the spine are damaged
Spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal column tha