Back Surgery Can Quickly Relieve Pain

The other half was to receive standard non-surgical care. However, many in the non-surgical group decided to have surgery, so the researchers had to adjust the study data, because the results were no longer randomized.

They found that after three months, and again at one year, people who had the surgical procedure had less pain and a greater improvement in function than those who didn't have surgery.

"These studies allow us to make better conclusions about the treatment options available for patients," said Spivak.

"Surgery is not the end answer for all pain problems, especially back pain. There have to be specific reasons to operate. In my practice, of all the surgical referrals I see, only about one in three end up getting surgery," Spivak said. But, for those with disc herniation or spondylolisthesis, these studies confirm that surgery can be an effective alternative, and that even if you wait to have surgery, "you wouldn't have lost anything in terms of your chances of doing well," he said.

Implicito emphasized that the most important thing someone with back pain can do is see a specialist with as much specific training in back problems as possible. "Back pain comes in a lot of different 'flavors', you need to be evaluated and diagnosed by a very well-trained person so you know what's relevant to your condition."

More information

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has more information on preventing back pain.

SOURCES: Wilco Peul, M.D., neurosurgeon, and head of Spine-Intervention-Prognostic Study Group, Leiden University, the Netherlands; Jeffrey Spivak, M.D., director, New York University Hospital for Joint Diseases Spine Center, New York City; Dante Implicito, M.D., chief, spine surgery, Hackensack University Medical Center, N.J.; May 31, 2007,New England Journal of Medicine