Spinal Fusion Surgery No Better Than Non Surgical Treatment

Aug. 25, 2010 - PRLog -- Here is another in a growing list of studies showing no long-term benefit with many spinal surgeries including spinal fusion surgeries for low back pain. This study is from the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases and compared spinal fusion surgery with hardware to exercise therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy in 124 patients after 4 years. The main outcome instrument the Oswestry disability index showed no significant difference in both groups and there was no difference in return to work.

There has been much criticism in the medical literature of both the lumbar and cervical spinal fusion surgeries because of an increasing amount of studies showing no benefit our only minimal benefit, and the high cost and complication rate of these types of surgery. In spite of the studies in their criticisms, the fusion rates continue to increase every year and the insurance companies and insurance plans continue to cover the majority of the costs.

Recently Medicare considered whether it would continue to pay for spinal fusion surgery for certain conditions and surprisingly to me they decided to continue to pay billions of dollars every year for these surgeries.

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Dr. Santolin graduated from the National College of Chiropractic, now the National University of Health Sciences, in 1990. He practiced in Morris Illinois for 2 years before returning to his and his wife's home town of Joliet, IL to start in own clinic in 1992. He took three years of classes and five exams to receive diplomate status and board certification in musculoskeletal rehabilitation in 2003. He attends many post professional courses. He has published four articles in peer reviewed journals. He treats a variety of spinal and non spinal conditions including back pain, neck pain, disc conditions, sciatica, headaches, tendonitis, sprains/strains, fibromyalgia, numbness, arthritis, sports injuries, worker's compensation injuries, and motor vehicle crash and whiplash injuries. His practice is located at 2145 West Jefferson Street in Joliet, IL. santolinchiropractic.com