​Dr. Constantine Toumbis has nearly 30 years of experience as an MD. A spine surgeon at Citrus Spine Institute in Crystal River, Florida, Dr. Constantine Toumbis understands when spinal surgery is warranted.

If a patient has been living with back pain, the time will come when he or she will wonder if surgery could provide relief. However, for a spinal surgeon to consider a patient as a candidate, testing must reveal an anatomical cause of the pain. Common causes include bulging discs, ruptured discs, bone overgrowth, an unstable spine segment, or a structural deformity. 

Even in the presence of a visible anatomical abnormality, a surgeon will postpone surgery until conservative treatments have failed. Such treatments include physical therapy and pain relief medications. If the pain remains persistent and disabling despite these interventions, surgery may be an option.

The exception to this rule is when a patient experiences particular symptoms, such as fever, loss of neurological function, or acute bladder or bowel incontinence. These symptoms may be a sign that damage to the back has become a medical emergency.