When you're deciding whether to have back surgery, it can help to hear what other people thought about as they made their decision.
"My doctor said the decision depends entirely on how I feel.
Well ... I can hardly walk because of the pain ... and some numbness ... in my leg.
In fact, I can barely get through my day at all. I just want to feel better, so I'm going to have the surgery."
"My spinal stenosis is causing me quite a bit of leg pain. I've been working with a physical therapist for a few months now.
It seems to be working, so I'm going to stick with it for now.
I don't think surgery is a good idea at my age."
"For a long time I just used over-the-counter pain pills for the numbness and pain in my legs.
But ... my symptoms started getting worse and worse.
And finally I had to stop my daily walks around the neighborhood, which I love so much. I'm lucky that, at my age, I don't have any other serious health problems, so I'm going to have surgery."
"The pain in my legs started about 5 years ago.
My doctor said there were several things I could do to keep my pain at a minimum, like pain relievers and exercise.
That was really good news for me because I sure don't like the idea of surgery.
I followed my doctor's suggestions, and now I hardly ever get leg pain."
Like the people you've just heard from, you have your own feelings about the pros and cons of surgery. It's important to share those feelings with your doctor, so that the two of you can talk them over ...
combine them with the medical facts ... and choose the best treatment for you.
