Find A Laser Spine Doctor

Do you have spine pain, but find the prospect of having surgery daunting? Fortunately, laser spine surgery can be a much less invasive option for many back patients who want to ease spine pain.

What should you look for in a good laser spine doctor?

• He or she has had proper laser technology training

The laser has been approved since the 1980s in orthopedics. Today, Medicare has approved it to treat lumbar disc pain in an outpatient setting. Your doctor should have had had proper training in using laser for approved procedures in relieving back pain.

• He or she has the proper background and training for back pain relief

The best laser spine doctor will have significant experience in using laser for treatment of conditions like arthritis, pinched nerves, herniated discs, and spinal stenosis. One such doctor is Dr. Sukdeb Datta, MD, DABPM, FIPP, DABIPP, Medical Director of the Datta Endoscopic Back Surgery and Pain Center in New York, New York. Before becoming Director of the Datta Endoscopic Back Surgery and Pain Center, he was the Director of the Interventional Pain Management Program at Vanderbilt University, and has held numerous other positions in the pain management field. His background and training in the use of technology to treat back pain makes him an excellent laser spine doctor in his field. Even though you may not use Dr. Datta's services if you do not reside in the New York area, your own laser spine doctor should have similar training and background in the use of this technology.

• He or she is board certified and has trained in a fellowship for spinal surgery

Although the laser is considered less invasive than most other types of surgery in that many treatments can be done in office with no need for a hospital stay, it's still surgery. Make sure your doctor is board certified and has trained in a fellowship for spinal surgery.

• He or she comes highly recommended

Focus on your prospective doctor's reputation among patients and fellow staff. If you have friends who have undergone laser spine surgery, ask them for recommendations. Don't simply take another patient's word for it, of course; you should also make sure that the doctor has the proper training, experience, and certification as previously mentioned, and you'll need to do your own research to be sure those things are true. However, if the doctor does meet these qualifications, you can be pretty sure that you'll be happy with his or her performance.

• He or she has not had formal disciplinary action taken against him or her

Contact your state's medical board to determine whether or not the laser spine doctor you're considering has had any disciplinary actions taken against him or her. If not, you can be sure you're safe. However, if your doctor has had disciplinary measures taken against him or her, it's wise to choose another doctor.

Finding a good laser spine doctor

The above list details what you should look for in a good laser spine doctor, but how do you actually find one one?

• Search the Internet

Start your research on the Internet. Type your geographic location and the words "laser spine doctor" into a search engine like Google to bring up results. These are NOT vetted, and you'll still need to make sure the doctor you choose has the proper training and qualifications as discussed above, but it's a place to start.

Narrow down your choices using the criteria above

Research each of the choices that have come up on your search engine results using the characteristics above (has the proper medical and laser training and background, is board certified and has had a fellowship for spinal surgery, comes highly recommended and has no disciplinary actions on his or her record). Eliminate the laser spine doctor choices that lack any of these characteristics, and choose the one you want from among those that meet all the necessary criteria.