Top 5 Tips For Finding a Good Spine Surgeon

You always want to work with a great doctor, regardless of what treatment is being performed. However, this is perhaps doubly true when it comes to finding a doctor for spine surgery. Spine surgery involves operating on one of the most delicate and essential parts of the body, a process which requires a great deal of expertise and skill. 

Keep these 5 tips in mind as you search for a spine surgeon in your area: 

1. You may benefit from minimally invasive surgery. There are now a number of minimally invasive spine procedures available for use. Laser spine surgery, nerve stimulation, and stem cell therapy can often be used to alleviate the pain caused by common spine conditions. These procedures tend to be less dangerous, less invasive, and more effective than traditional open spine surgery, so look for a doctor who at least offers them.
2. Judgment matters as much as skill. It's obvious that a great deal of skill goes into spine surgery. But more than just skill is important to your experience. Your doctor's ability to make sound judgments about the right course of treatment, and to think on his feet in the operating room, are equally essential.
3. Learn from past patients. Reading reviews from past patients, or asking friends and family about their experiences, can give you an idea of what most people experience with a certain doctor. Its important to look at overall trends, rather than just an isolated experience. 
4. Communication is essential. To give you the best treatment possible, your doctor needs to have the bedside skills necessary to help you feel comfortable talking about symptoms and raising concerns. This will also help you feel more confident in the overall course of treatment, which is important when you're undergoing a major procedure like spine surgery.
5. Trust your intuition. Once you meet with a doctor, you're likely to have a "gut feeling" about whether or not they're a good fit. In general, it's a good idea to listen to this gut feeling, regardless of how good the doctor looks on paper.

To schedule a consultation with NYC's top spine surgeon and pain specialist, please click below and enter your information or call the Datta Endoscopic Back Surgery and Pain Center at (212) 430-0312.