When most people experience neck or back pain, they seek care first from their primary care physician or family doctor, but they end up being referred to a spine specialist. A spinal specialist is a doctor who has completed additional years of training in the management of spinal disorders like herniated disks, scoliosis, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, spinal tumors, stenosis, and spine injuries and fractures. Most spinal surgeons are either neurosurgeons or orthopedic surgeons who have been fellowship-trained in the spine. Just like with any specialist, choosing the best spinal surgeon is vital to the success of your treatment. You should ensure the surgeon is qualified, board-certified and licensed to practice. He or she should have many years of experience doing spinal surgery or the particular procedure you are considering.
In this article, we have put together a few tips to help you choose the right spinal spine surgeon in Los Angeles
1. Check if the surgeon qualified and board-certified
Spinal surgery is quite a complex and delicate procedure. You may have heard a few years ago people saying that if you go for spinal surgery, you don’t come back. Although this is no longer the case, “due to the advancement in surgery, it may happen if you choose an unqualified surgeon. So, ensure you work with a surgeon who is fellowship-trained in spinal care and certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties” say, specialist, Kevin Marshal, a spine surgeon in Los Angeles. The board has a tool on their website where you can verify that your surgeon is board certified. Also, you want to work with a surgeon who is a member of a reputable spine organization, like the American Board of Spine Surgeons or the North American Spine Society.
2. Check their experience
Experience is another important factor to consider when choosing a spinal neurosurgeon. How many years (or times) have you performed this particular surgery? When it comes to surgery, the more the years of experience, the higher the success rate. If you are considering lumbar fusion, ask the surgeon how many times he or she has done the procedure and what were the outcomes.
3. Check Reviews
You want to be completely sure that the surgeon is telling the truth about his level of experience and success rates. Check online reviews in popular review sites to see what previous patients are saying about the surgeon. If you find more negative reviews than positive ones, find another surgeon. Reviews can also be found on the surgeon’s website although these may be doctored.
Hopefully, the above tips will help you find the best spine surgeon in Los Angeles for your needs.
