Do You Really Need Back Surgery?: A Surgeon's Guide to Neck and Back Pain and How to Choose Your Treatment

by Aaron G. Filler

Book Overview

Most people have back surgery to relieve pain, but all too often it doesn't help. For the half million people who undergo back surgery each year, and the additional million who are seriously contemplating it, Do You Really Need Back Surgery? is a godsend--an informed, reliable guide to when you should consider surgery and when you should not.
Written by an internationally recognized expert in nerve and spinal surgery, this highly readable guide...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195158350
• ISBN13: 9780195158359
• Release Date: July 2004
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 9.3" x 6.3"

Customer Reviews

Best Book on Spine Surgery/Intervention For Patients

I am a physician who specializes in interventional spine procedures. I suggest this book to my more educated patients. Very good,well written overview of spine anatomy,physiology,and repair. Another reviewer suggested that there is not enough info in this book on disk replacement technology and kyphoplasty. My response is that understanding everything in this book will put you ahead of 99% of laypeople. This is not meant to be a textbook on cutting edge medical procedures. I especially enjoyed the section on understanding health insurance. I have found the "Dummies" and "Idiots" books useless in helping patients understand back problems. Five stars.

Very helpful

After a few years of worsening spinal stenosis I recently had to have a multiple laminectomy. There have been some post-operational complications or further problems, and I am trying to sort things out. I may have to decide to have further surgery or not. Dr. Filler's book has been very helpful to me in understanding my situation regarding my spinal problems and my possible options for addressing them. The book presents basic, practical information in a comprehensive, well organized, and detailed manner. The writing is clear and straight forward. Dr. Filler clearly has a lot of knowledge and experience, and he shares it in a way that is very useful for patients.

For those you want a better understanding of their spine conditions

This is an excellent book for those who want to be in control of their health. I run a specialist clinic, Core Concepts, for back pain in Singapore. For our patients that want to have a thorough understanding of their condition and treatment options, we strongly recommend this book. In fact, our copies of the book are rarely in the clinics but are out in the hands of our patients to read at home. Improving patient knowledge is an integral part of our philosphy in active treatment. We want patients to understand how we are helping them instead of playing a passive role in their treatments. This book helps us to that.

Easy to Read ... Thorough Information

I am facing major back surgery soon and this book was invaluable...it provided me with a thorough understanding of the anatomy of the spine and the details of the surgery which I will have. It is easy for a layman to understand and you can skip to the chapters that are appropriate for your particular ailment. I have already recommended it to two of my friends who also have severe back problems. It should be on the "MUST READ" list of anyone who has a back problem, no matter how large or small.

a valuable reference book

Do you eat, sleep, breathe, walk, or sit? If you answered yes to any of the questions mentioned, then you need to read, Do You Really Need Back Surgery?, by Dr. Aaron Filler. Do You Really Need Back Surgery?, is one of the most revolutionary, pertinent, and easy to use medical tools for the average person, that is available on the market today. Dr. Filler cleverly divides the book into two parts. The first deals with Maintaining, improving, and trouble shooting, spinal health. Humorous anecdotes pepper the pages and help illustrate, to the average person, practical and applicable plans for injury detection and prevention. Filler, gives readers insight into yoga, meditation, and other alternative/supportive techniques, right along side revolutionary medical industry advances, and the latest in ergonomics. Beautiful, easy to read and understand charts, clearly explain side effects of commonly used pain medications. My only complaint with part one, is Dr. Filler's painfully short references to Chiropractic care. The second installment of Dr. Filler's, Do You Really Need Back Surgery?, quite literally covers the nuts and bolts of surgery and treatments. The second section discusses surgery and post operative periods at length, while it answers practical questions that someone facing surgery may have and may be afraid to ask. An extra added bonus is a section on insurances and diagnostic (ICD-9) coding. As a medical professional I appreciated its thoroughness. As a patient suffering from back pain, I appreciated its frankness. Without a doubt, Do You Really Need Back Surgery?, is a valuable reference book that should be on bookshelves from libraries and medical schools, to the average home. Review by Kate St.Amour of BookReview.com.