We regularly meet with patients who are nervous about their upcoming operation, wondering about the complications that might arise or how difficult the road to recovery is going to be. The important thing to remember, though, is that you’re well within your rights as a patient to speak with your doctor to learn more about your surgery. It's perfectly acceptable, for instance, for someone going through a spinal fusion to ask about spinal fusion complications and any other concerns they may have.
A new report from CNN highlights some of the questions that are acceptable to ask your doctor prior to a procedure. The answers you receive should help you become confident in your doctor and your overall ability to recover.
The first thing you’ll probably want to ask about is the necessity of the surgery overall. At DISC, we only recommend surgery, even that of a minimally invasive nature, after all other options have been exhausted. If there is some other type of medication regimen or fitness plan that might eliminate the need for surgery, you’ll want to know about it, and if a doctor has neglected to mention that to you, you might seek a second opinion elsewhere.
Should a surgery truly be necessary, then you should figure out what your life is going to look like right before and in the months after a surgery. You might be able to engage in certain activities prior to the surgery to improve the chances of a successful outcome. And when you’re done, sticking to a rehabilitation plan that has been set for you can speed up your recovery and help ensure you won’t be back on the operating table anytime soon.
For more questions to ask, follow this link.
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