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Invasive treatments for back pain: Pros and cons
By Mayo Clinic staffYou and your doctor may discuss a surgical or other invasive approach if conservative approaches haven't appeared to relieve your low back pain or improve your function. Your preferences, concerns and lifestyle play a large role in determining the best choice about these more-aggressive approaches. Before deciding on surgery or another invasive procedure, consider these points:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Invasive procedures to damage nerve endings can sometimes effectively block pain when other methods have failed. | Procedures that block pain may not be permanent; you may need the procedure repeated. |
| Invasive procedures may lessen pain considerably and allow you to fully participate in an active rehabilitation program. | Surgery and other invasive procedures don't always work. Some people have good results; some show little change; some may even experience more pain. |
| Spinal fusion can stop the motion and instability in your back that cause pain. | Spinal fusion removes some of the flexibility of your spine. This means learning some adjustments in how you move after surgery. |
| A more-aggressive approach may make it possible for you to resume work and other activities that are important to you, and more quickly than a less aggressive approach. | Surgery involves recovery time, and it can have side effects; for example, some people experience later degeneration in the area adjacent to the spinal fusion surgery. |
| Long-term outcomes may be as good with less invasive procedures, and less costly. |
