Some people are able to relieve their annular tear symptoms without surgery. Other people, however, find that their symptoms persist despite their best attempts at conservative care. If you’ve found yourself in the latter situation, that doesn’t mean that you’ve failed — it just means that you might require surgical treatment to get the results you need.

Considering that surgery isn’t always necessary, it can be a bit of an ambiguous “gray area” when it comes to annular tear treatment. You likely don’t want to rush into an operation that could potentially be avoided, and that’s perfectly understandable. But, if you answer “yes” to any of the following questions, you might be well served by at least considering your surgical options:

• Has your performance at work been declining as a result of your chronic pain?
• Have your symptoms gotten so severe that you can’t get a decent night’s sleep?
• Have you found yourself struggling with everyday activities that you could previously do with ease?

Talking to an expert about surgical treatment

Your best bet for figuring out if you need annular tear surgery is to consult with an orthopedic specialist. If you’re considering surgery, you’ve probably already talked to a physician, but if you haven’t done so, now’s the time. If you’ve been working with a nonoperative physician and he or she has told you that you’ve exhausted all of your nonsurgical options, the next step is to consult with an orthopedic surgeon. An experienced surgeon can give you a second opinion, then provide you with information about any surgical treatments that might be appropriate for you (and yes — there might be several options).

Annular tear surgery at USA Spine Care

If you’d like to talk to the leader in minimally invasive spine surgery about your options for annular tear treatment, contact USA Spine Care. We can review* your MRI for free to help you find out if you’re a candidate for our advanced outpatient procedures.