McGregor Blvd, Fort Myers
Back Surgery Alternatives in Fort Myers: What to Try Before a Fusion
Your back has hurt for months. You have tried pills, a heating pad and sleeping on the couch. Now someone has said "fusion" or "disc surgery."
If you are looking for back surgery alternatives in Fort Myers, start with this fact: most people with back pain never need an operation. Dr. Lee Angle is a chiropractor, and backs are his everyday work. Here is what we would try before surgery, and the signs that mean you should skip us and see a surgeon.
- 5.0 from 198 Google reviews
- Dr. Lee Angle, D.C.
- McGregor Blvd, Fort Myers
How many people with back pain need surgery?
Very few. A 2019 study in JAMA Network Open followed US insurance claims for adults with new low back or leg pain. Only about 1.2% had surgery within a year. Those few surgeries made up close to 30% of all the money spent on that pain. You can read the study.
Surgery is sometimes the answer. But for most backs, it is a late step, not an early one.
What do doctors' guidelines say to try first?
In 2017 the American College of Physicians, the largest group of internal medicine doctors in the US, wrote a guideline for low back pain. For new back pain, it says to start with non-drug care such as heat, massage, acupuncture or spinal manipulation (the hands-on adjusting chiropractors do). For back pain that has lasted months, its first list includes exercise, yoga, tai chi and spinal manipulation, among others.
The same guideline is honest that the benefit of each one is modest. So pick what you can stick with. You can read a summary of the guideline.
How do chiropractic care and SoftWave work together?
At our office, back patients often get both.
Chiropractic care
Works on how your spine and pelvis move. Stiff joints get moving again.
SoftWave
Sound waves aimed at the sore muscles and tissue around the spine. SoftWave devices have FDA 510(k) clearance for some uses, such as improving blood supply.
What SoftWave won't do is move a disc or open a narrow spot in the spine. If that is the main problem, we will say so. Read more on back pain treatment in Fort Myers, including what the research says about shockwave for backs.
Our position: if your back pain has no warning signs, a few weeks of chiropractic care and SoftWave is a reasonable thing to try before you schedule a fusion. You lose nothing you can't get back.
Start with a $49 mapping session
- We find the spots that hurt
- A straight yes or no on SoftWave
- No pressure to buy a plan
- If it's not for you, you are out $49, not thousands
- 5.0 from 198 Google reviews
- Dr. Lee Angle, D.C.
- McGregor Blvd, Fort Myers
When does back pain need a surgeon?
Go to the ER right away for back pain with trouble peeing, trouble controlling your bowels, numbness in your groin or inner thighs, or a leg that keeps getting weaker. These can be signs that the nerves at the bottom of the spine are badly squeezed.
See a spine doctor soon if:
- You have clear weakness in a leg or foot, like a foot that slaps when you walk
- The pain started after a fall or crash
- You have a fever, cancer history, or weight loss you can't explain along with the pain
- Months of good care have not helped and a scan shows a problem surgery can fix
Dr. Angle refers patients out when he sees clear signs of weakness or loss of function. That is part of the job.
Already had back surgery and still hurting?
It happens more than people expect. Doctors sometimes call it failed back surgery syndrome, which just means pain that lasts after a back operation. The cause can be scar tissue, a new problem near the old one, or muscles that never recovered.
Some of those patients come to us. Bring your surgery notes and any scans to the mapping, and check with your surgeon before you start anything new.
What does a visit feel like, and what does it cost?
- Mapping. We talk through your back, then Matthew Mahoney moves the wand over the low back to find the spots that react.
- Treatment. Gel on the skin and firm tapping for about 10 to 15 minutes. No needles, no anesthesia.
- Home. You drive yourself. Aftercare: Nothing special. You can drive home or go back to work right after.
The first step is a $49 mapping. Most people need 6 to 8 sessions, once a week. Plan price: $100 per session, or 6 sessions for $540 (that is $90 a session).
Pain running down a leg? Read sciatica treatment in Fort Myers. For other operations, see alternatives to surgery.
Who will I see?
Dr. Lee Angle, D.C. (Doctor of Chiropractic), runs Upper Cervical Health Centers on McGregor Blvd. He has a 5.0 rating from 198 Google reviews. For his chiropractic approach, see low back pain at our main clinic.
Common questions
Do most people with back pain need surgery?
No. In a large study of US insurance claims, only about 1 in 100 people with new low back or leg pain had surgery within a year.
Can chiropractic care help me avoid back surgery?
For many people with back pain, yes, it is one of the first things doctors' guidelines suggest trying. It will not fix every cause. If you have growing weakness or numbness, see a medical doctor first.
Can SoftWave fix a herniated disc?
No. SoftWave does not move a disc. It works on the sore muscles and soft tissue around the spine, which is often where a lot of the pain comes from.
I already had back surgery and still hurt. Can you help?
Possibly. Pain after back surgery has many causes. Bring your surgery notes and scans to the mapping, and ask your surgeon before starting.
When is back pain an emergency?
Go to the ER right away for back pain with trouble peeing or controlling your bowels, numbness in your groin or inner thighs, or a leg that keeps getting weaker.
Want to try everything before a fusion?
Start with a $49 mapping session, or call 239.243.8810. We are at 12651 McGregor Blvd Ste 102, Fort Myers, FL 33919. Get directions.
Call to book $49