In many cases, non-surgical therapies cannot fix the underlying cause of your symptoms. There are many reasons to seek a surgical alternative to your spinal disorder. For example:

• Disc removal/replacement – when the disc is damaged or degenerated beyond the point where it can effectively absorb compressive forces of the spine, it can be removed and replaced with a synthetic disc.
• Pressure on the spinal cord – can usually only be alleviated through surgical decompression.
• Vertebral stabilization – requiring fusion of the adjoining vertebrae to provide stability.
• Nerve root impingement – where there is pressure on the spinal nerves.
• Disc herniation – where the vertebral disc has leaked its fluid into surrounding spaces or is bulging, affecting area nerves and causing radiating pain and disability.
• Fracture stabilization – where the vertebrae have been broken due to traumatic injury or osteoporosis.
• Kyphoplasty – to correct compression fracture of the spine, which can be caused by osteoporosis.
• Laminectomy – to correct stenosis of the nerve passages and alleviate pressure on the nerves.