Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Organized by situation — first visit, considering surgery, SCS consultation — a ready-to-use checklist of questions.

Questions to ask at each stage of your care, sorted by situation.

What You'll Learn

  • What to ask at your first visit
  • What to ask when discussing treatment options
  • What to ask when surgery or SCS is recommended
  • How to get a second opinion
  • Tips for communicating effectively with your doctor

1. Your First Visit and Treatment Options

Situation 1: Your First Visit

Appointment time is limited. Preparing your questions in advance keeps you from forgetting the things that matter most to you.

Print the question list for the situation that applies to you, check the items you want to ask, and bring it with you to your appointment.

About Your Diagnosis

  • What is my condition called? (Please tell me the official name)
  • Why was this diagnosis made?
  • Where exactly is the stenosis? (e.g., L4/5)
  • Is the stenosis mild, moderate, or severe?
  • Are there other conditions as well? (Disc herniation, spondylolisthesis, etc.)

About Your Symptoms

  • Can my symptoms be explained by this condition?
  • What can I expect going forward? (Will it progress? Stabilize?)
  • Is this urgent?

About Tests

  • Are any additional tests needed?
  • Can you explain my MRI results in detail?
  • Can you show me the images?

Situation 2: Discussing Treatment Options

About Your Choices

  • What treatment options are available?
  • Which do you recommend? Why?
  • What is the success rate of each treatment?
  • What happens if I choose not to treat this?

About Conservative Treatment

  • What medication should I try first?
  • What are the side effects of the medication?
  • Do I need rehabilitation? Where can I receive it?
  • Would nerve block injections be effective?
  • How long should I continue conservative treatment?

About Surgery

  • Is surgery necessary?
  • In my case, do the imaging findings match my symptoms? Is the compression site clear?
  • What are the pros and cons of surgery?
  • What kind of surgery would it be? (Decompression? Fusion?)
  • Is minimally invasive surgery an option?
  • Is there any risk in delaying surgery?
  • What is the likelihood that surgery will completely relieve my pain?

About SCS (Spinal Cord Stimulation)

  • Would SCS be appropriate for me?
  • Am I the type of patient who should consider SCS before surgery, or is SCS more relevant for post-surgical pain in my case?
  • Which has a higher success rate for me -- SCS or surgery?
  • From the perspective of "Is the pain neuropathic, and can surgery clearly fix it?" -- where does my situation stand?
  • Can you refer me to a facility that performs SCS?

3. Considering SCS

Situation 4a: Considering SCS (Before Surgery)

About Candidacy

  • Am I a candidate for SCS? (At this stage, before having any surgery?)
  • What effect can I expect from SCS?
  • Why would SCS be better than surgery in my case?
  • How long after conservative treatment (6 months to 2 years?) should I consider SCS?
  • If SCS is not suitable for me, what is the reason?

Situation 4b: Considering SCS (After Surgery)

About Candidacy

  • For my post-surgical pain, is SCS an appropriate option?
  • What effect can I expect from SCS? (What is the success rate in your experience?)
  • Why would SCS be better than reoperation?
  • How long after surgery should I wait before considering SCS? (3-6 months?)
  • If SCS is not suitable for me, what is the reason?

Situation 4 (Common): SCS Treatment Details

Once you have confirmed that SCS may be appropriate, proceed to these questions

About the Procedure

  • How is the trial performed?
  • How long is the hospital stay for the trial?
  • What happens if the trial is not effective?
  • What does the permanent implantation surgery involve?
  • Where will the leads be placed?
  • Where will the pulse generator be implanted?

About the Device

  • Which manufacturer's device will you use?
  • Why did you choose that manufacturer?
  • Which is better for me -- rechargeable or non-rechargeable?
  • Can I get MRI scans after implantation?
  • How long will the device last?

About Effectiveness

  • How much pain reduction can I expect?
  • Will the effect last long-term?
  • What if the effect weakens over time?
  • What if it does not work at all?

About Risks

  • What are the risks of SCS?
  • What is the infection rate?
  • Can the leads shift?
  • Can the device be removed?

About Cost

  • How much will it cost?
  • Is it covered by insurance?
  • Can I use the High-Cost Medical Care Benefit System?

About Life After Implantation

  • What should I be careful about in daily life?
  • Can I work?
  • Can I exercise?
  • Is air travel safe?
  • How often will I need follow-up visits?
  • How are stimulation adjustments made?

About the Facility

  • How many SCS procedures do you perform per year?
  • How many years of SCS experience do you have?
  • What is the post-operative follow-up system?

4. After Surgery and Second Opinions

Situation 5: Pain Persists After Surgery

Understanding Your Situation

  • What is causing the pain?
  • Was the surgery successful?
  • Does this mean the imaging shows improvement, but pain continues?
  • Is this post-surgical spinal pain syndrome (also called FBSS)?
  • How long might nerve recovery take?

About Future Treatment

  • Will this pain improve over time?
  • Is additional treatment needed?
  • Is reoperation necessary? What is the success rate of reoperation?
  • Is SCS (spinal cord stimulation) an option?
  • What is the success rate of SCS for post-surgical pain?
  • Which is better for me -- reoperation or SCS?
  • Can you refer me to a pain clinic or SCS specialist?

About post-surgical pain: Even when surgery resolves structural problems, neuropathic pain may remain. This is called "post-surgical spinal pain syndrome" (also known as failed back surgery syndrome, or FBSS), and it is one of the best indications for SCS. If your pain continues 3 to 6 months after surgery, we recommend considering SCS.

Situation 6: Getting a Second Opinion

What to Bring

  • Referral letter
  • MRI/CT images (on CD-ROM)
  • Blood test results
  • Notes on your treatment history
  • Notes on your current symptoms

What to Confirm

  • Is the diagnosis the same?
  • Is there any difference in the recommended treatment approach?
  • Are there any other options?
  • Is the first hospital's approach appropriate?
  • Would it be possible to receive treatment at this hospital?

5. Note-Taking and Communication Tips

Note-Taking Template

Appointment date: //____

Questions I want to ask (in order of priority)

Notes from the doctor's explanation

Next steps

  • Next appointment: //____
  • What to do before then: _________________________
  • Prescribed medications: _________________________

Tips for Effective Communication

How to Ask Good Questions

Avoid this Try this instead
"Will I be okay?" "What is the success rate, in percentage terms?"
"I'm scared of surgery..." "What are the specific risks of surgery?"
"What should I do?" "What are my options?"

How to Make Sure You Do Not Miss Anything

  • Take notes. With permission, you can also record the conversation.
  • Bring a family member. Two people will remember more than one.
  • Ask again if you do not understand: "Could you explain that one more time?"
  • Check your understanding: "So what you are saying is...?"

Do Not Hesitate

  • Asking questions is your right as a patient
  • Do not hold back because "the doctor seems busy"
  • It is fine to say "I don't understand"
  • You can keep asking until the explanation makes sense to you

Next Steps

Treatment Options Overview: review your options before your appointment

SCS Therapy (Spinal Cord Stimulation): SCS from the basics

Detailed Treatment Comparison: cost, risk, and long-term outcome data

SCS Detailed Guide: devices, surgery, and life after implantation in detail

Print this list and bring it with you to your appointment.

This page provides medically accurate information, but it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for diagnosis and treatment tailored to your individual situation.