Treatment Options: The Big Picture
Summary
| Key takeaway | Details |
|---|---|
| Start with conservative treatment | The starting point for all patients |
| Three questions guide the decision | 1. Can surgery address the pain? 2. How extensive? 3. Can the patient tolerate it? |
| Surgery | When there is a clear target and surgical risk is manageable |
| SCS (Scenario 1) | When there is no clear surgical target, multi-level degeneration, or mainly neuropathic pain |
| SCS (Scenario 2) | When surgery is possible but would require extensive multi-level fusion |
| SCS (Scenario 3) | When pain persists after surgery |
| Watchful waiting | A valid choice when symptoms are mild |