Told you need spine surgery? For many patients, it isn’t the only option — and it shouldn’t be the first one.
Our Philosophy: Your Care Changes as Your Symptoms Change
Herniated discs, bulging discs, sciatica, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, and most mechanical neck and low back pain respond to conservative care, so treatment starts there — spinal decompression, chiropractic care, Class IV laser and shockwave therapy, and physical therapy. At TriMed Spine & Joint, care then changes as your symptoms change. If your symptoms aren’t improving, your care escalates: interventional pain management, image-guided procedures, and, when it’s truly needed, surgery with our fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeons. Every step is driven by how you respond — not by a schedule, and not by what’s most convenient to offer. That’s why we built a practice with every level of care under one roof: when it’s time for the next step, the specialist who provides it is already here.
Your Non-Surgical Options
Five non-surgical tracks cover most back and neck problems: chiropractic care, DRX9000 spinal decompression, Class IV laser and shockwave therapy, physical therapy, and interventional pain management procedures. Which combination applies depends on what the spine evaluation finds.
In a 2025 peer-reviewed study of 267 patients, 90.5% reported pain reduction after non-surgical spinal decompression, with average pain scores falling from 6.9 to 2.5. Individual outcomes vary.
When Surgery IS the Right Answer
Some conditions need a surgeon. Red flags like progressive neurological deficit, cauda equina syndrome, spinal instability after trauma, or pain that has genuinely failed a full course of conservative care are situations where surgery isn’t a last resort — it’s the right care. If it’s the right choice, we’ll tell you that plainly. And if it’s not, we’ll tell you that too.
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions patients ask most concern avoiding surgery, alternatives to spinal fusion, whether decompression applies to their case, and how to tell when surgery is genuinely necessary.
Can I avoid surgery for a herniated disc?
Many patients with herniated discs improve without surgery. Clinical guidelines recommend conservative care — decompression, injections, physical therapy — before surgical consideration in the absence of red-flag symptoms. Whether that applies to you depends on your specific imaging and exam.
What are the alternatives to spinal fusion?
Depending on the diagnosis: spinal decompression, interventional pain procedures, structured physical therapy, and activity modification. Not every fusion candidate has alternatives — but many patients referred for fusion have never completed a full conservative course.
Can spinal decompression help me avoid surgery?
For appropriate candidates with disc-related pain, published research reports meaningful improvement rates, and many patients who complete conservative care never need surgical consideration. Candidacy requires evaluation, and some conditions do require surgery. Individual outcomes vary.
How do I know if I really need back surgery?
A second opinion that includes your imaging, a physical exam, and a review of what conservative care you’ve actually completed. Red-flag symptoms — progressive weakness, bowel or bladder changes — need surgical evaluation promptly.
What is failed back surgery syndrome?
Persistent pain after spine surgery. It’s common enough to have a name, and it’s part of why guidelines recommend exhausting non-surgical care first.
Before you schedule surgery, schedule a conversation.
Bring your MRI. Dr. Cantor and our multi-specialty team will tell you honestly what your options are — including when surgery is the right one.