Why Choose Dr. Hall in Lakewood Ranch
Coming in for a spine surgery consultation in Tampa can make patients nervous, but we don’t want you to feel any apprehension about your upcoming appointment with us. Most spinal surgery consultations result in patient’s learning there is a noninvasive course of treatment available or minimally invasive procedure we can perform.
Believe us when we say we truly understand the emotions that come with making this type of decision. However, you’ll see that your spinal surgery consultation with us will be a significant step on your road to less pain and a significantly improved quality of life. It’s time to get back to the life you were meant to live!
Required Paperwork for New Patients
When you arrive at our outpatient surgery center in Tampa, you will need to fill out some new patient paperwork (medical history and providing details about your spine condition). A member of our surgery support staff will then enter this information into our patient database so our neurosurgeons can access during your spine surgery consultation.
After finishing up your paperwork the nurse will do an initial exam to see the level of pain that you’re experiencing, how the injury happened, how long you’ve been experiencing the pain, and where the areas of pain are.
Recent MRIs Are Required
When you go in for your spine surgery consultation in Tampa, the neurosurgeon will need to review the results of a recent MRI. Without this information, they won’t be able to recommend the best course of treatment for your condition or injuries. If you haven’t had an MRI in the last six months, you’ll be required to schedule an appointment before continuing with your spine surgery consultation.
With your recent MRI results in hand, our surgeons can confidently identify a course of treatment and they will go over your options during your consultation.
First, they will review your MRI results with you, explain what the areas of damage are and give you a better understanding of the extent of the damage. This analysis should give you a better understanding of your injuries and the proper steps to take to improve it.
Physical Exam Portion
Once the neurosurgeon have gone over your MRI results, they will perform a physical exam to further understand the extent of your condition or injuries. This is a standard physical examination consisting of a series of tests to measure your mobility, vitals, pain levels, and reactions. The spine surgeon will also perform a few tests of your senses to further verify the extend of the issues you’re living with.
Reviewing Noninvasive Treatment or Spinal Surgery Options
After the initial examination is completed, the neurosurgeon will go over your treatment options in detail with you. The recommended course of treatment might include: prescribing pain medication or anti-inflammatory medication, physical therapy or chiropractic care, planning an epidural, or (in the more severe cases) scheduling spinal surgery at our outpatient surgery center in Tampa.
Surgery Isn’t Your Only Option
When choosing whether surgery is the right choice for you and your family, we encourage you to maintain regular communication with our spine surgery team. We’re here to answer any questions or address any concerns you may have. This is a big decision and not one that should be taken lightly.
Remember that having a spine surgery consultation does not automatically result in surgery. Our neurosurgeons have extensive knowledge of the latest non-invasive treatments options as well. Our goal is to identify the best possible course of treatment for our patients and help them make the choice that is right for them and their families.
More severe cases will often require surgery, but most cases are can be treated with minimally invasive or non-invasive treatments such as physical therapy or medication.
It is extremely important to seek medical attention if you notice a recurring pain in your back or spine, so you can gain an understanding of your injuries and manage the problem before it gets to the point of needing a more invasive treatment.
