Considering Back Surgery in Southern California?

Back surgery, or spine surgery, may be recommended to treat back pain and other symptoms of a back problem if noninvasive methods have not been successful.

Dignity Health Southern California offers excellence in surgical treatment for all types of back conditions and injuries. If you would like to learn more about back surgery in Southern California, use our online search tool to Find a Doctor that’s right for you.

Reasons for Back Surgery

Your doctor may suggest back surgery if you have severe or debilitating back pain that limits your daily activities. 

You may benefit from back surgery if you have back pain due to: 

• Spine disc problems, such as herniated, bulging, ruptured, or slipped discs
• Bone spurs or overgrowths caused by osteoarthritis
• Spinal stenosis
• Spondylolisthesis
• Pinched nerve (cervical radiculopathy)
• Severe trauma, such from a car accident, fall, or sports injury
• Spinal or vertebral fracture
• Scoliosis
• Tumor(s)

If you have chronic back pain or disability, meet with a back doctor at Dignity Health Southern California for a diagnosis. You may be eligible for minimally invasive back surgery, which typically results in less pain, less scarring, and a faster recovery time.

Types of Back Surgery Procedures

Back surgery can help relieve pain, improve flexibility and range of motion, and restore stability to the back. Our experts offer several types of back surgeries: 

• Herniated disc surgery (discectomy) is a procedure to remove part or all of the intervertebral disc.
• Disc replacement implants an artificial disc in between to of the vertebral bones.
• Lumbar surgery refers to a group of procedures aimed at relieving pressure in the spinal nerves and discs.
• Fusion is a permanent joining of two vertebrae in the spine.
• Laminectomy removes bone to create space in the spinal canal, relieving pressure on the nerves leaving the spine.

Your Back Surgery at Dignity Health Southern California

The type of surgery you have will depend on your condition, overall health, age, and other risk factors. You may be a candidate for open surgery or a minimally invasive back surgery procedure. In general, back surgery may last anywhere from one to three hours. You will be given general anesthesia so you will not feel any pain during the procedure.

Recovering from Back Surgery

After surgery, you may need to stay in the hospital overnight. Depending on your specific case, your doctor may have you wear a back brace or cast to help keep your back stable while it heals. You will have physical therapy and rehabilitation to help you build strength in your back and promote recovery. A full recovery from back surgery may take up to several months, but trust your care team to help make it go as smoothly as possible.

Dignity Health offers the latest, minimally invasive surgical procedures for back surgery in Southern California.