Spine surgeons

Getting a referral to a spine surgeon
July 21, 2005
If you are a candidate for spinal surgery, the next obvious step is to ask the physician treating you for a referral to a spine surgeon. However, this process may not always be as straightforward as it may sound. This article includes guidelines to help patients evaluate their spine surgeon. Read more...
By Peter Ullrich, Jr., MD

When to see a surgeon for lower back pain
June 21, 2000 (Updated October 5, 2004)
Many patients with lower back pain wonder if they will need surgery and if and when they should consult a surgeon. This article reviews a number of symptoms and considerations regarding when it may be advisable to consult with a spine surgeon. Read more...
By: Peter F. Ullrich, Jr., MD

Preparing for your consultation with a spine doctor
December 11, 2001
The better prepared you are for your doctor's visit the more productive it will be for you and for your physician. This article includes a comprehensive list of questions you can expect your doctor to ask you. Read more...
By: Charles D. Ray, MD

Surgeons who specialize in spine surgery
Novemeber 4, 2000
Orthopedists and Neurosurgeons perform the overwhelming majority of spine surgery and frequently extend their general Orthopedic or Neurosurgical training by participating in a spine fellowship. Read more…
By: Philip R. Shalen, MD

How to select a spine surgeon
June 30, 2000
In addition to the usual surgical residency requirements, both neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery specialties offer fellowship programs in spine that include an additional year of training specific to spine surgery. Read more...
By: Theodore B. Goldstein, MD

Physician directory
op90.com 's directory of physician web pages includes only spine specialists in spine medicine and provides you with important information on each doctor's board certification, training, background, areas of specialization and contact information. Read more...

Additional patient resources:

Back Pain Radio Transcript: Choosing the best spine surgeon for your back pain
Researching common surgical procedures and knowing what questions to ask your spine surgeon during an interview can improve your chances of choosing the right specialist for back surgery. Read what Peter Ullrich, Jr., MD, an orthopedic spine surgeon and Medical Director of op90.com, and Grant Cooper, MD, host of Back Pain Radio, had to say on the June 14, 2005 show. Read transcript...

Back Pain Radio transcript: Improving patient outcomes in spine medicine
In addition to improved technology and techniques, patient education and integration of care are substantially improving patient care and outcomes in spine medicine. Read what Peter Ullrich, Jr., M.D., an orthopedic spine surgeon and Medical Director of op90.com, and Grant Cooper, M.D., host of Back Pain Radio, had to say on the March 14, 2005 show. Read transcript...

Considering spine surgery? What you need to know - op90.com Newsletter
The news that you may need spinal surgery can create many emotions -- hope that you may find more pain relief, fear about the procedure and recovery, and confusion about what to do next. This newsletter presents a series of things patients can do to make the decision-making process about whether to have spine surgery a productive experience. Read more...

Who should treat your back pain? - op90.com Newsletter
Many different specialists treat back pain, and each has different training, skills and interests. For many people, it may take more than one type of specialist to diagnose, treat and rehabilitate their back condition. This newsletter explains how to evaluate different specialists, including spine surgeons. Read more...

Finding the right spine specialist - op90.com Newsletter
When you’re dealing with chronic or ongoing episodes of back pain or neck pain, sometimes it seems that half the battle is just finding the right kind of spine specialist and/or spine surgeon. This newsletter is intended to help you navigate through the array of health care professionals who specialize in spine medicine to help you find a practitioner and/or treatment that works best for you. Read more...

Please note that these additional patient resources (such as The Back-to-Back Forum and Newsletters) on op90.com are not peer-reviewed by the op90.com Medical Advisory Board. They are provided as additional resources for patients to learn from each others’ experiences and to gain information from our popular newsletters.