Should you have back surgery?
36% Unsatisfied After Surgery, But Chiropractic Patients Love Their Results
Back surgery is sometimes necessary, but the long-term numbers are not as reassuring as many patients expect, especially when compared with conservative chiropractic care.
When Surgery Isn’t the Fix You Were Promised
A long-term study in the journal Spine followed people for 7–20 years after lumbar disc surgery and found that more than one-third were not fully satisfied with their results. Around a quarter were still living with significant back or leg pain, and about 7% ended up needing another surgery on the same area. More recent large-scale data show that within five years of a single-level lumbar discectomy, roughly 14% of patients need another lumbar surgery, and that number jumps even higher after a revision surgery.
Chiropractic Care and How Patients Actually Feel
The UCLA Low Back Pain Study found that patients under chiropractic care reported higher satisfaction than those treated with medical care alone, even when pain scores looked similar on paper. Patients consistently say they feel more heard, better cared for, and more confident about their long-term recovery when they receive hands-on care, clear explanations, and self-care guidance—things baked into good chiropractic care. Modern reviews show that spinal manipulation helps with pain and function in both acute and chronic low back pain, performing about as well as many standard medical approaches, without relying on long-term drugs.
Why Start With the Least Invasive First
Back pain does not just hurt—it steals sleep, patience, joy, and sometimes identity. Gentle, specific chiropractic adjustments, especially approaches that respect fascia and tone like the DeFT Technique, help restore motion, decrease mechanical and neurological stress, and give your body a real chance to heal instead of just coping. When possible, it makes sense to start with the least invasive, most reversible options and reserve injections and surgery for when the body has truly been given a fair shot to heal on its own.
When Your Back Starts “Whispering”
The best time to get checked is when your back is whispering—stiffness, twinges, or on-and-off leg pain—not when you are curled up on the floor. If your body is starting to send those early warning signals, schedule a chiropractic evaluation and adjustment and let your system show you what it can do when interference is cleared.