Dr. Stefano Sinicropi, M.D.

Spine surgery is a major undertaking, and your decision to move forward with a procedure should not be taken lightly. When faced with the prospect of spine surgery, many patients consider seeking out a second opinion, but only a fraction follow through with that decision. It can be immensely beneficial to get a second opinion prior to your operation, and we’re going to use today’s blog to explain why.

The Benefits Of A Second Medical Opinion

Here’s a look at some of the benefits you’ll find by seeking out a second professional opinion prior to your spine surgery procedure.

1. Confirm A Diagnosis – Your spine is incredibly complex, and many conditions present with similar symptoms. You want to make sure that the issue being treated is actually the underlying problem, and one way to ensure that is to have separate doctors reach the same conclusion. If you’re at all wondering if you’re moving forward with the right diagnosis and treatment plan, seek out a second opinion.
2. Peace Of Mind – Seeking out a second opinion can also provide the patient with peace of mind that two doctors see the same thing and believe that surgery is the right path forward. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health before and after surgery, and a second opinion can help improve your mental health by providing you with peace of mind.
3. Catch Something Else – The first two points have centered around the idea that both specialists see the same thing, but a second opinion can be very helpful in instances where the providers come to different conclusions or spot something that the other didn’t see. One provider may see something that suggests you could get by with a conservative treatment plan, so there is a possibility that a second opinion allows you to avoid surgery altogether. Differing opinions only provides you with more information and options.
4. No Downside – There’s also the fact that there’s really no downside to seeking out a second opinion. Even in the “worst case scenario” where the provider sees the same thing as the original physician, the only thing you’re really out is time, and again, you will have gained peace of mind from the experience. We’ve never heard a patient say that they regretted getting a second opinion, but we’ve heard from patients who wished that they could go back in time and seek out another opinion prior to moving forward with the treatment path they pursued.
5. Your Doctor Should Support It – A good spine surgeon will welcome a second opinion. While they should be confident in their interpretation of the physical exam or the imaging results, it never hurts to have a second professional offer their opinion. Also, seeking out a second opinion sends a message to the provider that you take your health seriously and want to make sure you’re doing right by your body. These are the types of patients that we love because we know that they are interested in putting in the work during their rehab. Telling your provider that you want to get a second opinion should be good news because it shows that you are taking ownership of the situation. If they react poorly or question your decision, it may suggest that you’d be better off finding a provider who won’t be offended that you want to make sure surgery is the right move for you.

If you want an initial or second opinion on your spine, get in contact with Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute. We are more than happy to provide a diagnosis, review imaging tests or help in any way we can. For more information, give our team a call today at (651) 430-3800.

Comments are closed.