The Importance of Entrusting Your Spine Surgery to the Right Neurosurgeon

You’ve been plagued with back or neck pain for some time now, and you’re at wit’s end with ineffective treatments that aren’t getting to the root of the problem and providing you with meaningful relief.

This story is one that neurosurgeon Dr. Ali H. Mesiwala and our team hear almost daily, and our goal is to be an exception to that rule. Since 2005, Dr. Mesiwala has performed thousands of spine surgeries that are providing new hope for long-time back and neck pain sufferers.

And spine issues are only going to get worse. In 2020, back pain affected 619 million people around the world, and this number is expected to jump to 843 million by 2050. And the numbers for neck pain aren’t any better thanks to the growing incidence of tech neck, which affects 73% of university students and nearly 65% of people who work from home.

Bringing it back to your situation, whichever part of your spine needs attention, here are some points to consider when choosing the right medical provider and neurosurgeon.

There are many roads to back and neck pain

One issue that Dr. Mesiwala is passionate about is the fact that back and neck pain can be anything but straightforward and wants to make sure that his patients are in complete understanding of their diagnosis, treatment options and expectations of returning to as normal a life as possible post treatment.  Many spine issues share symptoms — for example, lower back pain that shoots into your leg can be caused by:

• Degenerative disc disease
• Lumbar spinal stenosis
• Sciatica
• Herniated disc
• Injury
• Facet joint arthritis
• Sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction

Making matters more complex, Dr. Mesiwala often finds that there are multiple contributing factors. Patients often frustrated by the time they get to the office as spinal problems affect literally every aspect of patients’ lives. As such Dr. Mesiwala believe in a personal approach to listening to the patients, taking evaluating diagnostic imaging and a comprehensive physical and neurological exam to diagnose patients accurately and effectively. 

It’s for this reason that Dr. Mesiwala spends more time than most evaluating your back or neck pain. He reviews your symptoms, your lifestyle, and your medical history, and then he turns to advanced imaging . And he doesn't stop there, because Dr. Mesiwala sees great value in having you perform certain maneuvers to pinpoint the structural or functional issue at the heart of your discomfort.

The bottom line is that Dr. Mesiwala leaves no stone unturned when it comes to assessing your spine issue, which guides him in his treatment recommendations. 

One of the points that Dr. Mesiwala likes to remind his patients are that there are many great surgeons who treat spinal condition but these are the points to consider: 

1. How long has your surgeon been in practice and what is their training/board certification status? 
2. What is their experience with certain spinal procedures? Is it the right operation for you and do they regularly perform that procedure(s)? 
3. Is your surgeon going to explain your condition, treatment, and expectations for recovery with you? Make sure you are comfortable and have all of your questions and concerns answered prior to treatment. A great surgeon will never be offended if you seek a second opinion should you wish to. 

Setting you up for long-term success

Another issue that Dr. Mesiwala is fervent about is offering solutions that offer long-term improved outcomes. This means evaluating the patient comprehensively and then providing a solution(s) that are optimal for that individuals current problem and long term life style expectations. 

For example, one of the first stops in spine surgery are fusion procedures in which two of your vertebrae are fused together. While effective in the short run in resolving back and neck pain, the fusion creates a larger vertebral segment that places more stress on the vertebrae above and below the fusion. As a result, between one quarter to one-third of patients develop adjacent segment disease and many require another surgery.

This is why Dr. Mesiwala favors artificial disc replacement whenever possible, which can prevent more spine pain and degeneration down the road. Dr. Mesiwala is a pioneer in motion preservation surgery and has been able to offer his expertise to ensure that all of his patients can live life to the fullest. 

Dr. Mesiwala used his expertise in biomedical engineering to design a new, innovative procedure and a specialized implant for SI joint degeneration and other spinal surgery technique. This procedure resolves SI joint dysfunction without setting the stage for problems down the road. He has performed thousands of procedures on patients that have SI joint degeneration, and he trains other surgeons around the world on the latest techniques for SI joint fusion, artificial disc replacement, neuromodulation pain procedures, and spinal reconstruction. 

A minimally invasive approach whenever possible

While some of the procedures we describe above may sound complex, and they are, the great news is that Dr. Mesiwala can often perform them using minimally invasive techniques. Better still, he performs many spine surgeries in an outpatient setting, which means you can go home to recover.

Ultimately, we want you to feel comfortable with your choice of medical provider, and our goal here is to illustrate the importance of finding someone who has experience and good success rates, and who treats each case individually. And we believe Dr. Mesiwala checks these boxes.

The best way to determine whether Dr. Mesiwala is the right physician for your spine issue is to come in for a consultation. To set that up, simply contact one of our offices in Newport Beach, Marina del Rey, or Rancho Cucamonga, California.