If you’re doing your due diligence prior to a spinal procedure, you may seek out a second medical opinion from a different spine specialist. In many instances, the first provider will see the same thing as your original surgeon, and they’ll recommend a similar course of care. But what happens when they propose a different treatment plan for your back condition? Why are your spine specialists recommending different treatment plans, and who should you trust for your care? We answer those questions and more in today’s blog.
When Doctors Recommend Different Treatment Plans
If two doctors see different things during your physical assessment and imaging exams, there’s a good chance that they’ll propose different courses of treatment. In these instances, you’ll want to consider what’s important to you, whether you may be able to avoid surgery and which provider you have more faith in. Oftentimes it is recommended to pursue conservative treatments before jumping into surgical treatment, but you can talk through your individual plan with your treating physician.
But what if the providers see the same thing but are recommending different courses of treatment? Why are they recommending different treatments for the same problem? Some factors that can influence why two doctors may recommend different courses of treatment for the same problem include:
- Available Technology – Some clinics may have more advanced surgical technologies that allow them to offer different solutions to the same problem.
- Surgeon Experience – The problem may be able to be corrected in a few different ways, and your providers may specialize in different surgeries that can address the issue.
- Education – Depending on their medical training, your doctor may have been taught to treat conditions in one way, while another provider learned a different approach. Medical care is pretty standardized, but as we mentioned above, oftentimes there are a few different ways to successfully treat a spinal issue, and depending on your doctor’s background and education, they may prefer one method over the other.
- Personal Experience – No matter what medical textbooks and educational seminars suggest, at the end of the day, your surgeon may make decisions based on what they’ve seen first hand when helping patients in the operating room. If they have hesitations about one procedure or confidence in another technique based on their experience in the operating room, it could lead to differing opinions between medical professionals.
If two physicians are seeing the same thing, but recommending different courses of action, how should you decide which treatment plan to pursue? Again, it really comes down to personal preference, your individual goals and the confidence you have in each provider. Ask about their education, training and experience, and ask them why they are recommending a specific treatment plan. If their answers seem satisfactory, then that may be the treatment plan for you. Whatever you decide, commit to the treatment program and give yourself the best chance to make a strong recovery.
For more information, or for help with a different spinal issue, give Dr. Jackman and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
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