How Spine Surgeons Differ from Neurosurgeons?

Whenever you feel feverish, cold, cough or pain in your neck or back, you generally consult your regular family doctor. However, if your pain becomes unbearable, then your doctor recommends you to consult a specialist who specializes in the management and treatment of various spinal problems. He may ask you to consult a spine surgeon or neurosurgeon. But which one is right as per your medical need? Let’s discuss their educational qualifications, specializations and more!

Although both orthopedic spine surgeons and neurosurgeons are educated and trained to operate complicated spinal injuries and sometimes, both of them are referred to as ‘spine surgeons’ when they deal with patients having back and neck complaints.

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Who are Neurosurgeons? What is their area of expertise?

Neurosurgeons are the medical doctors who specialize in the diagnosis, surgical treatment, prevention and rehabilitation of several disorders affecting any portion of the nervous system. The nervous system includes the brain, peripheral nerves, extra-cranial cerebrovascular system and spinal cord. While undergoing their residency training program, neurosurgeons are not only trained in brain surgery, but also in the clinical and surgical treatment of spinal cord problems. Also, when a neurosurgeon completes his/her medical school, he/she is trained enough to perform several spinal surgeries.

Afterward, it’s up to the neurosurgeon whether to continue their specialization in brain surgery or head their practice towards spinal treatment procedures. Anyhow, neurosurgeons communicate with their patients until the significant part of the treatment is done. Once the treatment is done and the patient is discharged, they make little to no contact with them ever again. This is a drawback in neurosurgeons that let the patients head for spinal surgeons for their back or neck treatment.

Who are Spine Surgeons? What is their specialization?

An orthopedic spine surgeon specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders related to back, neck and spine. Unlike neurosurgeons, spine surgeons are in proper touch with their patients throughout the journey from the initial diagnosis to the rehabilitation part. There are many top spine surgeons in India who are well-versed with clinical and surgical treatment of several spinal injuries with positive outcomes.

Also, they have specialized education in the nervous system, but they don’t stand with the same level of specialization as compared to neurosurgeons. A spine surgeon has to do such specialization in order to take care of his patient’s nerves while dealing neck or back problems.

Final Thoughts:

If a patient has spinal tumors, nerve root tumors, arachnoid cysts or any kind of surgery that involves the inner lining of the spinal canal, then a neurosurgeon should be consulted. However, for pediatric as well as adult scoliosis and relevant spinal deformities, an orthopedic spine surgeon is involved.

It is really important that your doctor should refer you to the right kind of doctor that helps you afford for your back or neck surgery.

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