80 percent of the back surgeries unnecessary

Techniker Krankenkasse criticizes unnecessary back operations

05/07/2011

80 percent of the operations due to back pain are unnecessary, according to a survey of the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK). Alternative treatments such as osteopathy or chirotherapy are still far too rarely used. However, all public health insurance companies refuse to pay the costs for these alternative treatments. Low income groups, in particular, often have no choice but to make use of conventional medical interventions.

Four of five surgical procedures for back pain are unnecessary or even dangerous in the state of Baden-Württemberg, according to a recent study by the statutory technician health insurance (TK). Since back surgery is not always the best option to remedy the condition, patients should always seek a second opinion if surgery is recommended. The cost of obtaining a second doctor's recommendation, take over the health insurance. However, the costs of alternative treatments based on osteopathy or chiropody are usually not covered by the statutory health insurance.

Obtaining a medical second opinion is recommended
The fact that about 80 percent of patients with back problems in Baden-Württemberg end up on the operating table instead of being subjected to alternative treatment methods is a cause for concern for the experts at Techniker Krankenkasse. Because alternative healing methods often offer similar high chances of success with back pain as a surgical procedure - without the threat of comparable complications. Therefore, patients should preferably seek the opinion of a second physician for a recommended back surgery before they put themselves under the knife, advises the TC. The costs for this second opinion are taken over by the statutory health insurance, explained the TK with presentation of the current investigation results. The affected people nationwide on 28 expert teams, which offer free of charge a second medical opinion, fall back. According to TK, the pain centers in Freiburg and Göppingen are involved in the pilot project of the statutory health insurance companies in Baden-Württemberg.

Advice helps to avoid back surgery
According to Techniker Krankenkasse, 162 patients had been looking for support for the pilot project in Baden-Württemberg last year. None of the patients advised there had been previously operated on the back, so the result of the TC examination. Accordingly, all those affected could be helped by other means. Different methods of treatment were recommended, such as local anesthesia of the aching back, physiotherapy, equipment training and pain medication. Most of the different treatment methods are used in combination, explained the TK. In addition, the learning of appropriate relaxation techniques is a focus of alternative treatment approaches. However, according to the experts, surgery should only be performed if all alternative treatment options were ineffective. After all, an operation always presents a health risk to those affected, according to the opinion of the experts when presenting the current TC examination results.

230,000 back operations in Germany every year
According to the figures of the Techniker Krankenkasse, around 230,000 people are operated on a nationwide basis for back pain. Malte Natalis, orthopedist and pain specialist from Freiburg explained „World Online“ regarding the TC investigation that „An operation always involves risks“ mountains, there „For example, nerves and vessels are damaged or scars and adhesions occur“ can. The expert should therefore therefore „as long as conservative measures are not exhausted“, an OP will be made in the back. To permanently avoid chronic back pain, according to Natalis „a healthy lifestyle especially important“, because 80 percent of patients could avoid their back problems by more physical exercise. According to the expert, the pain centers involved in the pilot project in Freiburg and Göppingen are aimed primarily at people who were so handicapped by their back pain over a period of more than four weeks that they could not go to work. Since those affected threaten to pass on the back pain to a chronic stage of the disease, alternatives to potentially necessary surgery are also to be shown in the pain centers.

Alternative treatment options for back pain
Health authorities estimate that 25 million people across Germany suffer from back pain, which is one of the most common causes of disability and work loss. The costs for the treatment of back pain in this country are estimated by the experts to one-digit billion sums, the costs of lost time due to lost work even to tens of billions. Once the symptoms persist for more than 12 weeks, the back pain is considered a chronic condition. Since the back problems can have innumerable causes, in the alternative treatment methods from the field of naturopathy is mainly the determination of the causes of disease in the foreground of the therapy. Through a thorough amnesis, the therapist tries to clearly determine the cause of the back pain and then take appropriate action. As part of the naturopathic treatment of back pain in the past with the help of osteopathy, chiropractic but also acupuncture has already achieved relatively good healing results. Therefore, before surgery in case of doubt, the opinion of an osteopath, chiropractor or alternative practitioner should be sought. (Fp)

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