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Are you looking for the best spine surgeon in Frisco TX? Whether you know you need spinal surgery or are in pain and looking for relief, you should educate yourself on spine surgery before picking a spine surgeon. Many people believe that visiting a spine surgeon or neurosurgeon means automatically going under the knife, but that is not true! Spine surgeons often suggest many non-invasive forms of treatment before suggesting surgery, and only recommend surgery to patients who they believe would most benefit from it.
Read on to learn more about how doctors become spine surgeons so you can be informed in your search for the best spine surgeon in Frisco, TX.
What Qualifies a Doctor as a Spine Surgeon?
Spine Surgeon is an unofficial, umbrella term that can describe a lot of doctors, such as orthopedic surgeons as well as neurosurgeons, as they both can perform surgery on the spine. Therefore both medical specialties can be defined as “spine surgeons”
The human spine is a complicated and beautiful design, but for simplicity, we can break it down into the “nervous system portion” aka the nerves in the spinal cord, and the “skeletal portion” which refers to the stacked, hollow vertebrae bones that the spinal column runs through. Because neurosurgeons study all of the nerves of the body and orthopedic surgeons study the bones, both specialties can treat conditions such as a bone spur putting pressure on the nerves of the spine, vertebrae fractures, or slipped discs.
What Kind of Education and Qualifications Should a Neurosurgeon Have?
Neurosurgeons are medical doctors with a specialty focus on treating the brain and nervous system. The educational process to become a neurosurgeon is long– first, they must complete a bachelor’s degree and pass the MCAT (Medical College Application Test) to be accepted into Medical School. Medical school is four years long with the first two years being devoted to classroom and lab learning and the next two years doing rotations in hospitals for the medical subspeciality the student has chosen.
After graduating from medical school, a neurosurgeon needs to complete a residency program in neurological surgery, which takes five to six years. Afterward, most neurosurgeons go on to get a board certification from the American Board of Neurological Surgery. While not technically required to practice, it is highly recommended that you find a board-certified professional when looking for the best spine surgeon in Frisco TX. Most hospitals only hire board-certified surgeons because a board-certified surgeon has met the highest standards in their field.
What Kind of Education and Qualifications Should an Orthopedic Surgeon Have?
When looking for the best spine surgeon in Frisco TX, you want to consider both neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons. Orthopedic surgeons have a similar education path to neurosurgeons, but they focus on bone and joint disorders.
First potential orthopedic surgeons must complete a bachelor’s program, pass the Medical College Application Test, and be accepted into medical school. While in Medical school orthopedic surgeons will complete their rotations in the subspecialties of orthopedic surgery.
As with neurosurgeons, it is best to find an orthopedic surgeon who is board certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery. This will ensure that your surgeon has met the highest educational standards.
Consider Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
In your research for the best Spine Surgeon in Frisco TX consider clinics that offer Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery or MISS. Traditional spine surgery involves large incisions into muscle and tissue to access the spine. Minimally Invasive spine surgery is done using nanotools, guided by a digital camera and operated by the Neurosurgeon. Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery has the same goals as traditional spine surgery, but fewer incisions mean less surgical blood loss, less risk of infection, and most of all fewer recovery times. Some MISS is even an outpatient procedure, meaning that patients can recover at home after a brief observational period.
Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery of Texas
For the best spine surgeon in Frisco Texas, consider MINT or Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery Texas. MINT is led by Dr. Scott Kutz, a board-certified Neurosurgeon with specialty training in Minimally invasive spinal surgery. Dr Kutz also has over twenty-four years of experience in the medical field.
Dr. Kutz and his team use advanced diagnostic testing techniques to locate the exact source of your pain and create a treatment plan that is right for you. MINT also offers telehealth visits and accepts most major insurance plans. To start your pain-free life, give MINT a call today or check out their website.
