Understand your Surgery options by asking questions

Your Surgeon or doctor should be happy to answer question about your operation. A good question to ask is “Are There Alternatives To Surgery?”

Sometimes, surgery is not the only answer to a medical problem. Medicines or treatments other than surgery such as a change in diet or special exercises might help you just as well. Ask your surgeon or primary care doctor about the benefits and risks of these other choices. You need to know as much as possible about these benefits and risks to make the best decision.

One alternative to surgery may be watchful waiting. During a watchful wait, your doctor and you check to see if your problem gets better or worse over time. If it gets worse, you may need surgery right away. If it gets better, you may be able to wait to have surgery or not have it at all.