Research and Outreach

Back neck problems are the number reason people seek medical attention, miss work, and file for disability. There are also more than 100 different symptoms that can result from a problem with the lumbar or cervical spine. For most people these symptoms are short-lived and acute. For others the symptoms may last for more than 3 months, classifying them as chronic pain.
Over the past 25 years we at The Bonati Institute have come to realize that there are two very important steps that anyone seeking medical attention for chronic pain from a lumbar or cervical spine problem should take. The first is research. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of treatment methods for spine prblems. They range from very conservative and non-invasive protocols like physical therapy and medication, to more aggressive invasive protocols like surgery.
One can imagine these many treatment options as existing along a continuum, with conservative non-invasive treatment being appropriate for persons whose onset of chronic pain is recent, and the more agressive and invasive treatments as being appropriate for persons whose onset of pain is further in the past.
Which treatment is best for your level of pain is partially in your hands. In this respect the internet has been a boon to "patient-directed" treatment, and presently to seek health information is the number one reason that people search on the net. Given that, we believe that it is critical that patients conduct as much research as possible on the Internet before seeking medical attention.
The second part to this is outreach. With any surgery, there is more to the protocl than just the "cutting". Any surgery or major medical procedure is only as effective as the array of services associated with it. Since the pre-operative and post-operative experience can be just as important as the surgical experience, we also encourage that you take the time to reach out to patients who have had the treatment for a "first-hand" impression.