I have a bad lower back and so does a friend of mine. Her doctor is suggesting surgery, but my doctor says I don't need it. Why the difference in opinion?

Although you and your friend may have many of the same symptoms, you may not have the same back injury. That could be one reason. But, let's say that you both do have the same problem with your back and there still is that difference in opinion. Treating chronic back pain without a specific diagnosis can be hard. Right now, there aren't any tried and true methods that have a good rate of success in curing chronic back pain. In fact, studies that have been done have come out with opposite findings. One study says that surgery is better at relieving pain, another says that surgery isn't any better than nonsurgical treatments like physiotherapy, medications or even cognitive therapy to teach you how to manage your pain.

Right now, what we do know is that surgery helps some people and more conservative treatment, like physiotherapy and pain control, helps others. So, it's likely that your doctor is more conservative and wants to see if not operating and giving you some other therapy might be the best treatment for you.