Patients who come to Dr. Ooi are almost always in pain. Whether it’s pain in their backs or in their necks, they just want it to go away. Many are surprised to learn that treatment of their spine disorder doesn’t always include surgery as the first option.
“Often, their pain can be managed through conservative measures such as physical therapy, injections, or some other type of pain management therapy,” Dr. Ooi explained. “My main goal isn’t to do surgery but to get my patients back to living pain-free lives as quickly as possible. Sometimes that means a nonsurgical approach and sometimes it doesn’t.”
When a nonsurgical approach is recommended, it may take the form of one or more of the following:
• Lifestyle modification
• Physical therapy
• Oral medication
• Injections
• Bracing
“At the end of the day, whether we opt for a nonsurgical or surgical approach, my patients are confident their treatment plan is the best option for them because I have given them all the options and information they need to make the right decision,” Dr. Ooi said.
If, after all other options have been explored, surgery is deemed necessary, Dr. Ooi will use the least invasive approach that will give the patient the most optimal outcome. He is an expert in advanced minimally invasive spine surgery, as well as cutting-edge techniques like robotic surgery and navigational surgery.