Decision aid: Spinal diseases: What are my treatment options?

You have been diagnosed with a spinal disease that is very likely the cause of your back pain.

The type of symptoms you have, how they develop over time, and the examinations you need will depend on the spine problem. There may also be different treatment options for different spine problems: These might include medication, non-drug treatments like mobility and strength exercises, or spinal surgery. In many cases, various treatments can be used for a particular spine problem – either as alternatives to each other, together, or as part of a treatment program.

This decision aid is designed to help you get an overview of your treatment options together with your doctor, and then choose one or more suitable treatments.

Preview decision aid spinal diseases

Spinal diseases: What are my treatment options?

Six A4 pages

IQWiG health information is written with the aim of helping people understand the advantages and disadvantages of the main treatment options and health care services.

Because IQWiG is a German institute, some of the information provided here is specific to the German health care system. The suitability of any of the described options in an individual case can be determined by talking to a doctor. informedhealth.org can provide support for talks with doctors and other medical professionals, but cannot replace them. We do not offer individual consultations.

Our information is based on the results of good-quality studies. It is written by a team of health care professionals, scientists and editors, and reviewed by external experts. You can find a detailed description of how our health information is produced and updated in our methods.

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We welcome any feedback and ideas - either via our form or by gi-kontakt@iqwig.de. We will review, but not publish, your ratings and comments. Your information will of course be treated confidentially. Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required fields.

Please note that we do not provide individual advice on matters of health. You can read about where to find help and support in Germany in our information “How can I find self-help groups and information centers?

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Created on July 19, 2023

Next planned update: 2026

Publisher:

Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG, Germany)

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