Oh what a telling comment.
I knew that, and a good NEUROsurgeon will also counsel a patient against surgery for congenital and/or degenerative spinal conditions.
However, most people WITH congenital and/or degenerative spinal problems usually end up IN the surgeon's office sooner or later, because eventually the painkillers can't manage it, or mobility becomes an issue. I've worked for enough orthos in my time to know that their first opinion is CUT, damn the long term consequences. I know that, average people DON'T. I've also had an opportunity to listen to the results over the years. I've heard about people who have had three and four spinal surgeries at alternating levels over less than 20 years, and they're STILL in pain, are on a pharmacy of meds and have no quality of life.
You must really think I'm thick. 11+ years in orthopedics, neurosurgery and neurology, why do you think I went the alternative treatments? Since I started my PRP I've met five people who have had shoulder surgery, three have had excellent outcomes, the other two are worse off than when they went under the knife. My doctor told me that's pretty darned close to the stats. I stand by my original decision and if what was happening with my tendons was "normal" wear and tear I think I'd be golden and either well into or out of PT by now. Crap just keeps blowing out and until a cause is found, it's just going to keep blowing out. "Conventional" medicine doesn't believe in finding causes, it just believes in treating the symptoms and slapping a Bandaid (or painkillers or antidepressants) on the patient who expects more.