Q: I underwent disc surgery in the S5-L1 region some 7 years ago. At that time I had pain in the left side of my body. Now After 8 years I am again suffering from pain in the right side of the body. The pain is so severe that it is not being managed by physiotherapy and medicines like voveran. My x-ray shows abent spine. I have to go for MRI tomorrow, which will tell the real story, but I would like to know from you that is it safe to undergo disc surgery again? What are the associated complications?

A:If your sciatica pain is not relieved by analgesics, even after 6 weeks of waiting, a discectomy may be needed to relieve the acute agony. Minimally invasive surgery has little complications. Extensive surgery like laminectomy may lead to instability of the spine at a later date, especially since you have already undergone one surgery.