자주 묻는 질문

For patients reaching us from Istanbul or abroad, the most practical first step is to share your imaging. You can send your current MRI or X-ray images via our phone and WhatsApp line (+90 533 075 72 94); after a preliminary assessment, we can plan a face-to-face examination or an online consultation. If you are coming from out of town, speaking by phone before you travel to clarify how the process will proceed is the most efficient approach in terms of time and travel.

No. The endoscopic method is not suitable for every herniated disc. The choice is made according to factors such as the disc level, the type and location of the herniation, the presence of canal stenosis and spinal stability. Applied for the wrong indication, it increases the risk of inadequate decompression and a second operation. For some patients classic microdiscectomy is safer, and for others interventional treatments (caudal block, radiofrequency procedures) may be sufficient.

Leg-radiating pain regresses substantially in most patients, because the main aim of surgery is to relieve pressure on the nerve root. However, isolated back pain may be a different sign of disc degeneration and may not fully resolve by removing the herniated fragment alone. In patients whose back pain dominates, different methods such as physiotherapy, caudal block or radiofrequency may come into play. Setting realistic goals — 'your leg will be largely relieved; your back pain will regress but may not disappear completely' — is part of treatment.

In suitable endoscopic cases, return to office work averages 2–3 weeks and return to physical work around 6–8 weeks; this depends on your occupation, your speed of recovery and your pre-operative condition. Heavy lifting and intense physical activity are avoided for the first 7–10 days, after which a physiotherapy programme usually begins around weeks 4–6. The timing of return to high-tempo activities such as sport is planned case by case under medical supervision.

It is the removal of a herniated disc through a small entry point under endoscopic (camera) guidance. The incision is smaller than in open surgery, and the surrounding tissue is generally less disturbed.

It depends on the situation. Monoportal is a single incision (full-endoscopic), biportal is two small incisions. Which is appropriate is determined by a pre-operative assessment.

No. Alternatives such as medication, physiotherapy, exercise and interventional methods are evaluated. Surgery is recommended only when necessary.

You can reach us by phone/WhatsApp (+90 533 075 72 94) and obtain an evaluation by sharing your imaging.

For patients reaching us from Istanbul or abroad, the most practical start is to share your imaging. You can send your current neck MRI via our phone and WhatsApp line (+90 533 075 72 94); after a preliminary assessment, we can plan a face-to-face examination or an online consultation. As you may be travelling from out of town, speaking by phone before you come to clarify how the process will proceed is the most efficient way in terms of both time and travel.

No. The best method is the one that answers the anatomical problem most correctly. The endoscopic approach can be advantageous in some selected cases; microsurgery, with its broad scope of indication and control, is a strong, current option. What is decisive is not the smallness of the incision but the location and level of compression and the surgical goal. The technique is therefore chosen by evaluating MRI and examination findings together.

No, it is not necessary in every patient. After the disc is removed, to stabilise the space between the two vertebrae a cage, bone graft or screw-fixed plate may be used, and a disc prosthesis aiming to preserve neck motion is also an option. Which method is appropriate is determined by the level, the location of the herniation and the spine's need for stability. Where the need for stabilisation increases, plate-screw systems come to the fore, while in suitable cases more limited procedures may be considered.

After surgery, some symptoms may reappear in the early or late period, and an additional procedure may be needed in some cases. Although arm-radiating pain usually decreases markedly early on, symptoms such as numbness may persist for a while in nerves that were compressed for a long time. One of the most important factors affecting recurrence risk and recovery is smoking; quitting smoking before and after surgery contributes positively to both wound healing and fusion success.

No. Especially low-grade, mildly symptomatic slips are mostly managed with exercise, physiotherapy and pain control. Surgery only comes up in specific situations.

No. Many slips remain stable for years. That is why we follow whether the slip is fixed or increases with movement, using standing and flexion-extension X-rays.

No outcome can be guaranteed. Improvement rates are high in appropriately selected patients, but the result varies individually with the grade of slip, age and general health. Expectations are discussed clearly beforehand.

You can reach us by phone/WhatsApp (+90 533 075 72 94) and obtain an initial evaluation by sharing your MRI and X-rays. BVS Doctors assesses your situation together with you.

This picture (neurogenic claudication) is very typical of spinal stenosis, but a similar complaint can occur in arterial disease. It is distinguished by examination and MRI; the final interpretation comes from assessing imaging and symptoms together.

No. Many patients stay stable with exercise, physiotherapy and pain management. Surgery is only discussed when there is marked limitation or progressing neurological symptoms.

Improvement in walking distance is expected in appropriately selected patients, but the result varies with the degree of narrowing, duration and general condition; no guarantee is given. Expectations are discussed clearly beforehand.

You can reach us by phone/WhatsApp (+90 533 075 72 94) and obtain an initial evaluation by sharing your MRI and X-rays. BVS Doctors assesses your situation together with you.

No. Some of these tumors are benign and can achieve long-term control when fully removed. The type and grade are confirmed only by pathological examination, and treatment is planned accordingly.

Intramedullary surgery is a field that demands great care, and safety is increased with methods such as nerve monitoring. Even so, risks vary with the individual and the tumor; no outcome can be guaranteed, and risks are explained clearly beforehand.

Not always. Some small, asymptomatic lesions can be followed with regular MRI. The decision is made individually according to tumor type, growth tendency and symptoms.

You can reach us by phone/WhatsApp (+90 533 075 72 94) and obtain an initial evaluation by sharing your contrast MRI images. BVS Doctors assesses your situation together with you.

No. Most fractures heal without surgery with pain management, early mobilization and, if needed, a brace. Kyphoplasty/vertebroplasty only comes up for resistant and severe pain.

It can provide marked and rapid pain relief in appropriately selected patients, but the result varies from person to person and cannot be guaranteed. Moreover, this procedure does not treat osteoporosis — the real protection is managing osteoporosis separately.

One spinal fracture raises the risk of further fractures. That is why calcium and vitamin D, exercise, fall prevention and the osteoporosis medication prescribed by the physician are very important.

You can reach us by phone/WhatsApp (+90 533 075 72 94) and obtain an initial evaluation by sharing your MRI/X-ray and, if available, your DEXA result. BVS Doctors assesses your situation together with you.

No. In adults with mild-to-moderate symptoms and preserved balance, exercise, physiotherapy and pain management come first. Surgery only comes up with marked imbalance, progressing deformity or resistant symptoms.

The curve angle alone does not determine the decision. In adults the real determinants are sagittal balance, pain and loss of function. Many well-balanced patients with few symptoms can be followed without surgery.

Adult deformity surgery is a major undertaking, and its risks vary with the individual, age and bone quality. That is why patient selection and planning are done with great care; no outcome is guaranteed, and risks are explained clearly beforehand.

You can reach us by phone/WhatsApp (+90 533 075 72 94) and obtain an initial evaluation by sharing your standing full-spine X-rays and MRI. BVS Doctors assesses your situation together with you.

Saddle numbness, a change in bladder/bowel control or weakness in both legs must be taken seriously even when mild, because these symptoms can progress within hours. Waiting because it feels 'mild' is not safe. Go to the nearest emergency department and ask for a neurosurgical assessment; if the syndrome is ruled out you are reassured, and if present you have caught it early.

Cauda equina syndrome does not wait for office hours. Night, weekend or holiday, go directly to the emergency department of a full-service hospital and ask for a neurosurgeon. Take any imaging you have with you. You can reach us afterwards for planning via our phone and WhatsApp line (+90 533 075 72 94), but going to the emergency room first is vital.

This varies from person to person and cannot be guaranteed. The chance of bladder function returning is closely tied to the time from symptom onset to surgery and the degree of nerve damage. Early intervention improves the odds; in advanced cases treated late, residual symptoms may remain. The priority of surgery is to preserve current function and halt progression.

No. The most common cause is a large lumbar disc herniation, but advanced canal stenosis, bleeding within the spine, a tumour or an infection can also produce a cauda equina picture. That is why urgent MRI shows both the compression and its cause, and treatment is planned accordingly. The correct diagnosis is the key to the correct surgical approach.

No. A vertebral hemangioma is not a malignant tumour; it is a benign vascular lesion within the bone that does not spread to other regions. The great majority are silent and need no treatment. Still, showing your imaging to a neurosurgeon to assess the report as a whole is reassuring.

Often it is not. Typical hemangiomas usually do not cause pain; the source of your pain may be another structure such as muscle, disc or facet joint. Before attributing the pain directly to the hemangioma, examination and imaging should be evaluated together — otherwise a wrong treatment path may be taken.

For most typical, asymptomatic lesions no treatment is needed; they are monitored with intermittent imaging if necessary. Treatment is considered only if the lesion is symptomatic, extends into the canal or creates a fracture risk. MRI and, when needed, CT determine which group you fall into.

You can share your MRI and, if available, CT images via our phone and WhatsApp line (+90 533 075 72 94). BVS Doctors reviews the imaging, assesses whether the lesion is silent or a type that needs closer attention, and offers a realistic road map.

Back pain has many causes besides a herniation, and facet joint syndrome is among the foremost. Not seeing a clear disc compression on MRI does not mean your pain is 'without cause'; it may arise from the facet joints, the muscles or the sacroiliac joint. The source is clarified with examination and, when needed, a diagnostic block.

No — in the great majority it does not. Treatment proceeds through non-surgical steps such as medication, physiotherapy, facet injection and, when needed, radiofrequency ablation. Surgery is considered only if there is an accompanying structural problem such as advanced canal stenosis or instability.

It is not a permanent cure. Radiofrequency ablation temporarily silences the small nerve carrying the pain and usually provides months of relief. When the nerve regenerates over time the pain can return; in that case the procedure can be safely repeated. Knowing this clearly keeps expectations realistic.

You can share your MRI images and the details of your complaints via our phone and WhatsApp line (+90 533 075 72 94). Determining whether the pain is facet-related can sometimes require a face-to-face examination or a diagnostic injection; the process begins with a preliminary assessment.

It could. Sacroiliac joint dysfunction is a commonly confused condition; in one-sided low-back and hip pain that does not respond to herniation treatment, worsens when sitting down and standing up, and does not descend below the knee, the sacroiliac joint should be investigated. Provocation tests and a diagnostic injection clarify the source.

In the great majority it does not. Treatment proceeds through non-surgical steps such as physiotherapy, medication, joint injection and, when needed, radiofrequency. Fusion surgery is considered only in very resistant, carefully selected cases with a clear diagnosis, and after careful evaluation.

Yes, it can be both. A sacroiliac injection performed under imaging guidance both confirms the source of pain (if the pain regresses with local anaesthetic) and, with added cortisone, can provide relief for a period. If the response is good, the treatment plan is shaped accordingly.

You can share the location of your pain, which movement worsens it, and any imaging you have via our phone and WhatsApp line (+90 533 075 72 94). Because examination is decisive in diagnosing sacroiliac pain, a face-to-face assessment or a diagnostic injection is often recommended.

No, lumbar spondylosis itself does not cause paralysis. It is a natural age-related wear and is benign in most patients. Closer evaluation is needed only when advanced canal stenosis or marked nerve compression develops and warning symptoms (progressive weakness, urinary problems) appear. That is why following the symptoms is important.

No. There is no drug that reverses the wear and no 'clean-out' operation; the process is natural wear. Treatment aims to manage symptoms and strengthen the muscles, not to eliminate the wear. Surgery comes up only for structural problems such as canal stenosis, nerve compression or instability, and in selected patients.

On the contrary, correct and regular exercise is one of the most beneficial things in lumbar spondylosis. Inactivity weakens the muscles and increases pain. Swimming, walking and programmes that strengthen the core support the spine. It is enough to avoid extremely strenuous, sudden-load movements; complete inactivity is not needed.

You can share your MRI/X-ray images and your complaints via our phone and WhatsApp line (+90 533 075 72 94). BVS Doctors assesses whether the findings are benign or a picture that needs closer attention, and offers a realistic road map.

Most likely not. Cervical spondylosis is a very common, mostly benign wear and is managed without surgery. Surgery comes up only in resistant nerve compression that does not respond to non-surgical treatment, or in signs of spinal-cord compression (myelopathy). The presence of wear on the image alone is not a reason for surgery.

Arm-radiating pain and numbness usually point to a nerve-root compression (radiculopathy) and most often regress with non-surgical treatment. The real thing to watch for is a different picture: if there are signs of spinal-cord compression (myelopathy) such as loss of hand dexterity or unsteadiness when walking, these are more serious and should be evaluated with MRI without delay.

Loss of hand dexterity (difficulty buttoning, holding a pen), progressive weakness in the arms or legs, unsteadiness when walking and urinary urgency can be signs of spinal-cord compression (myelopathy). These symptoms differ from ordinary neck pain and require a neurosurgical assessment without delay.

You can share your neck MRI/X-ray images and your complaints via our phone and WhatsApp line (+90 533 075 72 94). BVS Doctors assesses whether the findings are ordinary wear or a picture involving nerve or spinal-cord compression, and offers a realistic plan.