After properly diagnosing the condition of your spine, the spine surgeon will recommend the type of surgery you will have to undergo. The purpose of the surgery can be any or all of the following:
Relief in pain
Reduce symptoms
Improve function
Surgery can either decompress a nerve root or it can stabilize a painful motion segment. So, a spine surgeon basically identifies a nerve that has pinched or that painful motion segment. The surgery can, however, correct an anatomical defect.