In most cases, effective traction treatment, like that with Meditrac’s devices, is preferable to surgery, simply because surgery immutably alters the spine. Although these surgical changes reduce the pressure on the nerve and relieve back pain, a highly probable side-effect of this surgical method is increased stress on the healthy discs directly above and below the problematic one. As with any operation, there are also significant health risks associated with spinal surgery and complications can be severe. Possible complications include injury to the spinal cord and nerves, poor bony fusion at the surgical site, infection, and blood clots. Research that has been conducted worldwide has shown that there is very little difference between the long-term benefits of surgery vs. effective rehabilitation in patients with chronic low back pain. In some cases, patients are appropriate candidates for surgery and prescription medication. However, it is highly recommended to exhaust conservative avenues for pain relief before resorting to invasive approaches. Spinal surgery should be the last resort.