Questions patients ask

It depends on your insurance, not on the practice. Many PPO and Medicare plans let you schedule directly; HMO plans usually require a referral from your primary care physician. Call the office with your plan name and the staff will tell you which applies. If you are unsure, it is fine to call first.

The Brain and Spine Neuroscience Institute accepts Medicare and most major commercial plans. Because a newly joined physician is enrolled with each insurer on the insurer's own timeline, the office confirms that your specific plan is active for Dr. Michael at the time you schedule. Call (813) 336-4461 for Palm Harbor or (813) 751-2029 for Lutz.

Any imaging of your spine (MRI, CT, X-rays) on a disc along with the written reports, a list of your medications, records or notes from treatments you have already tried (physical therapy, injections, prior surgery), your insurance card, and a photo ID. If you do not have imaging, that is fine; Dr. Michael will order what is needed.

No. An examination comes first, and many patients do not need advanced imaging right away. If you already have an MRI, bring it. If one is needed, Dr. Michael will order the right study after seeing you.

Palm Harbor: 3519 Palm Harbor Blvd, Suite B, Palm Harbor, FL 34683, (813) 336-4461. Lutz: 17849 Hunting Bow Circle, Suite 101, Lutz, FL 33558, (813) 751-2029. Both offices are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

Dr. Michael operates at HCA Florida Trinity Hospital, HCA Florida Brandon Hospital, and Legacy Surgery Center. Outpatient procedures such as microdiscectomy, cervical disc replacement, and kyphoplasty are often done at the surgery center; larger operations are done in the hospital.

Yes. Second opinions are a regular part of the practice, including for patients who have been told they need a fusion or who have had prior spine surgery. Bring your imaging and any surgical recommendations you have received. Telemedicine visits are available for second opinions and follow-up.

No. Most patients who see Dr. Michael are treated without surgery. A spine surgeon's job is first to make an accurate diagnosis and then to lay out every option, from physical therapy and injections to surgery, and to be honest about which is likely to work for you.

Both are fully trained to operate on the spine, and there is a great deal of overlap. Orthopaedic spine surgeons come from a background in bone, joint, and alignment surgery and often have particular depth in deformity, fusion, and reconstruction; neurosurgeons come from a background in the brain and nervous system. For most common spine operations, the surgeon's specific training and experience with your condition matter more than the label. Dr. Michael completed a dedicated spine fellowship after orthopaedic residency and practices alongside neurosurgeons at the Brain and Spine Neuroscience Institute.

After five years of orthopaedic surgery residency, a fellowship is an additional year of focused training in one subspecialty. Dr. Michael completed the John H. Moe Spine Surgery Fellowship at Twin Cities Spine Center in Minneapolis, one of the oldest and highest-volume spine fellowships in the country, where his training covered the full range of spine surgery from minimally invasive procedures to complex deformity reconstruction.

Dr. Michael is board eligible with the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and is completing the certification process, which by design requires a period in practice after residency before the final examination. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the North American Spine Society, and the American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics.

Minimally invasive spine surgery accomplishes the same goals as traditional open surgery, relieving pressure on nerves or stabilizing the spine, through smaller incisions using tubular retractors, a microscope, and image guidance rather than stripping muscle away from the spine. The benefits are less blood loss, less muscle injury, a shorter hospital stay, and a faster early recovery. It is not appropriate for every problem, and the choice depends on what needs to be done.

No. The robot is a guidance system. The surgeon plans the placement of screws on a 3D model of your spine, and the robot holds the planned trajectory steady so the surgeon can place each screw precisely through a small incision. It improves accuracy and reduces radiation exposure. Every step of the operation, including the decision to operate, is performed by the surgeon.

It depends on the operation. Outpatient procedures like microdiscectomy, decompression, cervical disc replacement, and kyphoplasty typically allow walking the same day, desk work within one to two weeks, and most activities within six weeks. Fusions involve a hospital stay of one to two days, light activity within a few weeks, and a bone-healing period of six to twelve months during which activity is advanced progressively. Dr. Michael reviews the specific timeline with you before surgery.

Most back and neck pain improves within a few weeks and does not need a specialist. See a spine surgeon when pain radiates into an arm or leg, when there is numbness or weakness, when pain persists beyond several weeks despite reasonable care, or when walking distance is shrinking. A clear diagnosis early on usually makes treatment simpler.

Go to the emergency department if you develop new difficulty controlling your bladder or bowels, numbness in the groin or inner thighs, leg or arm weakness that is getting worse over hours or days, back pain with fever, or back pain after a significant fall or accident. These can indicate a problem that needs treatment the same day.

Often, yes. A large share of disc herniations and sciatica improve within six to twelve weeks with activity, anti-inflammatory medication, and physical therapy. Surgery is reserved for persistent disabling pain after that period, significant or worsening weakness, or emergencies.

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