5 surgeries that some healthcare professionals prefer to avoid based on their experience.
After more than two decades practicing medicine, one reality repeats itself far too often: people enter the operating room seeking a solution and leave with more pain, more limitations, and a question that comes too late: What if I hadn’t had the surgery?
Within the medical field, there’s a phrase many know but few explain in depth: the best surgery is the one that isn’t done. Not because surgery is inherently negative, but because it’s often recommended when less invasive, smarter, and more respectful alternatives exist.
A surgical intervention always leaves a mark. When tissue is cut, a structure is altered, or an internal scar is created, there’s no going back. Therefore, before making an irreversible decision, it’s crucial to analyze the complete context of the problem, not just what appears in a study.
These are five surgeries that, as a doctor, I would avoid in most cases, except in serious, well-justified, and clearly necessary situations.
1. Herniated Disc Surgery
Herniated disc surgery is one of the most common procedures… and also one of the most rushed.
There are cases in which surgery is essential: when there is severe compression of a nerve root, significant loss of strength, neurological disorders, or involvement of pelvic organs. In these scenarios, surgery may be the best option.
However, in most patients, chronic lower back pain does not originate in the disc, but rather in an overall imbalance of the body. The lumbar region is often a victim, not the primary cause.
I have seen patients with decades of pain improve without surgery by correcting:
Pelvic mobility
Hip alignment
Ligament strains
Persistent muscle stiffness
Even old traumas, including blows to the head, can disrupt the body’s balance and overload the spine without the person noticing.
A key fact: if we take 100 pain-free people and perform an MRI, many will show protrusions or hernias. Therefore, the problem isn’t always what’s shown on the image, but rather the constant mechanical overload.
Operating without addressing the cause is like changing a tire without aligning the vehicle: the problem reappears, just in a different location.
2. Hemorrhoid Surgery
It’s often considered a “simple” surgery, but recovery can be long, painful, and very limiting for daily life.
Not everyone knows that after this operation, they may experience pain for weeks when sitting, moving, and even sleeping. For an active person, this is a significant issue.
In many cases, hemorrhoids have a clear mechanical cause: the descent of internal organs. When the organs press on the veins in the pelvis, blood pools, the veins dilate, and inflammation and bleeding occur.
In addition to these factors:
Sacral or coccyx blockages due to past falls
Lack of pelvic mobility
Head injuries that affect overall posture
The body functions as a unit. What is blocked above is reflected below.
When the internal organs are elevated, tension is released, and mobility is restored, many cases improve significantly without surgery. Even when surgery is unavoidable, preparing the body beforehand completely changes the outcome.
3. Surgery for diastasis recti
Surgical repair of diastasis recti is indicated far too often, especially in women, without first exhausting conservative alternatives.
Hearing that the separation measures 6, 7, or 8 centimeters generates immediate fear, and surgery seems inevitable. However, in many cases, the diastasis is significantly reduced with well-prescribed exercises, activating dormant muscles.
Surgically closing a separation does not restore the natural function of the abdomen. Stability, strength, and body confidence come from real muscle work, not from a stitch.
Before agreeing to surgery, it’s crucial to ask yourself:
Can’t my body really correct this on its own if given the chance?
4. Varicose Vein Surgery
Varicose veins don’t appear overnight. They develop slowly due to increased pressure in the veins, often caused by the descent of internal organs.
Pregnancy, childbirth, chronic constipation, heavy lifting, and nutritional deficiencies weaken vein walls and accelerate the process.
Surgical or cosmetic treatments can quickly improve the appearance, but if the underlying cause persists, the problem usually returns within a few years.
Reducing internal pressure, improving circulation, and strengthening the body from within can slow the progression and even prevent surgery in the early stages.
5. Surgery for Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Prolapse doesn’t happen suddenly. It develops slowly when the pelvic floor weakens and the tissues lose support.
When detected early, many cases can improve by strengthening the appropriate muscles and restoring internal support to the body. Ignoring early signs often leads to surgery that could have been avoided.
The key is to act before the damage becomes irreversible.
Tips and recommendations
Never make a surgical decision based solely on an image or study.
Always seek an informed second opinion.
Ask about conservative alternatives before surgery.
Treat your body as a whole, not as isolated parts.
If surgery is unavoidable, prepare your body beforehand.
Prioritize function and quality of life, not just quick symptom relief.
Surgery is not the enemy, but it shouldn’t be the first option. Having surgery only when absolutely necessary, with your body prepared and fully aware of the implications, is a decision about your health and personal responsibility.