I want to be clear about something upfront: surgery saves lives. It is absolutely the right call in the right circumstances -- acute trauma, progressive neurological deficits, certain structural instabilities. I'm not anti-surgery. But I am anti "surgery as the first resort" for pain that hasn't been given a real chance at conservative care. Because here's what most people don't get told before they sign the consent form: the human body is an interconnected system. When you s