Dr Željko Kojadinović — NEUROHIRURGIJA I LEČENJE BOLA
Dr Zeljko Kojadinovic — Pain Treatment & Neurosurgery
Author: Dr. Zeljko Kojadinovic, MD, PhD – Neurosurgeon and Pain Management Specialist
Last medically reviewed: June 10, 2026
This short hub points you to our most useful patient-friendly guides on low back pain, sciatica, and related spine conditions. These pages are written especially for patients whose pain persists despite treatment and who need to understand why the pain continues, whether the MRI finding truly explains the symptoms, and whether the next step should be medication adjustment, targeted injections, rehabilitation, surgery, or a second opinion.
In low back pain and sciatica, the key question is often not only what the scan shows, but whether the suspected finding is truly the active pain generator. Disc herniation, spinal stenosis, Tarlov cysts, postoperative scar tissue, recurrent disc, facet or sacroiliac joint pain, muscle-fascial pain, instability, and nerve sensitization can overlap. Treatment becomes more logical only when symptoms, examination, imaging, and functional limitation are interpreted together.
Low Back Pain — Deep Dive
All common low back pain generators and how they are distinguished and treated, including muscle-fascial pain, facet and sacroiliac joint pain, discogenic pain, stenosis, instability, nerve irritation, and mixed pain mechanisms.
Lumbar Disc Herniation & Sciatica
How to know whether a herniated disc seen on MRI is truly causing sciatica, why disc pain may persist despite treatment, whether the disc can improve without surgery, and when surgery is actually needed.
Lumbar Spinal Stenosis & Neurogenic Claudication
Walking-related leg heaviness, numbness, pain, or weakness that improves with sitting or bending forward. This guide explains why symptoms may persist, how stenosis is confirmed, and when decompression surgery is considered.
Tarlov Cysts — Second Opinion
How to judge whether a Tarlov cyst is incidental or truly causing pain, why symptoms may continue despite treatment, which findings matter, and when treatment or surgery should be considered.
Chronic Pain After Lumbar Discectomy
Why pain may continue after disc surgery, including recurrent disc herniation, scar tissue, missed pain generators, incomplete decompression, instability, facet/SI joint pain, myofascial pain, and nerve sensitization.
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Seek urgent care if you develop:
- progressive leg weakness
- new saddle numbness
- bladder or bowel problems
- fever with severe back pain
Need help identifying why pain persists?
A focused telehealth pain consultation can help clarify the active pain generator and the next reasonable treatment step. If surgery was suggested, request an online second opinion to check whether the MRI finding truly explains the symptoms and whether surgery is necessary or avoidable.
A focused telehealth pain consultation can help clarify the active pain generator and the next reasonable treatment step. If surgery was suggested, request an online second opinion to check whether the MRI finding truly explains the symptoms and whether surgery is necessary or avoidable.
