What questions should I ask my neurosurgeon?

The most useful question is the simplest: "What exactly is wrong with me, in plain language?" Ask me to draw it, show it on the MRI, or write it down. If you cannot repeat it back to a family member, we have not explained it well enough.

Then ask about options: "What are all my choices, including doing nothing?" There is almost always more than one path. Understanding the full menu — surgery, injection, physiotherapy, medication, watchful waiting — makes the decision yours.

Ask about outcomes with numbers: "What percentage of your patients with this condition improve significantly? What percentage have a serious complication?" A good answer is specific, not vague.

Ask about experience: "How many of these operations do you personally do each year?" Volume matters in neurosurgery. It is a fair question and I will always answer it.

Finally: "What will recovery actually look like, week by week?" and "What are the warning signs I should call you about after I go home?" These are the questions that matter most once the operation is over.