What to
Expect
The questions most patients have before they think to ask them.
These pages answer the questions most patients have before they think to ask them. The more you know about what to expect, the less you have to worry about — and the better prepared you'll be to use the consultation time well.
Your first step is
simpler than you think.
Booking
Call, use the online form, or WhatsApp. Let us know if you have existing imaging or reports — helpful, but not required for a first visit. Appointments are typically available within 3–5 working days.
Before You Arrive
Bring any MRI, CT, or X-ray imaging (physical films or digital), previous medical reports, a referral letter if you have one, your current medications list, and a note of your symptoms — when they started, what makes them better or worse, and how they're affecting your daily life.
The Consultation
Allow 30–45 minutes. Dr. Viswanath will take a clinical history, conduct a physical and neurological examination, and review your imaging. The consultation ends with a clear explanation of findings and a discussion of your options — conservative, investigative, or surgical — whatever applies to your situation.
After Your Appointment
A care plan is communicated in plain language. If surgery is being considered, the next step is a detailed pre-operative conversation — not a schedule. You will have the information you need before any decision is made.
Consulting in
Koregaon Park, Pune.
Koregaon Park Clinic
REPLACE-ADDRESS
Koregaon Park, Pune
REPLACE-HOURS
First appointments · Follow-ups · Pre-operative assessments
Apollo Clinic, Pune
REPLACE-ADDRESS
Pune
REPLACE-HOURS
Selected consulting days
Sahyadri Hospital
Pune
Navigation-assisted surgery · O-arm & StealthStation available
Ruby Hall Clinic
Pune
Surgical work in Pune
Nothing is scheduled
before you're ready.
Pre-Operative Assessment
Before surgery, you'll require blood tests, ECG, and physician clearance if you have existing medical conditions. These are arranged through your GP or the hospital's pre-admission clinic.
Preparing at Home
Arrange for a family member to be with you during your hospital admission and for the first few days at home. Practical preparations include a firm chair at sitting height and a raised toilet seat if lumbar surgery is planned.
Day of Surgery
You'll be admitted on the morning of your procedure or the evening before. The surgical and anaesthetic team will introduce themselves before the procedure. After surgery, you'll recover in a monitored setting before being moved to the ward.
Anaesthesia
Most spinal procedures are performed under general anaesthesia. The anaesthesiologist will review your medical history, current medications, and any previous anaesthetic experiences before the procedure.
Staged. Guided.
Individual.
Hospital
Pain at the surgical site is expected and managed with medication. Most patients are mobile — with assistance — within 24 hours of spinal decompression procedures. Hospital stay is typically two to four days.
Home Recovery
Structured activity restriction — avoiding lifting, bending, and twisting depending on the procedure. Physiotherapy typically begins between two and four weeks post-operatively, starting gently and progressing based on tolerance.
Return to Work
Return to desk-based work is generally possible within four to eight weeks. Driving is usually permitted once you're off strong pain medication and can perform an emergency stop comfortably — typically four to six weeks.
Full Activity
Return to physical activity, sport, and manual work is guided by clinical progress and imaging confirmation. Full recovery in complex cases may take up to twelve months. Recovery timelines are individual — no two patients are the same.
Common questions
answered honestly.
Dr. Shrinath Viswanath consults at Koregaon Park Clinic and Apollo Clinic, Pune. Appointments are available within 3–5 working days. Book online, call, or WhatsApp.
No referral is required. You can book directly. If your GP has referred you, bring their letter — it helps. If you have existing MRI or imaging, bring that too.
Allow 30 to 45 minutes for a first consultation. This includes a clinical history, physical examination, imaging review, and a discussion of your findings and options.
Yes. You are welcome to bring a family member or support person. Having someone else present to listen and ask questions is often helpful.
If you have existing imaging, please bring it — films, CD, or USB. If you don't have imaging yet, that can be arranged following your consultation.
Surgery is recommended only when conservative care hasn't produced adequate improvement, or when there's a neurological risk that makes waiting unsafe. The decision remains yours. You'll have a clear explanation of the evidence before anything is recommended.
Minimally invasive decompression procedures: one to two days. Fusion surgeries: three to five days. Your specific procedure and recovery will be discussed in detail before surgery is scheduled.
Desk-based work: generally within four to eight weeks. Manual or physically demanding work: three to six months, guided by your recovery progress.
Driving is generally safe once you're off strong pain medication and can perform an emergency stop without hesitation — typically four to six weeks after surgery.
Some pain at the incision site is expected and managed with medication. Nerve-related symptoms may persist for weeks to months as the nerve recovers. This is normal and doesn't mean the procedure hasn't worked.
Contact the clinic immediately if you experience: increasing redness or discharge at the wound, a fever above 38°C, sudden worsening of pain, new neurological symptoms, or any loss of bladder or bowel control.
The first step is always
the consultation.
Everything else follows from there. Bring your questions, your scans, and your story.