Good luck on your appointment! I sincerly hope this is not the beginning of serious back pain for you. Just in case it is and they suggest surgery...please, please, please get a second or third opinion. Back surgery in the T area is no joke!!! It is really serious business. Don't play around with this.
I don't mean to scare you, but the T spine is bad business. I have a few T spine issues..most of mine are L spine (lower) or C spine (cervical...neck). But, I know that back surgery is really major despite all of the "glowing" reports some surgeons give you. If they say they are the only one who can fix it...run...don't walk to someone else. This is the sign of overconfidence and nobody is the only one who can fix something. Find the absolute best to do anything with your back.
Also know there are other pain management options that can be done, from medication to other relatively simple things like a TENS unit (which gives small electrical pulses of some type and confuses the pain signals). It works for some and not for others. There are also nerve blocks, facet injections, steroid injections, RFA (basically never burning after a trial...this works good for me, but not for some others) and many other things.
Again, good luck on your appointment and please let us know how you are doing. We would love to have you as a part of our group, but hope you will heal quickly and not become a chronic pain patient.
All my best!
Failed TLIF L5-S1, Miltiple Bulges/Herniations, Scoliosis, Pituatary Disorder, Fibro, Failed Bladder Surgery, Failed Nissen, GERD, OCPD, GAD, MDD, CFS, TMJ, Migraines, HBP, Idiopatic Reactive Hypoglycemia w/Diabetic reaction to HGH, Bi-lateral CTS (now trigger finger), Edema, Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome, Peripheral Neuropathy, Plantar Fascitis, Tibular Tendonitis, Adult Onset Flat Feet, & Vision Issues