Many sufferers of back pain fear back surgery. For good reason – back surgery is a very daunting prospect, and is often the last resort for people with chronic back pain. It is always best to exhaust all other options before having to undertake back surgery.

The following article from the Gloucester Times provides information about some of the important facts about back surgery.

Facts About Back Surgery

 

It is vital to get all the facts about back surgery before deciding on the best back pain relief options

Informing yourself of the risks and benefits of any procedure is, at the very least, prudent. So here are some facts about various lumbar decompressive surgeries that every patient should know before going into the operating room:

 

You’ll likely be better than before. Many patients assume that once you touch the back with a knife it’s never the same — and they’re right. Surgery often alleviates mechanical compression and the symptoms you were experiencing. Bad outcomes are rare, so rest easy —most people are very satisfied at the three-month mark.

 

Recovery is long and enduring. Post-operative recovery varies broadly among patients, but you can bet it will be at least two months before you’re fully functional. Many preoperative symptoms will be gone, but it’ll take some time before you feel like you’re your old self.

 

Not having surgery may not be an option. Most back surgery is elective, but scores of cases are considered medical emergencies. Severe nerve root compression or deformities of the spine must be corrected as soon as possible or those patients could be risking a catastrophic loss of function. Disc herniations and spinal stenosis are examples of disorders that if left untreated, could result in permanent sciatica or the inability to walk more than a few minutes at a time.

 

Operating on the lumbar spine shouldn’t affect your neck. Some patients believe that if you alter one part of the spine, you’ll change the whole thing because it’s all connected. While the spine is a delicate, balanced structure, cervical procedures rarely impact the low back and vice versa. And conversely, don’t expect a neck surgery to cure pain in your low back. Each area tends to give region specific pain only. So, for better or worse, the ramifications of surgery generally don’t extend outside of the immediate area.

 

It’s common to have post-operative pain. In fact, many patients wake up with more pain than prior to surgery. During the procedure, nerves and ligaments need to be mobilized, bones shaved down, muscles cut and retracted and skin sewn together.

 

That’s quite a bit of trauma if you think about it. Give it a few weeks before you start to make a judgment about the pain you’re in.

 

Full article

 

Here is a video showing a live keyhole laminectomy procedure. If you are a bit queazy then brace yourself.

This video gives an animated simulation of a spinal fusion operation.

Some interesting videos there! It is quite confronting watching someone saw off some backbone and fiddling in amongst someone’s spinal cord. Most back pain sufferers won’t get to that point, but for those who are considering it, it is important to speak to your doctor or specialist at leangth and ask many questions to get alll the facts about back surgery.

If you have no other option it is vital to be armed with all the facts – and also understand that the percentages may not often be in your favour, depending on your specific back condition. It is also important to understand that the rehabilitation after back surgery requires patience and dedication.

To find out more about back surgery, and the alternative back pain relief options, be sure to grab a copy of The 7 Day Back Pain Cure which is available for free on this website.