BACK PAIN AFTER SURGERY
Before your spine surgery the surgeon probably prepared you the for recovery and told what a normal time frame for pain improvement after the surgery.
Back Pain After Surgery
If post-surgical pain continues after the surgeons defined time or if your pain is continuing to after three months (12 weeks) following surgery you may have failed back syndrome.
What symptoms may indicate your spine surgery is “failed : and you may now have failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS), also known failed back surgery (FBS) and also known as post-laminectomy syndrome.
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Chronic pain Sustained, significant pain that lasts for more than 12 weeks, after surgery.
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New localized pain may be dull or sharp. This is the type of pain patients may experience immediately after surgery or after months to years after surgery. The most common place we see for this pain is around the buttock and sacroiliac joint. It is often misdiagnosed as SI joint syndrome after a fusion or laminectomy surgery.
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Neuropathic Pain is nerve-related pain is caused by damage to the nerves or spinal cord. During spine surgery retractors are used to keep tissue out of the surgical field so the surgeon can see the work area. This places traction on the nerves and can cause neuropathic pain. Examples of this type of pain include numbness, burning, tingling, weakness, and other abnormal sensations.
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Radicular pain (radiculopathy): Radicular pain radiates from one area to another (eg, from the low back down the buttocks, legs, and feet, such as sciatica).
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Original symptoms return When the symptoms surgery intended to correct come back or just never improve after surgery, it may indicate failed back surgery.
A Patient's Story - Back Pain Relief Without Another Surgery
Are you experiencing:
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You have pain lasting 12 weeks or longer after your surgery.
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A new localized pain after recovery that you did not have prior to surgery.
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New Neuropathic pain in the back or legs
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Continued or new radicular pain down your legs
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If your original symptoms return and are not helped by surgery
Conditions Associated With Back Pain After Surgery
Degenerative Disk Disease
Our spinal vertebrae and spinal cord are protected by fibrocartilaginous discs that act as shock absorbers, helping our spines move, flex and support our weight. Over time, the outer shell of these discs can be damaged by injury or simple wear and tear. As these tears increase, without healing, the result can be debilitating chronic pain…
Diagnosing and Treating Pain After Surgery
During your initial physical examination, Dr. Skaliy will ask about your prior procedure(s), then complete a physical examination in order to better assess the cause of your neck pain and develop an effective treatment plan.
During the physical examination, be prepared to answer specific questions about your symptoms, including:
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Where it hurts
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When it hurts
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How long it hurts
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What is the level of your pain
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Does anything make it better or worse
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Are you currently taking any medication, whether related to the pain or not
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Any recent injuries or accidents, even if you don’t think it’s related
Diagnostics may also include medical imaging like MRIs, X-rays, or CT scans.
The treatment protocol for conditions causing neck pain differ based on the type, severity and location of the pain. Dr. Skaliy specializes in minimally-invasive and nonsurgical solutions for conditions that cause pain.
Better Solutions for Back Pain After Surgery
Doctors have used Epidural Steroid Injections for many years to treat neck or back pain. This minimally-invasive treatment decreases or eliminates the inflammation caused by Degenerative Disc Disease, Spinal Stenosis, Herniated Disc Disease and Sciatica…
Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS), also called epidural nerve stimulation (ENS), is a minimally-invasive procedure with a 40-year track record of delivering proven relief to patients experiencing chronic pain. In this treatment, a safe and effective device delivers soothing electrical stimulation to the spinal cord, resulting in significant pain relief to the affected area…
At Atlanta Spine Specialist we are dedicated to helping people live a pain free life. In addition to these treatments we offer other minimally invasive treatments to heal your body.
Please call our office to learn more about these options (770) 844-3242.
