Once you’ve completed your back surgery, you probably expect lasting relief from your back or neck pain; that is, after all, the goal of the procedure. But what if the pain continues even after the surgery? Does it mean that something went wrong with the procedure? And what other steps can you take to put a stop to your discomfort? The following post covers what you need to know about overcoming your failed back surgery in Van Nuys.
What is Failed Back Surgery Syndrome?
Failed back surgery means that you have persistent back or neck pain even after you’ve completed your spine surgery. Despite the name, this doesn’t necessarily mean that there was a problem with the surgery itself. In many cases, it’s a case of poor patient selection; this means that there was no chance of the patient’s condition improving with the surgery no matter how it was performed. Before back surgery is performed, the surgeon needs to be able to identify the lesion that is causing the pain. Some lesions are more reliable than others, though, so in many cases the lesion that was operated on was not the actual source of the pain – hence why the surgery was ineffective.
Of course, there is the possibility of the procedure failing even if the right lesion is identified. Common risk factors for failed back surgery in Los Angeles include obesity, smoking, chronic pain related to other conditions, mental and emotional disorders like depression, and certain post-surgical issues.
What are the Symptoms of Failed Back Surgery?
Obviously, back pain that fails to go away or returns after the procedure is one of the biggest indicators of failed back surgery syndrome. There may also be neurological symptoms, such as numbness, weakness, or tingling sensations in specific parts of your body. In some cases, back pain or pain that radiates from one part of the body to another might also occur.
How Can Failed Back Surgery Be Treated?
Naturally, you may be disappointed that your back surgery did not give you the relief you were expecting, but fortunately there are other ways you can try and stop your pain. For example, in many cases noninvasive spinal decompression is still a viable option. This treatment gently stretches and relaxes your spine, giving you a chance to recover from herniated discs and other possible causes of back pain. Other therapies may be recommended based on the outcome of your surgery and the source of your discomfort.
Even if you do have failed back surgery syndrome, you don’t have to force yourself to live with the pain. Call your doctor or your chiropractor right away to let them know about your symptoms and see what other solutions are available.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Brigitte Rozenberg offers life-changing alternatives to back surgery in the form of non-surgical spine decompression and other treatments. Recently, she was appointed to the International Advisory Boards on Spinal Decompression, which consists of 20 professionals who have exhibited excellence in diagnosing and treating spinal disorders. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Rozenberg at Spinatomy Spine & Disc Centers to ask about failed back surgery, you can visit her website or call (818) 938-2132.
