Pain After Back Surgery & Back Surgery Recovery

Call (618) 235-1500 :: The medical team at Esquire Sports Medicine is experienced in postoperative rehabilitation for back surgery.

Pain management is a concern after back surgery because it can affect your recovery. Pain in your back after a procedure is an indication that there is swelling, which is causing a nerve to compress. The quicker you let Dr. Brunkhorst get to work on controlling your pain, the quicker the swelling will subside, and mobility will be restored.

A painful back injury can occur in the lower, mid, or upper region and be caused by any number of traumas. The sustained impact of a car accident is a common cause, as are sports injury and injuries sustained at work. There are many different types of surgery to the back that may be performed depending on your condition. Some of these include:

• Discectomy – The surgeon will expose the painful area of the back and remove the disc that is irritating the nerve. To access the disc, part of the back of the vertebrae will be removed.
• Laminectomy – For those suffering from spinal stenosis, the removal of the bone laying on top of the spinal canal may be the only way to relieve the pain. This procedure works by enlarging the spinal canal to relieve nerve pressure that is being caused by the condition.
• Fusion – If you have a degenerative spinal injury, server spinal trauma, or disc herniations, a fusion of the vertebral column will restrict the movement and add stability.

After having any of these surgeries, there is an extensive period afterward before the swelling subsides, and the pain is relieved. However, you can accelerate your recovery by implementing a back surgery rehabilitation plan with Dr. Brunkhorst and the medical team at Esquire Sports Medicine.

Understanding Post-Surgery Rehabilitation

We suggest meeting with Dr. Brunkhorst before your back surgery. Knowing the extent of your injury beforehand will go a long way in constructing an effective therapy plan that will work quickly on relieving your pain and discomfort. A patient who undergoes rehabilitation following back surgery will have a faster and longer-lasting recovery than those who do not. No matter what type of surgery you have experienced, you need to be actively engaged in a rehabilitation program.