3 Common Fears Related to Spine Surgery
Nobody likes the thought of having spine surgery. The good news is surgery is often a last resort after other attempts at meaningful relief have been made with medication and various forms of physical therapy. Even when spine surgery becomes the option most likely to minimize or eliminate your pain, you may have some understandable fears about your procedure. Rest assured this is perfectly normal. If you're like most patients, you probably have one or more of the following common fears related to spine surgery.1. Spine Surgery Is Painful
The precision when it comes to things like anesthesia and post-surgery pain management is much greater today than it was in the past. However, this doesn't mean you won't have any discomfort after your operation. What it does mean is that you're less likely to experience severe pain that can't be effectively reduced or managed. Additionally, many common spine procedures, including fusion surgery, are performed with less invasive techniques that minimize pain with:• Smaller incisions requiring less healing time
• Less disruption to nearby muscles
• Fewer surgical complications and risks
It's not unusual to have a slight increase in pain after spine surgery as your post-surgery meds wear off and you transition to other forms of pain management. However, many patients who have successful surgery ultimately experience less pain than what they were managing prior to their procedure, and some even enjoy pain-free movement.
2. Something Might Go Wrong
There's always the possibility of something unexpected happening during any type of surgery. However, Beverly Hills spine surgeons have a lot of experience with common decompression and stabilization procedures, so they typically know what to look for. Plus, they carefully monitor during procedures. If there are complications, they are usually minor or easily controllable and correctable.3. You'll Miss a Lot of Work
Spine surgery is rarely urgently needed, so you'll likely be able to make plans with your employer in advance of your procedure. Many employers offer paid leave options. If paid leave isn't available at your workplace, you may qualify for short-term disability to maintain some type of income as you recover. Some options worth considering:• Make arrangements to do some of your work from home until you can safely get back to going to the office in person
• Ask your doctor if there is a less-invasive surgical option available that might reduce your recovery time
• Set up a payment plan for anything not covered by your insurance so missing work won't be disruptive to your available financial resources
• Ask your doctor if there might be other non-surgical options you haven't tried yet if you really want to postpone or avoid surgery and minimize missed work time
There is no guarantee any type of spine surgery will be successful. However, many precautions are taken while patients undergo surgery. You can take steps to minimize your discomfort during recovery by listening to your doctor's instructions, watching what you eat, not pushing yourself too hard, using assistive devices to avoid over-stretching and reaching, and getting help from family members and friends with more strenuous tasks.
If you are experiencing chronic spine pain and believe you might need surgery, reach out to the spine health experts at The Spine Institute. Call our office today at 310-828-7757 to schedule an in-person evaluation.
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