Preparing for Spinal Surgery
Whether to treat a slipped disc from age-related spinal degeneration or a traumatic spinal cord injury, spinal surgery is never taken lightly. When lower back surgery is selected as the preferred treatment option, it indicates that the condition being treated is severe.
Spine surgery comes along with the expectation that it will provide a meaningful improvement in the targeted medical condition. This improvement generally includes a reduction in the patient’s pain, as well as restored movement.
With these improvements in mind, there’s actually much to look forward to while you prepare for spine surgery! To ensure that the procedure and recovery go as smoothly as possible, consider these tips:
Get in Shape
So, what’s our top tip for how to prepare for spinal surgery? Get in the best shape you can – mentally and physically.
To improve your physical fitness, exercise thoughtfully and eat a healthy diet. Exercising can be difficult when you’re dealing with a spinal condition. However, maintaining muscle strength and flexibility, as well as reaching a healthy weight, will aid in your spinal surgery recovery.
Additionally, exercising boosts endorphins, the body’s natural “feel good” chemicals. Endorphins can help you manage stress, pain, and your general mental well-being leading up to spinal surgery.
Which Exercises Are The Best For Lower Back Pain Surgery?
Certain physical activities are safer and more beneficial for patients with spinal conditions than others. These activities include:
- Walking
- Bicycling and stationary cycling
- Low-impact and water aerobics
- Swimming
- Yoga and tai chi
- Resistance and stretching exercises
We recommend speaking to your physician before starting any new exercise regimen. Your physician can inform you of any exercises to avoid as you prepare for spinal surgery.
Additionally, as a general rule of thumb, avoid high-impact activities, like running and jogging, while you’re recovering from a spinal condition. High-impact activities can place added stress on the spine and may impede its recovery process.
How Does Weight Loss Benefit Spinal Surgery Preparation?
Extra weight places stress on the back. In fact, excess weight leads to increased impact on the spine with each step that you take, potentially complicating back surgery recovery.
A 2017 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that intervertebral disc disorder and chronic lower back pain are connected to obese and overweight body status. With this in mind, losing weight can support the outcome of your spinal procedure and recovery.
However, lose weight sensibly! Extreme and unhealthy weight loss can compromise your condition leading up to the surgery.
Here are our top tips for losing weight healthily:
- Eat regular meals, and don’t skip breakfast.
- Listen to hunger cues.
- Use smaller plates and bowls for healthier portion sizes.
- Rather than cutting out foods altogether, treat yourself in moderation.
- Stay hydrated by sipping on water throughout the day, especially around mealtimes.
- Add high-fiber foods, such as whole grains, legumes, berries, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, to your diet.
Quit Smoking
If you smoke, it’s in your best interest to quit before spinal surgery. Smoking is detrimental to the success of spinal surgery, as well as the body’s healing process, even for minimally-invasive spine surgery.
Nicotine constricts the blood vessels. This means that when you smoke, the circulation throughout your body decreases. As a result, all of your cells, including those in your spine, will receive less of the oxygen and nutrients that they need to heal.
Decreased blood flow from smoking can also prevent surgical wounds from closing and increase the risk of infection. The infection risk after spinal surgery is further increased in smokers because smoking hampers the immune system.
Smokers are also at a higher risk of complications from surgery, including stroke, heart attack, shock, and even death.
Several clinical studies illustrate the risk of smoking for patients with spinal conditions:
- A 2015 study found that smoking was linked to increased complications and worse outcomes in three out of four of the largest diagnostic groups. These groups included 136,511 patients admitted for spinal disease treatment.
- A 2017 study found that smoking significantly raises the risk of pseudoarthrosis (spinal fusion failure) in patients undergoing cervical and lumbar fusions. This study also found that smoking increases the risk of other complications including infection, dysphagia, and adjacent-segment pathology.
- A 2016 study found that smoking significantly influenced the overall perioperative complication rate.
What If I Can’t Quit Smoking?
If you don’t quit smoking, you’ll be required to stop approximately four to six weeks before the lower back herniated disc surgery and other spinal procedures. You’ll also need to abstain from smoking for two weeks after the procedure.
Quitting smoking can be difficult, to say the least. Here are a few tips that may help you quit before spine surgery:
- Ask for loved ones to support you in the coming weeks.
- Consider joining a stop-smoking support group.
- Avoid scenarios that put you at a high risk of smoking, such as drinking with friends or being around people who smoke.
Review Medications
Talk to your doctor about all of the medications that you’re taking long before undergoing spinal surgery. Be very thorough, as even herbal supplements can impact your recovery or interact with other medications prescribed for surgery.
There are a few different types of drugs that you generally must stop taking before surgery. These include:
- Anticoagulants
Anticoagulants are also known as blood thinners. This type of medication prevents the formation of blood clots. But, before surgery, blood thinners also raise your risk of bleeding. So, it’s crucial to talk to your prescribing physician and surgeon about the right time to stop taking anticoagulants before surgery.
Common prescription anticoagulants include warfarin, NSAIDs, enoxaparin, ticlopidine, clopidogrel, and dipyridamole. Additionally, there are several over-the-counter and herbal anticoagulants, including aspirin, NSAIDs (like ibuprofen), vitamin E, ginger, garlic, and ginkgo biloba.
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
MAOIs remove specific neurotransmitters from the brain. This category of drugs includes certain antidepressants and anti-Parkinson drugs. Unfortunately, MAOIs also interfere with the medications utilized during anesthesia and should be stopped about a week or two before spinal surgery.
All MAOIs are prescription medications. Examples include tranylcypromine, phenelzine, rasagiline, and isocarboxazid.
Mental and Emotional Preparation Strategies
As vital as physical preparations are to a successful surgery, mental and emotional strategies are equally crucial to your overall well-being. Recommendations include:
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- Gathering a reliable support system: Talk to your loved ones, ideally setting up plans to have someone stay with you after the surgery. But aside from having help around the house, a circle of support can help keep you socially engaged and remain positive after surgery.
- Setting realistic expectations: Research shows that patient satisfaction improves when they have realistic expectations going into spine surgery. Talk to your doctor about what to expect from the procedure, and understand that while it won’t necessarily cure your pain (and that its benefits may take several months to appear), it’s the best path forward for your condition.
- Practicing relaxation and mindfulness techniques: Relaxation and mindfulness can help ease stress and anxiety after surgery. These techniques may also help manage pain sensitivity and overall function, according to research. By practicing them before going into surgery, you’ll be prepared to call upon them quickly, even when you’re exhausted from the procedure. Here are a few to get started with:
- Box breathing: Sit in a comfortable position. Slowly inhale through your nose for four counts. Hold the breath for four counts, then slowly exhale through your mouth for four more counts.
- Guided imagery. Sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Take a few deep breaths, then picture a calming, peaceful scene. Use your imagination to add details to the setting, making it more vivid, and continue to breathe deeply.
- Positive affirmations: Repeat positive statements to help you stay optimistic and centered. Examples include “My body is resilient”, “I embrace healing”, and “I am recovering well”.
Timeline: What to Do Before Surgery
With so many steps to take before going into spinal surgery, it’s wise to create a schedule, ensuring you tick off each task as it needs to be completed. While you should get exact timeframes from your doctor (they can vary slightly from patient to patient), here’s a general guide:
- Quit smoking: ASAP, at least six weeks before
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- Complete pre-operative exam: Within a month of the procedure
- Stop taking anticoagulants: Four to 10 days before
- Prepare your home, finish chores, and stock up on groceries: During the week before
- Confirm care plans for during and after surgery: Two to five days before
- Stop shaving any body region: Two days before
- Stop eating and drinking: The night before
Financial and Insurance Preparation
Health insurance claims can be complicated, to say the least. But understanding your policy and prepping for any upfront costs can help streamline the process. Consider these tips:
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- Confirm coverage: Spine surgery is often covered by insurance when deemed medically necessary. You can confirm this in advance by obtaining the required documentation, which typically includes imaging and proof that conservative treatments were unsuccessful. Some plans also require pre-authorization.
- Get in-network care: Make sure your care team is in-network with your insurance plan.
- Prepare for out-of-pocket expenses: This may include copayments, deductibles, and annual coverage limits.
- Consider payment plans: Some providers and insurance providers offer payment plans to make out-of-pocket costs more manageable.
Important Questions to Ask Your Surgical Team
Before spinal surgery, leave no stone unturned—your surgical team is there to help you through the process and keep you informed at every step. Important questions to ask include:
- How many of these procedures have you done before?
- What will my recovery look like?
- How long do I need to take off work?
- What are the risks of this procedure?
- What are my options for anesthesia?
- How long will the procedure take?
Get Well Informed
Prepare for lower back surgery by learning as much as you can about the facets of your spinal condition, as well as the available treatments. There are numerous lower back surgery types, especially with recent advances in the medical field. Different types of lower back surgery may offer unique benefits and drawbacks.
Regain your mobility with Premia Spine! Contact us now
One essential aspect of education before lumbar spine surgery is to understand the expected recovery period. Spine surgery recovery can last anywhere from a few months to a year if you undergo lower back fusion surgery.
Learning about the recovery time for lower back surgery well in advance of your procedure will streamline your healing process. With this knowledge, you can better plan how much help you’ll need around the house, how much time to take off from work, and when you can expect to return to your favorite activities.
Learn About Recent Innovations in Spinal Surgery
The last few years have seen dramatic advances in spinal procedures that can provide significantly improved clinical outcomes and shorter recovery periods. The TOPS™ (Total Posterior Solution) System, often used in the treatment of spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, and other back problems involving a pinched nerve, is one such advanced procedure.
TOPS™ is an implant system approved for use as an alternative to lumbar spine fusion surgery after spinal decompression. The TOPS™ System preserves the independent flexion and bending of the individual vertebrae. This is in contrast to fusion surgery of the lower back, which eliminates this independent motion and can contribute to the deterioration of adjacent vertebrae.
The TOPS™ System has also been shown in clinical studies to provide better short- and long-term outcomes than spinal fusion.
Before undergoing spinal surgery, make sure to learn everything that you can about your condition and surgical options. By thoroughly discussing your treatment plan with your physician and asking any questions that come to mind, you’ll be far better prepared for your back surgery.
