Is back surgery right for you? The answer is rarely simple. The decision of whether or not to have back surgery depends on several factors, from the severity of your condition to your age and risk factors.
Back surgery is commonly used to treat pinched or damaged spinal nerves from conditions like spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, and herniated disc. However, the process of nerve recovery after back surgery can be lengthy and uncomfortable. Nerve tissue takes a notoriously long time to heal.
With any type of surgical procedure, there are risks and possible complications to consider. So, if you’re a candidate for back surgery, you likely have many questions surrounding its risks.
When back pain from a spinal condition becomes chronic, physicians may present the option of spinal fusion surgery to patients. However, few patients want to undergo spinal fusion unless it’s the last resort. Spinal fusion involves all of the risks of other surgical procedures, along with the prospect of significantly reduced spinal mobility.
If you’ve been recommended to undergo spinal surgery for chronic back pain, the risk of complications is an important factor to take into account. In surgery, including spine surgery, deep vein thrombosis is a possible complication and area of concern for many patients.
The back surgery conversation is one that no one wants to have. Even with no medical background, people understand the potential implications of any damage to or compromise of the spine. So, it is not uncommon for people to start intensely worrying when lumbar back pain presents itself.