After a series of massages, medication, and pain-relieving medication without success, the next option your healthcare provider might suggest to alleviate your debilitating symptoms is back surgery. The idea of going for spine surgery in East Brunswick can be challenging due to the myths surrounding the treatment that might make decision-making difficult. Before accepting or declining the surgical process, learn of the treatment’s misconceptions and discuss them with your doctor to know if the procedure is what you need to help alleviate your symptoms. The various myths surrounding spine surgery include:
All spinal surgeries are complex
Though your spine is a significant part of the body, not every surgery involving it is complex. Some procedures your surgeon might suggest are minimally invasive, meaning that the healthcare professional will use tiny incisions instead of extensive cuts during the treatment. Examples of spinal problems that might significantly benefit from a minimally invasive treatment include:
- Herniated disc
- Lumbar stenosis
- Spinal deformities like scoliosis
- Spinal instability
- Spinal infections
All spinal complications need surgery
Besides surgical care, non-surgical options your surgeon might suggest to relieve your debilitating symptoms include acupuncture, medication, and physical therapy. Every spinal patient needs to know the different treatment options to make the right choice.
Spine surgery will make you addicted to pain relievers
The opioids your surgeon might prescribe to help you with the excruciating post-surgical pain can be addictive. Do not fret if the medical professional recommends pain-relieving medication for the pain. Instead of the addictive drugs, your surgeon might suggest anti-inflammatory drugs, chemical-releasing medications, or nerve pain-relieving drugs to help minimize the pain. Additionally, you will not need to rely solely on medications during recovery. Your primary physician might recommend non-medicinal options like rehab or physiotherapy to help strengthen your spinal cord.
Recovery after the procedure is unbearable and will last long
Experiencing debilitating symptoms after a complex spinal procedure is not unusual. Unfortunately, the pain can be severe a few days after the treatment. The best part is that the pain might subside approximately three days after the process, leaving you with moderate pain that might resolve after around six weeks. Additionally, your recovery might not be extensive. Factors likely to determine the extent of your recovery include your general health, the type of procedure, and your treatment area.
When is back surgery an option?
A surgical procedure is not always the first option your surgeon will suggest. The process might be an option when other conservative treatments like therapy and medication fail to provide relief. The treatment usually relieves associated pain and numbness that might extend to your arms or legs. Nerve compression may result from:
Bone spurs. Conditions like osteoarthritis cause bone overgrowth that might affect your hinge joints on your spinal column, narrowing down the available space for your nerves.
Disc complications. Disc herniation pressing tightly on your spinal nerves might affect their functions, resulting in painful symptoms.
Unrelenting back pain can be disabling. The symptoms you are likely to feel result from nerve compression, usually in different areas of your spine. Do not let adverse spinal complications paralyze your mobility when seeking professional help.
