Back surgery is a serious issue and it may even lead to permanent disability. The good news is that you don’t have to suffer through the pain. There are many effective ways to recover faster from back surgery without experiencing severe side effects. So how do you get started?
What about Surgery?
Before we start addressing how you can recover faster and with less pain, let’s talk about surgery and your options. Surgery is a serious medical procedure that has its benefits but can also have serious side effects. It is essential to know how long the recovery period will be before going in for surgery. In most cases, you can expect a full recovery in about a year, but this can vary from patient to patient.
Types of surgeries
There are three main types of surgeries that you can recover from faster with less pain. These include:
- Back Surgery: This is for those people who have already been diagnosed with a herniated disk in their back. Surgical intervention is needed to repair the disk, relieve pain, and improve the patient’s posture.
- Lumbar Fusion: This type of surgery involves an attempt to reinforce a portion of a disc in a person’s back by getting rid of the pain and inflammation by fusing two different vertebrae. It is usually used when discs have started to break down earlier or significant damage from injuries or degeneration.
- Laminotomy: This is a less aggressive approach to lumbar disk surgery that involves removing a portion of the bone that has compressed the nerve root. It is usually used when a disc in the lumbar spine becomes herniated and begins to press on a nerve root.
TOPS System vs. Spine Fusion
The TOPS is a mechanical implant device that helps to stabilize one or more discs in the spine. It is suitable for people who have pain due to herniations, where the bone has cracked or torn but not yet herniated. The TOPS system should be used with non-surgical interventions, such as physical therapy, for best results.
The Spine Fusion procedure is when a doctor fuses two vertebrae so that they are tighter together. This procedure is for people who have experienced traumatic injuries to their spine that have destroyed their discs. Permanent damage has occurred because of the impact of the trauma on the spinal cord.
How to recover from back surgery faster?
Now that you have learned about the different types of back surgeries, it is time to learn how to recover faster from it. There are several effective ways to achieve this, such as:
- Physical Therapy exercises
- Pain Management
- Exercise at home
Physical therapy
- Physical therapy is vital for achieving fast recovery from back surgery.
- Physical therapy can teach you how to use your body in a way that will relieve pain, reduce disability, give you better posture, and increase mobility.
- The exercises are designed specifically for injury patients who want to move their bodies without experiencing too much pain.
- With physical therapy, you can make your muscles strong enough so that they can support your body weight. This will help you to stay active and improve your mood.
- Physical therapy can be done at a hospital by a qualified physical therapist, or you can explore at-home options and purchase the necessary equipment and hire a physical therapist who will come to your home to help guide you through your recovery.
Pain management
- Pain management is also essential for many people who have undergone back surgery.
- While pain management does not address the underlying issue of what caused back surgery in the first place, it can enable you to take less medication and feel better as you undergo physical therapy.
- Pain management techniques that you can use include:
- Heat or Cold Therapy – Cold or heat therapy is an excellent way to reduce swelling and inflammation around the area where the surgery took place. It can help to improve the patient’s back pain and reduce the occurrence of painful flare-ups.
- Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that uses tiny needles to stimulate specific points on the body as a means for relaxation and healing. The needles are placed in various locations on various parts of your body, depending on the type of treatment you want.
- Herbal Remedies – Herbs have been used since biblical times as natural medicines, so there is a good deal of familiarity with them daily. This makes them one of the more popular forms of pain management. Herbal pain relief is often most effective when used in combination with other healing methods.
- Nerve Blockers – There are different types of nerve block techniques with varying degrees of success. These can be done by a qualified medical professional or with the help of a trained EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) therapist. The technique involves using your fingers to probe muscles and nerves within the area to determine where the pain is located, then placing an acupuncture needle at that spot.
Exercise at home
- Adequate physical activity can also help you to recover faster from back surgery. This includes getting up and moving around every day, taking short walks, exercising your lower back, and doing exercises that work on strengthening your core muscles.
- Exercise at the right intensity is necessary for people who have had a lumbar fusion because bone fusion will usually result in loss of muscle mass.
- If you are not working out at an intense enough level, you could end up losing muscle mass or even bone mass.
- Losing weight is not necessarily a bad thing if it helps to get rid of pressure on bones, but any excess fat will make the recovery process more difficult.
Other Tips for recovering from back surgery faster
The following tips can also help you recover quickly after undergoing back surgery:
- Avoid smoking – Smoking will put you at risk for increased risk of infection, which can improve recovery time.
- Stay active – Movement is essential. While you should avoid intense exercise, gentle movement will help to relieve stress, improve blood flow, and boost your mood.
- Get a new pillow – A good night’s sleep is crucial for recovery after undergoing back surgery. A new pillow can help support your body and reduce pain during the process of healing from surgery.
- Avoid sitting for too long – Stay active by moving around often. If you have to sit for some time, always try to change positions, so your body does not get too tight or stiff from the prolonged time spent in one position.
Conclusion
The spine has many functions, and it is no wonder there is such a wide variety of surgical procedures available to help patients recover from back surgery faster. The most important thing to remember is that back surgery does not automatically mean that you will just feel better or return to your normal activities right away. It takes time and careful planning for the patient and doctor to get you back on track after undergoing back surgery.