Persistent Pain after Back Surgery Q&A

Back surgery will take a long time to get used to, and people frequently report nerve recovery to take greater than an entire year. Knowing how long the recovery process can be, there are various plausible explanations as to why someone might experience back pain post-surgery. The first and most common explanation is the natural healing process. Lingering pain for anywhere from 6 to 12 weeks is generally normal, but it will vary when taking the specific type of surgery and the severity of pain into consideration. Because of this, it is advised to get an idea of a normal recovery timeline by contacting your surgeon. In the early recovery phase, tissue is healing, and nerves are regaining proper function which may also cause irritation and pain due to how they heal. Another reason for persistent pain is that the condition was not completely resolved. This becomes especially apparent if experiencing the same symptoms before surgery. As a final potential reason for pain, the surgery could have had complications. When the condition is not completely resolved or if there is a complication that causes pain, this is typically referred to as a failed back syndrome.

Pain immediately following invasive medical procedures, such as surgery, is expected, but severe pain can be indicative of abnormal circumstances that require additional medical attention. Following back surgery, people are expected to feel very stiff and uncomfortable moving around for a few weeks, or even months as many nerves and tissue are still healing from the operation. The pain is expected to be at its worst within a few days after the surgery and begin to gradually fade away over 4-6 months. If this is not the case and pain progressively seem to ramp up day by day, or there is terrible back pain seemingly out of nowhere, this can be a sign of a complication or the initial issue not being fully resolved. These scenarios are indicative of failed back syndrome and will require professional opinion to address what exactly happened, and how to move forward and treat the pain or condition.

The ensuing days of back surgery are commonly agreed upon to be the most painful period of recovery. Thankfully, patients are prescribed painkillers to combat this unless a doctor states otherwise. Despite the help of painkillers, the period can still be quite uncomfortable and often lingers for about one week. With that being said, the duration does tend to vary and the pain can be experienced for a slightly longer duration for some. It is important to note that a patient should be able to confidently say that the level of pain has decreased about a month into recovery from the operation. In addition to pain, swelling will be very prominent within the first week as well, even more so within the first few days. Icing the area can help alleviate both the swelling and pain experienced during this period. If there is prolonged swelling or intense pain, it is highly recommended to contact a doctor to ensure that no complications have occurred.

Surgeries are invasive procedures, and as such, pain is not uncommon to experience following them. Pain is simply a natural reaction of the body to the invasive nature of surgeries. Firstly, many cuts and incisions are made during a surgical procedure. This physical trauma generally causes the area to become swollen, tender, and sore, but will not hurt for too long. Post-surgical pain can also be a direct result of the body’s nerves. Peripheral nerves may be cut during surgery, meaning that during the recovery period, they are also trying to fully regain their function. This is a longer-term pain, however, it will gradually see relief. The pain experienced from surgery should gradually become less, but this is not always the case. Persistent and severe pain is indicative of complications or the initial issue not being fully resolved. In this event, contacting a physician and telling them about your symptoms will help get on track to resolving the problem.

Up to 40% of patients continue to feel pain after surgery. Visit American Pain and Wellness, our team of professionals can help you to get relief from your condition. For more information, please contact us or book an appointment online. We have convenient locations to serve you in Allen TX and Plano TX. We serve patients from Allen TX, Plano TX, Fairview TX, McKinney TX, Parker TX, Lucas TX, Murphy TX, Frisco TX, Richardson TX, and Collin County Texas.