Do you ever fully recover from back surgery?

On average, back surgery recovery takes 12 weeks. However, it can take up to six months for your back to fully heal, depending on the correction.

Can you live a normal life after back surgery?

While most people recover from back pain through exercise and healthy lifestyles, those who require surgery can expect to return to work and "get their life back" too.

What percentage of back surgeries are successful?

What Percentage of Back Surgeries Are Successful? One study estimated the success rate for back surgeries to be about 50%. This estimate is conservative, as most success rates depend on a wide variety of factors.

What limitations do you have after back surgery?

Don't forget about your restrictions for the first 6 weeks after surgery. You need to avoid twisting and bending. You also need to avoid lifting, pushing or pulling objects greater than 5 lbs. Lifting and activity restrictions will be gradually removed as the healing process takes place.

How long does back surgery last?

A traditional spinal fusion surgery with general anesthesia takes about four hours and requires a hospital stay of three to four days as well as IV painkillers. The awake spine surgery takes half the time and typically has patients out of the hospital within 24 hours.

Top 10 Tips for Recovering Well After Spine Surgery

Why is back surgery not recommended?

One of the primary reasons why back surgery should be avoided is the risk. All surgeries carry the risk of infection, excessive bleeding, and nerve injury. Not to mention many people don't like being put under general anesthesia or that they may have to use potentially addictive pills to manage the pain after surgery.

Is back surgery a big deal?

Back surgery can carry higher risks than some other types of surgery because it is done closer to the nervous system. The most serious of these risks include paralysis and infections. Even with a successful surgery, the recovery time can be long.

Are you considered disabled after back surgery?

Yes, spinal fusion is a disability according to the SSA. If you are unable to work for at least 12 months due to the severity of your spinal fusion and can meet a Blue Book listing, the SSA may consider you disabled.

Can you ever bend again after spinal fusion?

Once the surgeon confirms on x-ray imaging that the fusion has completely solidified into one bone, a full return to an active lifestyle—including bending, lifting, and twisting—is permitted. This approval typically occurs about 6 months after the surgery, but sometimes it may take closer to 12 months.

Is back surgery extremely painful?

Myth #3: Recovery from spine surgery is unbearably painful.

In general, pain is usually the worst during the first one to three days after the surgery. After that, it should begin to subside. You may feel some mild to moderate pain for up to six weeks after the surgery, but you should not feel severe pain.

How successful is L4 L5 back surgery?

“It was an extremely large herniation of the L4–L5 disc, the one most commonly injured,” explains Dr. Anderer. The success rate for disc surgery is about 90 percent, but even so, he considers it only if symptoms persist for more than 6 weeks.

What is the most common back surgery?

Spinal decompression and fusion: It is the most common spine surgery performed in the U.S., and it's performed to take pressure off of “pinched” nerves and/or the spinal cord and to stabilize the spine.

Can spinal fusion cause problems later in life?

Spinal fusion can cause problems later in life, namely hardware failure, adjacent segment disease (ASD), or spinal muscle injuries. All of these problems can lead to new or reoccurring back pain and neurological symptoms.

Is spinal fusion a permanent disability?

Those who get spinal fusion surgery do see permanent restrictions due to the fact that the surgery fuses the targeted vertebrae of the spine.

Does spinal fusion surgery last forever?

Spinal fusion surgery is, usually, a highly effective procedure. Once the fusion sets, the effects are permanent, so the results can last for life.

What to expect 12 months after spinal fusion?

6-12 Months Post-Surgery

At this stage, you will visit your orthopedic specialist to confirm the surgery was successful and that your vertebrae have fused as expected. Once you've got the go-ahead from your orthopedic specialist, you can start returning to normal life, including bending, twisting, and lifting!

What are the cons of spinal fusion?

How often does back surgery fail?

Up to 40% of patients have experienced continued pain after surgery, which is often referred to as Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS).

How long is physical therapy after back surgery?

Your physical therapist will also work with you and teach you how to move correctly so that you can avoid future injuries to your back. While your physical therapy treatment may last four to six weeks, your recovery may last up to four months.

What can I do instead of back surgery?

Why you shouldn't get a spinal fusion?

Spinal Instability and your pain issues

We don't like to recommend spinal fusion because it does not, in many cases, correct the underlying problems of lumbar spinal instability as many people would think it would. In fact, spinal fusion surgery may increase spinal instability and degeneration.

What are the side effects of back surgery?

How successful is L5 S1 surgery?

There was an overall 80% fusion rate for all patients who underwent anterior lumbar fusion at L5-S1. Average age was 34 years, with average length of disability from low-back pain of 11 months.

Why are people afraid of back surgery?

Bad experience in family/friends undergone spine surgery

People might have observed paralysis after surgery, which is very rare. Some other complications of spinal surgery are nerve injuries, facial sores vision loss, blood clots, and infection commonly observed.

When is the best time to have back surgery?

If You Do Need Surgery, Timing Matters. In most cases, back surgery isn't a rush. Lehman often tells patients with herniated (or “slipped”) discs, or degenerative spine conditions that are slow to get worse, to wait 6 weeks before surgery. This gives him a chance to see if your body will heal on its own.