It’s hard to avoid problems that you can’t see coming, but the inverse is also true. If you are aware of some of the potential threats in a specific situation, you can take steps to mitigate their risk. These sentiments also apply to life after spine surgery. If you know some potential threats to a full recovery, you can ensure that your rehabilitation plan stays on schedule. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at five common obstacles to a successful recovery after spine surgery.
Be Aware Of Potential Pitfalls After Back Surgery
Be mindful of these potential obstacles to a healthy recovery so that your rehabilitation stays on track.
- Infection – While it’s possible that bacteria enter the incision site during the operation, it’s more common that issues with the surgical site arise days and weeks after surgery. If the incision site gets wet or you don’t properly change your dressing, your risk of infection can increase. Be sure to follow your doctor’s specific instructions in regards to caring for your incision site after your operation.
- Lack Of Effort – One of the biggest threats to your recovery is from lack of effort, but the good news is that you have full control over how much effort you give during your recovery and your physical therapy sessions. We know that it won’t always be easy, but push yourself to do your PT exercises and to stay active once given clearance, because you’re not going to make the best recovery by laying in bed all day.
- Too Much, Too Soon – Conversely, if you push yourself too hard before your spine is ready for it, you can suffer a setback during your recovery. Mind the restrictions put in place by your doctor, and if you believe you are ahead of schedule, reach out to get clearance ahead of time. Stay within your physical restrictions to avoid a major setback after surgery.
- Medication Mismanagement – Depending on the operation you underwent, it’s possible that you will be given some strong pain relieving medications to help manage discomfort during the early stages of your recovery. If you don’t take your medications as directed, you may find that pain keeps you from pursuing helpful activities like physical therapy, or you can end up developing a dependency to the drugs. Either way, medication mismanagement can cause problems for your recovery.
- Wrong Surgeon – Don’t get us wrong, most spine surgeons are great and can effectively perform your operation, but you want to make sure that you move forward with a surgeon that you have complete confidence in. If you’re just not vibing with your surgeon or their office, look elsewhere, because it could be a sign of problems down the road. Dr. Sinicropi and his team are committed to helping you during all stages of your back pain treatment, from the initial visit until your final follow up to ensure everything with your rehab stays on track.
For personalized advice on how you can keep your recovery from being derailed by any of these obstacles, or to talk to a spine surgeon about your current back issue, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
