Spine surgery is supposed to help relieve you of your spinal discomfort, and for the vast majority of patients, that’s exactly what it does. However, for a small percentage of individuals, they experience new or worsening pain as they recover after their spinal procedure. So what’s driving this new pain, and is it a cause for concern? We explain why you might be dealing with new back pain following your spine surgery in today’s blog.
Why Does My Back Hurt After Spine Surgery?
There are a number of reasons why you may be experiencing new back pain following your spinal procedure, some of which are a greater cause for concern than others. Here’s a look at some of the reasons why you may be dealing with new pain after your spinal procedure:
- Pain From Surgery – Even though you’ll likely be given local or general anesthesia, the surgical process won’t be completely painless. You’re going to have some discomfort when the sedative wears off, even if minimally invasive techniques were used. Surgery is a significant trauma on the body, and you’ll feel pain as tissues work to heal after having been cut in order to access the surgery site. This type of pain typically fades as healing progresses.
- Infection – New pain could also be a sign of the onset of an infection. If bacteria enter the wound site during the operation or before the incision site can close during your recovery, an infection can develop, leading to redness, discharge, warmth and pain at the location of the infection. If you suspect that you’re dealing with an infection, reach out to your care team immediately.
- Mismatched Expectations – It’s imperative that you and your spine surgeon are on the same page when it comes to your expectations following the operation and in the long run. Surgery can typically help to relieve some discomfort, but depending on your specific situation, it may not completely resolve your pain. If you expected to be pain free after your rehabilitation but there was too much degeneration or damage present, you may still have mild or moderate symptoms. You should feel better than you did prior to your operation, but lingering discomfort may still be present even if everything goes as planned, so talk about your long-term expectations with your doctor prior to your procedure.
- Blood Clot – In very rare instances, a blood clot or similar complication can arise in the wake of a spinal procedure. If you’re dealing with new or worsening pain, alongside coughing fits, swelling, chest pain or an increased pulse rate, you should be evaluated for a possible blood clot, but again this complication is extremely rare.
- Recurrent Issue/Failed Surgery – Finally, it’s possible that your pain is the result of a failed surgery or a recurrent issue that came back following the operation. If the operation didn’t address the root cause, or you rushed back to physical activity too quickly and healing didn’t progress as expected, back pain may develop. Don’t push yourself too hard until enough healing has occurred, otherwise you may suffer a setback or cause your original surgery to fail.
Dr. Sinicropi and his team have a great track record of helping people find relief from their back pain with the help of conservative treatment or a surgical operation. To learn more about how he can help you, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
