Failed Back Surgery Syndrome
Well, there is actually a syndrome (which is a collection of symptoms) called “Failed Back Surgery Syndrome”.
Reference Wikipedia [link here]. Apparently the failure of back surgery is so common it has generated its own clinical description.
Now, don’t get me wrong; in cases of spinal trauma and actual injury, there is no alternative and it is completel
y necessary.
But the top reason for spinal surgery? Back pain. What causes back pain? Primarily poor posture, usually combined with poor lifting techniques. I don’t see how surgery is a valid method of correcting this. Spinal fusion, where two or more vertebrae are fixed together, leads to complete immobility of that region of the spine. The spine is meant to allow mobility! So then there is extra stress placed on the adjacent vertebrae. Which will lead to more pain.
So, what to do. Well obviously try to prevent back pain by ensuring your posture is good and you lift correctly. See your Chiropractor regularly to keep your spine and nerves working properly. Keep active and maintain a healthy
weight. Stop smoking (yes that can affect your back!) [link here].
And if you already suffer from back pain, do all of the above! And get a second, third or tenth opinion on treatment options. Try all conservative healing regimens available to you before looking at surgery. Do not believe that spinal fusion or laminectomy is the only possible choice. Ask around and do your research before spending a great deal of money on something which is irreversible if the results are unsatisfactory.
References: [link here] [link here], [link here], [link here]
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Reader Comments
I just thought I would interest you in looking at the products from Lifewave. Especially the Icewave pain reliever that has been helping me a lot in my back problems but I had a back surgery 3 years ago. Take a look at my information site and there you can easily check out their products.
Any questions you can contact me also.
Take care
Gudmundur´s last blog ..Hello world!
I have been suffering from back pain since 1968. They tell me it is muscle spasm. It happen right after I had surgery on my leg. They did a spinal Tap.
Grampy´s last blog ..Coming Adventures
I think it’s very important to be fully educated about all your options when it comes to back pain. My chiro is the one that said I should keep looking when my pain was intolerable – he admitted that spinal work was not helping. Having a discectomy was the best thing I did – and according to everything I’ve seen about nerve damage, not delaying it was a big part of why it was so successful..
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Hi Jan & Dave, I feel worse now then I have ever felt since surgery. But yet I had two cysts on my spine too, could I have let them go and just not done the surgery? Thanks!
God bless,
Jodi
Jodi´s last blog ..What Flavor Ice Cream Are You?
You always have good information and I really need to check and see if you have info on a herniated disk, but I’m sort of rushed today trying to catch up with everybody, hope things are well with you…Jude
Jude´s last blog ..I’m Back/Retirement/Good News
Hi Jodi. Well we can’t advise on specific situations, and this site is about a Chiropractic approach to health. So basically without a lot of additional information, it’s impossible to say. Only you and your surgeon know all the details, and why surgery was recommended.
Hi Jude. There’s a big difference between a herniated disc and a bulging disc.
A herniated disc is like a tyre blow-out. It’s serious and needs surgical intervention. A bulging disc or prolapsed disc causes similar symptoms, however it can often be managed more conservatively. A bulging disc responds very well to Chiropractic care.
I know 4 people that have had back surgery and all of them are still in pain. I can not believe how people just seem to jump at this surgery. I would exhaust every other avenue and back surgery would be the absolute last thing I would ever do. My one friend has had to have 2 additional surgeries after the first one and gets pain so bad he has to go to the ER to get high doses of morphine. That is not a way to live. I’m off now to make an appointment with my chiro
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I’m in agreement with your comments about back surgery syndrome.
It was the very poor probability of cure with surgical methods of my OWN back that led me to become a chiropractor. I share this story, and my subsequent successful outcome with chiropractic methods, with all my patients and on my website http://wellnescarechiro.com.
Good health to you!
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