Post-Op Pain Management After Spine Surgery

Back pain after spinal surgery can be frustrating. After all, you had the surgery to eliminate pain. Unfortunately, pain after any surgery is inevitable, and pain after spine surgery -- even minimally invasive surgery -- is to be expected. Your body has been invaded, there is an incision and muscles need to realign based on what was fixed. All of this adds up to pain. Pain management is an essential part of your road to recovery.

Recuperating Pain

• You will experience an array of aches and pains after surgery, regardless of how successful it may have been. The incision site may be sensitive and swollen. If your spine was corrected, muscles will burn and ache as they work as intended, possibly even going into spasm. These types of pains are normal and are treated by prescription and non-prescription drugs.

  Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications are recommended for minor pain. These will also help with inflammation, reducing pressure on the area and further reducing pain. Stronger narcotics may be prescribed for pain as well as muscle spasms. These are strong drugs that have a low tolerance for addiction. Discuss your pain and medication use with your doctor.

Failed Surgery

• Some patients go through surgical procedures only to have no pain relief from the initial condition. Others may develop secondary problems as a result of scar tissue or surgical errors. If this is the case, the same prescription and over-the-counter medications may be prescribed. In addition, other pain management efforts must be explored, including electrical stimulation, nerve blockers and further surgery.