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Failed Back Surgery Symptoms

Failed back surgery, also known as failed back surgery syndrome, is a condition that presents itself in some people after a surgical procedure has been performed on their back. Often referred to as simply FBSS, this condition is a form of chronic pain syndrome. Recurrent disc herniation is one of the main contributing factors of FBSS, but you may also develop similar problems out of post-operative pressure, scar tissue, joint instability and other disorders, including diabetes, depression or even cardiovascular disease. Certain clean symptoms of the condition can soon follow a back surgery.

  1. Pain

    • Of all the symptoms of failed back surgery syndrome, pain is by far the most common. This pain can vary from person to person, ranging in intensity from a dull ache to a shooting pain. For some, pain is isolated within the back itself, usually around the area of operation. For others, it actually diffuses out into other regions of the body, especially within one or both legs.

    Prickling

    • It is also quite common for FBSS to cause a prickling or tingling sensation, but this unusual feeling isn't often felt within the back. Instead, most people experience these sensations in their outer extremities, such as their feet, legs, hands and arms. You may also suffer this sensation within the shoulder or neck, depending on the area of operation.

    Numbness

    • Sometimes, the prickling or tingling is accompanied by a numbness or lack of feeling within these same areas of the body. This numbness is often linked to pressure placed on a nerve within the spinal column that is hindering communication between the affected extremity and the brain. Depending on the severity of pressure, the pricking or tingling can be either persistent or intermittent.

    Weakness

    • In more severe cases of failed back surgery syndrome, you may actually begin to experience weakness within the extremity affected by post-operative pressure on the associated nerve. And much like the sensation of numbness, it is the limited communication between the appendage and the brain that is causing this newfound weakness.

    Mobility

    • Failed back surgery syndrome can also cause a change in your mobility, even worsening after a surgical procedure. In this situation, you may notice a more limited range of motion, affecting your ability to bend or twist the lower back. It is also possible to suffer from weakness within the legs or even arms, based on the nerve affected by the compression.

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