Post Lumbar Surgery Instructions

The lumbar region is where the five largest and strongest of the movable vertebrae are located, along with some important nerves, bones, and muscles. When any part of the lumbar region is damaged--and regular treatment options fail--then lumbar surgery is required.

Apart from some minor adjustments your doctor may have, there are general, but extremely important, instructions to follow after surgery to avoid damaging your lumbar region further during the recovery process.

Post-Op

• Following your lumbar surgery, you may not be able to sit for extended amounts of time, because your spine and back muscles need to heal first.

  In the first two to three days after any type of lumbar surgery, Neurological Consultants P.A., Dallas, recommends sitting for minimal amounts of time, basically only to get in and out of bed and to use the toilet. They recommend standing while eating, not sitting up in bed to do so (because it uses the muscles you are trying to heal).

  After that first few days of extremely restricted activity, you should still try to minimize the amount of time you spend sitting, according to the Neurological Consultants. If you need to sit, only use straight-backed chairs to minimize the pressure on your lumbar region--no sofas or recliners that will put strain on your low back and lumbar area. If you need to lie down, you may only do so in a bed.

  While your doctor will give you specific instructions tailored to your individual needs, the Neurological Consultants P.A. has one more piece of advice about these first few days of post-op care: "If you question whether or not you can do something beyond the instructions given, it is safe to assume that the answer will be no."

The Next Step

• The Denver Neurologic & Spine Associates asks its post-lumbar surgery patients not to do any lifting (nothing more than 10 pounds or above shoulder level), stooping, pushing, bending, or straining for a minimum of six weeks. Depending on the surgery---and how fast you are healing---this could extend into a few months.

Showering

• The Neurological Consultants P.A. says if your surgery was minimally invasive, then you can take a shower the next day, otherwise, you need to wait a minimum of four days before you can shower.

  Bandaged wounds need to stay dry until the bandages are removed, and under no circumstances are you allowed to soak your incisions (in bathtubs, hot tubs or pools) for a minimum of two weeks. If you have sutures or staples, you may shower normally with these; they are typically removed within five to seven days of surgery.

  Generally speaking, the more invasive your surgery, the longer you will have to wait before showering. Once you are allowed to shower again, you need to monitor your incisions carefully for any kind of redness, irritation, or swelling as they heal.

Back in the Saddle

• When you are allowed to sit, you need to use sturdy, straight-backed chairs to support your lumbar region. You will have to work your way up to sitting for extended amounts of time (for example, if you sit for 10 minutes the first day, you should try to sit for 15 the second, etc.).

  You will also need to begin exercising as well, preferably adopting a low-impact exercise such as walking. Once you are able to walk around your house comfortably, you can begin to walk short distances outdoors and increase the time and distance slowly. It is extremely important to ease into sitting and exercising to not cause any damage. Your doctor or physical therapist will give you instructions based on your individual needs.

While You Recover

• Lumbar surgery, even the least invasive may cause a great deal of pain as your muscles, bones, and nerves recover. Total recovery time can take anywhere from eight weeks to six months, depending on a number of factors like severity of condition, age, health, and type of surgery performed. Post-surgery you will be prescribed pain medication like Vicodin (hydrocodone) or DarvosetN100.

  If you need additional pain relief do not use any anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin, Buffrin, ibuprofen or naproxen sodium, because these medications are blood thinners and will interfere with the clotting process. Use Tylenol (acetaminophen)-based pain medication instead.

  The Denver Neurologic & Spine Associates AND the Neurologic Consultants P.A. both advise that pain is a red flag, so you should listen to your body. If you are in pain after a few minutes of doing some activity then stop immediately and rest. You should not take pain relief medication in anticipation of physical exertion either, because you will not be able to gauge whether the activity is hurting your lumbar region.

  If you feel pain even after you have taken pain relief medication, contact your doctor before reaching for more medicine. Overdosing on pain medication can cause a number of blood and organ conditions that are devastating or fatal. You should also be careful with taking prescription medication, as it has been known to be addictive.

  As your lumbar region heals, you should experience less pain. If you do not feel your pain diminishing, or you notice unexplained or increased leg pain, unusual swelling, bruises, changes in behavior, or a high-grade fever in the first two to three weeks of recovery, contact your doctor immediately, as these symptoms may indicate an infection or a more serious condition.