Between 10 and 40% of those who have back surgery to correct a pinched nerve or stabilize a vertebrae or painful disc have pain that doesn't go away after surgery.
Surgery is designed to change the anatomy of the body to fix an injury. Pain is a symptom, not the disease. The pain may be accompanied by varying degrees of incapacity.
The main symptom is pain following back surgery. Additionally, the patient's ability to move normally may also be affected.
The most common causes are:
- Recurring or persistent herniated discs
- Inadequate relief of pressure from spinal stenosis
- Instability of facet joints
- Psuedoarthritis
- Nerve injury
A diagnosis will be based on the patient's symptoms and medical history. Additional tests that may be useful include:
The best way to avoid a spine surgery that leads to an unsuccessful result is to pursue operations that have a high degree of success and to consult with surgeons who have multiple experiences with the procedure needed.
Treatment of these conditions once they have occurred will vary depending on the nature of the condition and what caused prior surgery to fail.
