If you have suffered a back injury or have chronic back pain, your doctor may recommend back surgery to help you finally achieve pain relief. Back surgery is generally a much less serious surgery than it used to be, thanks to more advanced equipment and capabilities which enable your back surgeon to operate only on the injury in question – without causing needless harm to the surrounding tissues.
Let’s talk about some of the main benefits and possible risks involved in back surgery, and where you can go for a consultation with a skilled neurosurgeon who performs successful back surgeries on a regular basis here in Colorado.
Reasons to Have Back Surgery
Your surgeon will only recommend surgical intervention if it would likely be beneficial to you and would pose minimal risk to you. Some of the potential benefits include the following:
Reduced Pain
Back pain may be interfering with your daily life, and both sitting and standing may provoke it. The pain can also worsen when you’re physically active, which can limit what you’re physically able to do. After having back surgery, you should be able to work or to participate in the activities you enjoy without the debilitating back pain.
Increased Mobility
Certain back problems limit your ability to move your back in various ways. This interferes with the activities you can perform, and it can affect how well you walk.
Back surgery can increase the range of motion in your spinal joints. Some surgeries actually involve fusing together vertebrae in order to eliminate the pain caused in that area, but you will regain overall flexibility because you will not have the pain anymore. Your back surgeon will discuss the specific projections for your surgery and situation.
Risks of Back Surgery
While some risks of an operation are specific to the type of surgery you have, some are the same no matter which surgery you have:
Injury to the Spinal Cord or Nerves
In back surgery, there is a specific risk of possible accidental damage to the spinal cord. If this happens, it can affect your ability to feel certain sensations, and it can affect your ability to move your body below the point of injury on your back. An experienced neurosurgeon knows how to avoid causing this injury during surgery, so your choice of back surgeon is key to success.
Anesthesia Issues
The anesthesia used for your surgery could trigger an allergic reaction. Your doctor will consider your specific health concerns and overall health before determining the right anesthesia for your surgery.
Bleeding
You could experience significant bleeding from back surgery. Your surgeon will reduce the possibility of this happening by advising you to stop taking blood thinners and other drugs that affect clotting for a period of time before your surgery.
Blood Clots
Blood clots can occur when you’re not moving your body around, and these can potentially be life-threatening. Your surgeon may prescribe blood thinners after your procedure in order to reduce your chances of developing a blood clot.
Spine Surgeons in Lone Tree, CO
Our neurosurgeons here at Front Range Spine and Neurosurgery are experts in evaluating back pain, determining its cause, and recommending and providing the least-invasive treatment possible that would be effective in your case. Spine surgery can now be minimally invasive, which means less chance of having an adverse reaction.
If you have any questions or would like to book an appointment with one of our outstanding back surgeons, contact our friendly staff today by calling (303) 790-1800 or by filling out our appointment request form online now. We look forward to helping you enjoy a more pain-free life once again!
