Pain After Spine Surgery

Back surgery is usually the last option when trying to relieve chronic neck or back pain. When conservative treatments do not effectively control pain, surgery may be the only option left to offer a lasting solution. Unfortunately, while surgery can be very helpful to help stabilize the spine, it does not always improve patients’ pain. When patients have back surgery and still have limited function or persistent pain, this condition is sometimes called failed back surgery syndrome, or FBSS.

Failed back surgery syndrome can occur for a few different reasons. For one, the condition for which the patient had surgery may not have been the only pain generator. The surgeon may have been unable to treat all pain causing areas either due to complexity of the case or because it would have been unsafe for the patient. In some cases, the surgery itself can cause damage to new areas while trying to repair the initial injuries. Whatever the case, those with FBSS are put in a frustrating situation and left with limited options. Undergoing more surgery may not be desirable, especially when the results may not be worth the risk and patients may be afraid to worsen their existing pain. Our interventional spine specialists at Ospina Medical can offer novel solutions and relief from FBSS at our clinic in New York City.

After spine surgery, patients may experience a variety of different symptoms including limited range of motion, stiffness, and/or pain. Although spine surgery can be very useful to fix damaged tissue or instability, it can sometimes result in persistent pain. Pain can vary in location, character, and intensity. Pain may be localized to the incision site or can mimic nerve-like pain from irritation or damage to nearby spinal nerves.

Our interventional spine experts at Ospina Medical offer innovative treatments to control pain and provide patients with relief. We offer minimally invasive treatments to manage pain, including injection therapy, spinal cord stimulation and Regenexx regenerative medicine treatments. Every patient receives personalized care and individualized treatment plans that utilize the most cutting edge techniques available today.

If possible, our providers may be able to utilize minimally invasive injection techniques to treat inflamed post-op tissue or inflamed nerves. Our providers may utilize cortisone or steroid injections depending on the location of your pain. Additionally, depending on your pain and surgery, our providers may be able to utilize spinal cord stimulation. Spinal cord stimulation is a novel technology that allows our providers to treat patients with post-surgical pain using tiny electrodes that modulate pain sensations your body feels. Spinal cord stimulation is performed with a trial procedure first and then if successful, can result in a permanent implant that can continue to provide long lasting pain relief. Additionally, our providers are also experts in Regenexx regenerative medicine treatments. By utilizing our cutting edge Regenexx platform, we are able to treat damaged discs, inflamed tissue, and irritated nerves with platelet-rich plasma (PRP), platelet lysate, and bone marrow concentrate containing stem cells. Although this treatment is still considered experimental, we have seen amazing improvement in our patients’ pain and function. When performing regenerative treatments for the post-surgical spine, we make sure to treat each spinal segment as a functional unit and treat all the surrounding structures that may be affected and causing pain. By approaching our spine treatments in this comprehensive manner, we have been able to achieve dramatic improvements in our patients' symptoms while foregoing the need for additional invasive surgery.

If you have had spine surgery and are still suffering from chronic pain, contact our team at Ospina Medical. We offer advanced treatment options for spinal conditions including minimally invasive injections, spinal cord stimulation, and Regenexx procedures at our clinic in Midtown Manhattan. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our interventional spine specialists to learn more about your treatment options and get back to living your life.

How do I know if I have FBSS?
If you suffer from tingling, numbness, or other chronic and ever-present pain in your neck, back, and/or legs following your back surgery, you may be experiencing FBSS. This new pain may or may not be immediately present, often surfacing in the days and weeks following your back procedure. At Ospina Medical we encourage you to be in contact with your surgeon if you suspect a new pain may have appeared following your procedure, or if you experience this pain as a result of a procedure received elsewhere.

What do I do if I receive an FBSS diagnosis?
The first step will be to explore the various treatment options. We prefer to start with conservative approaches, especially considering the fact that this syndrome stems from prior treatment. Options available include pain relievers, nerve blocks, injections, and chronic pain treatment plans. In some cases, additional surgery may be needed to correct or alleviate pain levels.

Is FBSS common?
Unfortunately, FBSS or continued back pain appears in between 30 — 40% of back surgery patients. These complications can be due to an initial misdiagnosis or complications during surgery. Be sure your surgeon is confident in both your diagnosis and your procedure success rate before receiving back surgery in order to avoid complications and future pain.