Verywell Health's content is for informational and educational purposes only. Your healthcare provider will advise you regarding medication adjustments before your surgery. If you have bony arthritis or scar tissue that's causing nerve impingement, it will be cut away. If it does, possible reasons nerve healing may be delayed or fail to occur as expected include: A part of the disc is still irritating the nerve The incorrect spinal segment was treated The nerve root was accidentally cutDetecting and Managing Post-Surgery Nerve IssuesA specialized test called an electromyography (EMG) may be performed after a discectomy. Your pain should become less than it was before your surgery. By learning about the expected lumbar discectomyrecovery time after surgery, you can plan your recovery appropriately and put your mind at ease about your surgery. The doctor will then only remove the damaged portion of the disc. 2016;6(4):e37. Your surgical team will place a drape over your body, exposing the area on your neck where you will have your surgical incision. Get prescriptions or refills through a video chat, if the doctor feels the prescriptions are medically appropriate. muscle, ligament, or nerve damage. It can also be used to gently stretch the scar tissue in your low-back from the surgical incision. We strive tooffer services to our patientsthat are efficient and professional, deliveredwith integrity and honesty in a cohesive, family-like environment. In general, the postoperative period includes the same patient experiences. Lumbar discectomy cant be used to treat all cases of back pain. Thus the recovery of sensory function after surgical decompression may depend on various factors including duration of symptoms, nerve fibre size, and time after operation. You can perform the supine lumbar flexion exercise for 10 repetitions. Treatment and prognosis of cervical radiculopathy. Make your tax-deductible gift and be a part of the cutting-edge research and care that's changing medicine. And not everyone with a herniated disc needs a lumbar discectomy. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Dr. Gaetan Moise is an accomplished neurosurgeon in North Jersey and is a proud member of Neurosurgeons of New Jersey, practicing out of their Ridgewood office conveniently located on East Ridgewood Avenue. This helps ease pressure on the spinal cord or the nerve roots that may be caused by injury, herniated disk, narrowing of the canal (spinal stenosis), or tumors. Your anesthesia medication will be stopped and your breathing tube will be removed so you can begin to breathe on your own. While an incision in the front of the neck (anterior approach) is typical for ACDF, this may not be possible if you have a structural issue in that location that could interfere with surgery.
Make sure you have someone who can drive you home. About 7 days into your lumbar discectomy recovery time, you will follow up with your doctor. Some surgeons may have restrictions on how much you can bend, lift, and twist for anywhere from two to six weeks after your surgery. Dr. Bergin has a special interest in medical research and maintains membership in the Scoliosis Research Society. Read our. This is why a course of physiotherapy before the operation may be recommended. Hold the press-up position for 2 seconds, and then slowly lower back down to the starting position. Copyright 2020 Intrinsic Therapeutics. Brett Sears, PT, MDT, is a physical therapist with over 20 years of experience in orthopedic and hospital-based therapy.
Tell your provider right away if there is a large amount of drainage from the incision site. An EMG measures nerve cell and muscle tissue activity. You will be positioned so your surgeon can perform your surgery. Or a laser may be used to remove part of the disc. The procedure involves cutting away disc and bone material that may be pressing against the nerves coming from your spine.
Lumbar Discectomy Recovery Timeline: Your Guide to Recovery Ideally, just the piece of disk that's compressing the nerve is removed. Talk with your provider about the risks and benefits of minimally invasive surgery compared to open surgery. At this point, your pain should be minimal, and you should start to feel encouraged about your progress. Azar FM, et al. Grab underneath your knee with your hands, and then straighten your knee while supporting it with your hands. In: Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. Depending on theindividual, every microdiscectomy recovery proceeds slightly differently. SAGE Open Med. To help prevent re-injury of the spine, it might help to attain and keep a healthy weight, eat a healthy diet, do low-impact exercises and limit activities that involve repeated bending, twisting or lifting. When nerve damage occurs, both the location of the injury and the surrounding environment experience a change in nerve function. You will be sleeping and unable to move during this surgery. On the other hand, be careful not to overdo it. Recovery : Recovery time depends on the type of discectomy surgery you have, long long you have had the problem and the presence of nerve damage. The three main symptoms that can remain are numbness, weakness and pain. First, they'll make sure you can get up from the bed or a chair with no issues. He or she will ask you about your recovery and activity level. How long of a recovery time should i expect from discectomy surgery? Learn how we can help 5.3k views Answered >2 years ago Thank 7 thanks A 34-year-old member asked: Additionally, he is very active in the Global Spine Outreach, an international initiative that provides treatment for Cali, Colombia children with spinal deformities. Even still, it is a good idea to have a family member check your surgical incision daily to watch for redness,discharge or any other signs of infection. its been a week and i have more pain now than before. Objective The objective of this study is to describe the natural history of neurologic recovery after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). During the procedure, your surgeon will use a special type of X-ray to make sure of the correct location. Sometimes the procedure causes slightly more pain for a while. Your provider might have you wear a back brace for a limited time after the procedure. Your surgeon will first insert a wire into the intervertebral space. You will beaskedto keep theareaclean and to cover it while bathing or showering. Clin Spine Surg. You might have limited motion of your neck, and your physical therapist should be able to guide you on how to adapt to any new limitations resulting from your surgery. A herniated disk occurs when some of the softer material inside the disk pushes out through a crack in the outer lining of the disk. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products.
Back Surgery Recovery: 6 Tips for Getting Through It When considering lumbar discectomy recovery time, remember that everyone heals differently and everyones condition is unique. This bulging disc can press on the spinal cord and cause symptoms such as pain, tingling, or weakness in a nearby part of the body. Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) means high pressure inside the skull. There are several ways to perform a diskectomy.
Top 6 Microdiscectomy Recovery Mistakes You Need to Avoid Anterior versus posterior approach to treat cervical spondylotic myelopathy, clinical and radiological results with long period of follow-up. The road to recovery after lumbar spine surgery. Back pain. A disc that's impinging on these structures may need to be removed because it's usually not repairable. Gently pull your knees toward your chest, and hold the position for 1 or 2 seconds. your. Keep your back and your hips relaxed, and use your arms to press the upper part of your body up while allowing your lower back to remain against the floor. is a fellowship trained, board certified orthopedic surgeon who has been practicing since 1999 and specializes in complex spinal treatment. Those that may be relieved with ACDF include: You might be taking large amounts of pain medication for relief, and surgery can help you reduce that. This surgery uses smaller cuts (incisions) than an open lumbar discectomy. Your sciatic pain should be resolved, and you should be walking daily for exercise. Your healthcare provider may instruct you to wear a soft cervical collar or a neck brace. The bones help protect the cord from injury. For these, please consult a doctor (virtually or in person).
Thankfully, only minor complicationsusuallyresult fromalumbarmicrodiscectomy. Sciatica is most commonly caused by a prolapsed intervertebral disc. In the post-operative recovery area, you will continue to have your oxygen saturation, pulse, blood pressure, and respiratory rate monitored for a few hours. According to Spine Health, leg pain is more likely to subside after a decompression procedure such as a discectomy or a less invasive microdiscectomy. Depending on each patients situation, the experience will differ, and it is not uncommon to notice a more immediate decrease in the severity of symptoms after having a discectomy. Overall, it is important that you seek guidance so you can learn how to avoid further injuring your neck. He or she may even push a third tube over the second one. Some of these procedures may cause significant trauma to surrounding tissues or require fixation with hardware. with afellowship-trainedorthopedic surgeon. Within 24 hours of surgery, you should be up and moving around. You can also discuss the size and location of the surgical scar with your healthcare provider. Be sure to bring a form of identification, your health insurance information, and a method of payment. 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved, Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. If you have had low back surgery, here is a step-by-step guide to what you may expect to do in physical therapy. Even though most lumbar microdiscectomies are done on an outpatient basis, complications could dictate that you remain in the hospital for up to 72 hours. Before going home,someone will instruct youon how to care for the incision site, along with activities to avoid. HealthTap uses cookies to enhance your site experience and for analytics and advertising purposes.