Factors to Consider Before Having Back Surgery

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How Decompression Surgery Is Performed

Decompression is a common surgical procedure used to alleviate lower back pain caused by pinched nerves. 
Many people with low back pain wonder if they will need to have back surgery. While low back pain can significantly disrupt your life, most people will get better with time and non-surgical care. However, if your lower back pain has not diminished after months of non-surgical treatment, if your pain does not respond to medication, or if you're unable to complete basic daily activities, back surgery may be necessary. Here are some important factors to keep in mind when considering surgery for back pain.

Some factors to consider before having back surgery include:

Ability to function

If it is possible to complete daily life activities with manageable pain levels, and if pain does not interrupt sleep or activity, nonsurgical treatments are usually recommended. Surgery is more likely to be recommended if the patient has limited ability to function in everyday life.

Healing process and lifestyle

Surgery vs. nonsurgical care require varying degrees of time commitment. It is important to consider how the healing process after surgery will affect the patient, as compared to continued non-surgical care.

See Practical Advice for Recovering from Back Surgery

Type of surgery

Some surgeries are considerably more invasive than others, and include lengthier healing periods, more or less significant pain during recovery, and varying inpatient hospital stays. With modern surgical approaches and an experienced surgeon, many types of spine surgery can now be done on an outpatient basis with a shorter recovery period.

See Lumbar Spine Surgery

Mental health

Several studies have indicated that mental and emotional well-being have a positive correlation to improvement and satisfaction after surgery. Patients who feel more in control of their health, for instance, report a more positive recovery and outcome after surgery. Understanding how a patient is likely to respond to surgery can help guide more effective post-operative care.

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