Unsuccessful back surgery is an unfortunate reality for many dorsalgia patients. There is an epidemic of chronic back pain with more and more patients in long-term treatment and less patients finding true cures for their misery.
Back surgery is the final option for some desperate patients who have endured enough conservative care and are now ready to commit to a far more drastic therapy option. This last glimmer of hope is often extinguished after enduring a grueling operation and rehabilitation, only to find the pain is still there and might even be worse than before.
Why do spinal procedures offer such poor results for permanently resolving pain? That topic is the exact focus of this article.
Signs of Unsuccessful Back Surgery
Surgery will most likely be nightmarish to endure. Minimally invasive procedures are far easier to recover from, compared to full open surgical correction. Regardless of what procedure is used, the ordeal will not be pleasant. The patient is bound to experience pain, limited mobility and a period of rehabilitation before they have any chance to get on with their lives (and this is in the best case scenario).
If the surgical results are poor, the patient might undergo this trial by fire only to discover that their symptoms are still there. Many find that their suffering is actually worse and their mobility and flexibility has been permanently reduced. It is extremely unfortunate that after the procedure is done, it is too late to change the fate of many of these disappointed patients.
Before the procedure, they had hope for a cure, but after, they may have endured nerve damage, scar tissue formation or permanent injury to the delicate spinal structures. These are all possible and relatively common consequences of back surgery.
Reasons for Unsuccessful Back Surgery
Some surgeons simply do a poor job with their surgical technique. This can cause a disappointing postoperative results filled with complications. This scenario is not common however, since most surgeons are well trained experts in surgical back pain treatment.
The most common reason for a poor surgical result is an incorrect diagnosis. How can a procedure have any hope of curing back pain, if it is directed at an incorrectly identified cause? It is essential to receive an accurate diagnosis, if there is to be hope of any treatment curing the pain.
As mentioned throughout this site, achieving an accurate diagnosis is an aspect of care that most patients take for granted and it might cost them dearly.
Misdiagnosed Back Pain and Failed Back Surgery
Misdiagnosed back pain is the #1 reason for failed surgical results. Many back pain conditions might appear to be caused by one specific physical reason, but in reality are caused by another. The anatomy of the spine is complex and it is not always clear where the pain is actually coming from. This is especially true in pain syndromes involving neurological symptoms.
The most common of all misdiagnosed back pain conditions is psychogenic back pain. A large number of all back ache conditions are actually caused, contributed to or perpetuated by a psychoemotional process. Very few of these conditions are recognized and diagnosed as a psychological condition. Instead, the pain is most often blamed on a coincidental structural scapegoat condition.
This is the beginning of disaster for the patient. They will be led into a series of unsuccessful treatment options typically culminating with a failed surgical attempt. These are truly the patients who have lost the most from their incorrect diagnoses. Instead of an easy cure, they must suffer greatly and face disability all because no one recognized that their pain does not come from any physical reason. It is a shame.
Preventing Unsuccessful Back Surgery
Do not take surgery lightly. There is always a chance that you will never fully recover. Make sure that your diagnosis makes sense and is accurate. If you have tried many conservative treatments with poor results, there is a good chance your diagnosis is incorrect.
Always try all the conservative approaches to care before taking the risky plunge into the surgical lottery. A few surgical patients come out winners, but many lose. Some lose everything. Be careful, please.
To deepen your knowledge of this vital topic, it is best to learn more about the many causes of failed back surgery syndrome.
