It’s normal to feel anxious or concerned before having surgery, especially when the surgery involves such an important part of the body as the spine. In this article, we offer you some guidelines to help you know what to expect if you’re going to have spine surgery, and some steps to prepare yourself that will help ensure a good outcome.
What conditions require back surgery? What are the possible complications from this type of surgery? How long does it take to recover, and will recovery be painful? These are common questions patients about spine surgery, and they should all be answered before the operation.
Having the support of a good medical team who makes sure to give the patient all the information they need for their peace of mind, is essential for these operations, and it will help the patient’s recovery process as well.
Spine surgery: What type and when?
Surgery is one solution for many pathologies associated with the spine, but there are also other treatment alternatives. Sometimes, physical therapy or a change in habits may be all that is needed to relieve the pain associated with a back problem.
As for the types of spinal surgery, nowadays the focus is on minimally invasive techniques. In cases of disc degeneration, disc replacement surgery or arthroplasty is indicated, while spinal fusion surgery may be used to treat vertebral fractures, listhesis, disc degeneration and spinal deformity. Microdiscectomy and laminectomy are other surgical techniques currently in wide use for lumbar surgery. Cervical disc disease can be treated as well, with arthroplasty or arthrodesis both from either anterior or posterior approach.
Dr. Clavel explains in which cases spine surgery is recommended
How to prepare for having spine surgery
Having to undergo spinal surgery can cause fear and anxiety in many patients, so it is good to know that by following the recommendations of our medical team, it is possible to minimize the discomfort of the postoperative period and rehabilitation.
And what about before the operation? Whatever the surgical technique used, the preoperative preparation for spine surgery always includes a thorough medical examination to determine the patient’s physical condition and to rule out the existence of other pathologies.
There are also other factors to consider before undergoing this type of operation. Here are some of the main steps you should take to prepare for your spinal surgery:
- Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity or excess body weight are two factors that can lead to complications in a back operation, both during surgery and recovery. In the weeks leading up to the operation, watch your weight, and if your doctor says you should, try to reduce it. Also, avoiding heavy meals during the 48 hours prior to the operation is one of the recommendations for spine surgery.
- Avoid tobacco. Smoking slows healing, so stopping smoking is part of the preparation for spinal surgery, as well as during the postoperative period. In addition, using tobacco can make the patient more susceptible to respiratory infections after the operation. Not to mention the fact that tobacco decreases bone density and hinders the fusion process in cases of arthrodesis. If you are a smoker and are going to undergo spine surgery, this may be the perfect time to quit!
- Medication. If you take regular medications and supplements, your doctor will let you know if it is necessary to pause the treatment or if you can continue it normally. Drugs with anticoagulant properties, for example, pose a problem for surgical operations and must be stopped in time for their effects to disappear before the surgery.
- Psychological support. Fear is a natural reaction when facing any kind of surgery. The patient needs to know that they are not facing it alone, because our medical team will accompany them every step of the way. In addition, the people closest to the patient can support them in their preparation for having spine surgery, by listening to their concerns, and offering emotional support to help relieve the patient’s stress and nerves.
Prehabilitation for spine surgery
Any kind of spine surgery will require some rehabilitation afterwards to fully recover, but is it possible to also prepare beforehand? At Instituto Clavel we believe that prerehabilitation plays a key role in preparing for spinal surgery, both physically and psychologically.
What is prehabilitation? Just as physical therapy can help patients recover more quickly from spinal surgery, there are also exercises that can serve to prepare our muscles before entering the operating room. Something as simple as stretching, bending, and twisting, for example, takes very little time, and these are highly recommended exercises both for the preoperative period leading up to a spine surgery and for rehabilitation afterwards to regain quality of life.
However, it is important that any exercise program be supervised by a physical therapist or a rehabilitation specialist, who is able to advise on the most appropriate exercises for each patient.
Prehabilitation can also address the patient’s mental and psychological well-being. In this case, the objective is to reduce the level of stress related to having surgery, and answering any questions or concerns the patient may have. This includes giving the patient a thorough explanation of the process of spine surgery and the possible discomforts that may appear in the postoperative period.
Tips for recovering from a spinal operation
While this time around we've focused on what you can do in preparing for surgery, the weeks following surgery are also crucial for recovery.
If you are going to have a spinal operation, do not hesitate to ask your medical team for guidance on what to do during the postoperative period. Walking for at least half an hour every day, sleeping in a good position, and avoiding lifting heavy weight, are some general recommendations for any spine surgery, but there are also specific tips that vary depending on the type of operation.
During the weeks following surgery it is normal to experience pain in the affected area; this can be treated with medication. In cases of lumbar spine surgery, it may also be necessary to wear a lumbar support or brace, while cervical surgeries may require a collar.
How long does it take to recover from spine surgery? The length of time varies depending on the type of surgery. For a lumbar hernia, for example, the approximate recovery time is six weeks, while in the case of surgery to correct a spinal deformity, it could be extended up to six months. In addition, the physical condition of the patient and the type of surgical technique used for the operation also play a part in the recovery process.
If you want to know more about preparing for spinal surgery, do not hesitate to contact Instituto Clavel.
Categories: Spine treatments, Spine pathologies, Surgery