One day I was riding in my car listening to the radio. Tiger Woods was was being interviewed as a guest on the program. He had just had back surgery and the hosts were asking him how he was doing. He said he was suffering from a radiculitis. The hosts started laughing. They thought it was funny because the word sounds kind of like the word “ridiculous”. However, I can assure you that a radiculitis is anything but funny. It can be extremely painful. Tiger Woods wasn’t laughing either.
A radiculitis is a medical condition characterized by inflammation or irritation of a spinal nerve. It usually occurs when the nerve roots that emerge from the spinal cord have been compressed or irritated, and can lead to pain, numbness, or weakness in the affected area of the body.
Radiculitis can affect any part of the spine, but it is most commonly found in the cervical (neck) or lumbar (lower back) regions. The condition can be caused by a variety of factors, including herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, or osteoarthritis.
One time patients may be particularly vulnerable to a radiculitis is immediately after surgery. During surgery, it is frequently necessary to manipulate the nerves to some extent. These nerves are often already irritated, compressed, and inflamed, hence the reason for the surgery. And the nerves may not like it, even if it is ultimately for their good. For unknown reasons these nerves can behave badly, even after they have been decompressed – that is a radiculitis.
Symptoms of radiculitis after surgery may include pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness in the affected area of the body. These symptoms may occur immediately after surgery or may develop gradually over time. In some cases, the symptoms may resolve on their own, while in other cases, treatment may be necessary to manage the condition. One study suggested that as many as 36.2% of patients get a radiculitis after a spine surgery. In reality it’s probably more like 10% but that is still pretty common.
So if your pain actually worsens temporarily after surgery, don’t be too surprised. It’s is probably a radiculitis and it will get better. However, stay in contact with your physician to make sure there isn’t something else going on and to determine if additional treatment might be warranted.