Patient Information and Resources – Page 6 – Bret G. Ball, MD, PhD, FAANS

KEEPING YOUR SPINE HEALTHY AFTER SPINE SURGERY

Maintaining a Healthy Spine
Our goal for you is a pain free spine. Now that you’ve had your surgery, it is critical that you take good care of your back and minimize the chances that you will develop new problems. Improving fitness, posture, body mechanics, and overall health will help your spine last. Here are some suggestions to help maximize recovery and maintain a healthy spine.

ACTIVITY AND EXERCISE

Walking: Walking is the best exercise after surgery and you need to walk every day. You can walk as much as your pain level permits. You should not participate in any activities more vigorous than walking until cleared by your physician. Start small then gradually increase the distance you walk. Continue reading “KEEPING YOUR SPINE HEALTHY AFTER SPINE SURGERY”

PREPARING FOR SURGERY

All patients who undergo spine surgery have a few things in common: they want to have a safe surgery with a good result while minimizing their level of discomfort.

If you have elected to pursue surgery, we would like to make surgery as safe and comfortable for you as possible. There are a few things that you can do to help yourself get the best results.

SPINAL CORD STIMULATION

A spinal cord stimulator (SCS) is an electronic device placed over the nerves in the spine. When activated, it generates small electric fields that block pain sensations from being transmitted up the spinal cord to the brain. Although the mechanisms by which it works are not fully understood, the stimulator seems to create interference so that pain signals coming from the spine are less noticeable. It can be thought of as similar to what happens why you try to hear what is said in a crowded, noisy room. It is much harder to understand and frequently words are missed or not heard at all.
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EXERCISE FOR A HEALTHY SPINE

Exercise is something we all know we should do, but not many do it for one reason or another. However, the evidence is mounting that exercise has many health benefits, including improving back pain and overall spine health. Continue reading “EXERCISE FOR A HEALTHY SPINE”

SAFE USE OF OPIOID PAIN MEDICATION

Most patients undergoing a spinal procedure will require short term treatment with opioid pain medications. Opioids can be an invaluable tool in helping to manage the pain that can result from surgery. However, the use of opioids is also carries some risks. Our goal for you is to make surgery as safe and effective as possible. Part of the process is patient education regarding the use of pain medications. Here are some resources to help you. As part of your care, you will be required to sign a pain contract if you elect to undergo treatment at our clinic. You may also be tested to ensure that you are taking the medications as prescribed. In addition to pain medications you will likely be given a prescription for narcan, a rescue medication that can be life saving in the event of an overdose.

Common opioid medications include:

SACROILIAC (SI) JOINT DYSFUNCTION

Back pain is extremely common. More than 90% of people have back pain at some point. There are many possible causes for back pain, but one under appreciated source is the sacroiliac joint (SI joint). It has been suggested that dysfunction of the SI joint is responsible for back pain 15-23% of the time. As many as 40% of patients with previous lumbar fusions may have pain from the SI joint.

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THE BETTER WAY BACK PROGRAM

If you are considering back surgery, you might be interested in hearing stories from other people who have had back surgery. Or you may want to actually talk to someone who has had back surgery.

Approximately 500,000 back procedures are done in the United States each year. So there are lots of people who have experience with what it’s like. You may have questions like:

Does spine surgery really work?
What are the alternatives?
How painful is the recovery?
What side effects are there?
How do I deal with a complication?
How do I find out more about the back operation I am going to have?

Continue reading “THE BETTER WAY BACK PROGRAM”

GUIDELINES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF BACK PAIN

Back pain is extremely common. More than 90% of people will suffer from back problems at some point. For most patients, after a little rest and massage, the pain goes away and they are able to resume their normal lives.

However, sometimes the pain just won’t go away. If that’s the case for you, you might be referred for a surgical consultation.

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WHAT IS CHRONIC PAIN?

Show your pain who is the boss

Anyone who has been having pain for more than three months suffers from chronic pain. Chronic pain is different than pain that only lasts for a few hours or even a few days. New research suggests that chronic pain can actually cause changes in brain activity and brain chemistry, or even alter the anatomy of the cellular connections in the brain. Chronic pain seems to deplete the brains reserves, so that cells in the brain and spine deteriorate more quickly. This can lead to symptoms like fatigue, anxiety, depression, and difficulty concentrating. Sleep, in particular, becomes difficult.

Chronic pain can seem like an insurmountable obstacle. It is often accompanied by anger, frustration, depression, and anxiety. It affects your ability to work. It can affect your relationships with friends and family. Fortunately, we are coming to understand chronic pain in ways that were not even imaginable just a few years ago, and the good news is that there is a way out. The key is finding a structured plan that puts you back in control of your life. Continue reading “WHAT IS CHRONIC PAIN?”

THE RATIONALE FOR SPINE SURGERY

It’s true that spine surgery cannot fix every problem. Many patients are disappointed to hear that spine surgery may not be the answer to their problem.

However, there are also many patients who are excellent candidates for spine surgery. In fact, there are specific conditions that a spine operation has a very high likelihood of fixing. Of course, no one wants to have a surgery that they don’t have to have. But if you have significant pain that has not responded to non-surgical care, a surgical consultation may be the logical next step. A consultation does not mean that you will have surgery, but gives you the opportunity to explore your options. Continue reading “THE RATIONALE FOR SPINE SURGERY”