How is Someone’s Quality of Life Affected by Spine Surgery?
How is Someone’s Quality of Life Affected by Spine Surgery?
Spine surgery is a complicated procedure and depending on the incision site and levels involved, may affect one’s life critically.
What are the benefits?
Usually, the result is more than just a reduction in pain. Patients may discover the following benefits:
- Improved physical fitness
- Increased productivity at work
- Better mobility
- Improved mental health
- Reduction in pain medicine consumption
Are there any risks involved?
Most people who get back from surgery have negligible, if any, complications. That said, any operation has some amount of risk, including:
- Reaction to anesthesia or other drugs
- Bleeding
- Blood clots
- Infection
- Herniated disk
- Stroke
- Nerve damage
The probability of something going wrong increases with comorbidities. They also differ depending on the type of your surgery. Your doctor can best explain the risks associated with the procedure in question. However, the risk of procedure in most cases remains to be much lower than leaving the condition unattended.
Life after surgery
The quality of life after spine surgery is usually good if it is performed by a trained surgeon with experience. Additionally, the type of spine surgery, the techniques used, the part of the spine which has the problem, e.g., Cervical, Lumbar and so on, will also affect the quality of life after the surgery.
At present, more advanced techniques are being used such as Robotic and Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery resulting in fewer complications and an early recovery. Your surgeon will be the best person to judge your recovery period and guide you in transitioning back to a normal active life.