After having a discectomy to remove the portion of spinal disc material that is irritating a nearby nerve, many patients eventually experience relief from their discomfort. With that being said, it is not unusual to have lingering nerve-based pain after surgery, especially if the affected nerve is the sciatic nerve. This article takes a closer look at why you may be still experiencing nerve pain after a discectomy.
The Nerve Needs Time to Heal
In some instances, the affected nerve is still irritated even though it is no longer being compressed. This can happen when a nerve has been compressed for a long time prior to surgery. There can still be lingering pain signals, or the nerve may need some time to regain its ability to send signals normally again.
The Diagnosis Was Incorrect
It is not always easy to tell what is causing the symptoms suggesting you have a herniated disc (also commonly known as a "slipped disc" or “ruptured disc”). It is technically possible that the wrong disc could have been assumed to be the source of your pain. However, this is unlikely to be an issue, as diagnosis often involves MRI scans and similar tests to ensure the correct spinal disc is operated on when a discectomy or less invasive microdiscectomy is performed.
There Is Another Herniated Spinal Disc
After you have a discectomy, there is the possibility of another disc herniating within the same general area. This does not automatically mean you will need another surgery. You may be able to manage the discomfort from a second herniation with physical therapy, medication, posture adjustments, and similar nonsurgical efforts.
There Is a Secondary Nerve Compression Source
In some instances, there may be a secondary source of discomfort. For instance, a muscle near the sciatic nerve called the piriformis muscle is sometimes inflamed or irritated. If this is the case, you may still experience nerve pain until this muscle heals. Your doctor may recommend anti-inflammatory medication if it is believed this is the reason for your lingering nerve pain.
It is also possible there may be a secondary source of your nerve pain that was not diagnosed. Possibilities include:
• A damaged spinal joint
• A narrow spinal canal
• A misaligned or damaged vertebra
• Another spinal disc that is herniated in the same area
Scar Tissue Is Present
Scar tissue is protective material produced internally when there is tissue damage to allow for sufficient healing. Usually, scar tissue naturally gets softer after the first few months following surgery. Still, it is possible for scar tissue to form in a way that irritates the same nerve that was previously compressed.
A Nerve Was Damaged during Surgery
While nerve damage is possible during surgery, it is quite rare due to the precautions that are taken when removing disc material. Additionally, nerve roots are tougher than you may realize. It is difficult to unintentionally damage the root during surgery.
Although discectomy surgery is generally a very successful procedure, a hole is left in the outer wall of the disc. Patients with a large hole in the outer ring of the disc are more than twice as likely to reherniate after surgery. A new treatment, Barricaid, which is a bone-anchored device proven to reduce reherniations, was specifically designed to close the large hole often left in the spinal disc after discectomy. In a large-scale study, 95 percent of Barricaid patients did not undergo a reoperation due to reherniation in a 2-year study timeframe. This treatment is done immediately following the discectomy—during the same operation—and does not require any additional incisions or time in the hospital.
If you have any questions about the Barricaid treatment or how to get access to Barricaid, ask your doctor or contact us at 844-288-7474.
For full benefit/risk information, please visit: https://www.barricaid.com/instructions.
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