The most common place to have a herniated spinal disc is in the lower back area. If you have a herniated disc, you may eventually reach a point where your doctor recommends surgery, which often means having a lumbar discectomy. With any surgery involving the spine, it is understandable to want to know how long it takes to recover. This article answers this question as it applies to a lumbar discectomy.
Initial Recovery
Expect to be in the hospital or surgery center for roughly a few hours after having a lumbar discectomy. You will then be sent home with instructions on what to avoid and how to proceed with your initial recovery. This is also when you will have the most discomfort, although it can usually be effectively managed with medication and efforts to rest as much as possible. During this period of recovery, your doctor will likely advise you to:
• Limit driving and similar activities that could be stressful for your healing spine
• Avoid excessive bending, twisting, turning, and lifting
• Avoid strenuous occupation-related activities
Returning to Routine Activities
Most patients return to normal routines or less stressful activities six weeks after surgery. This means you should be able to handle lighter activities, such as walking and movements that are not too forceful or strenuous. If your job does not involve too much physical activity, you should be able to resume your work.
Returning to More Strenuous Activities
This is usually possible after about three months following a lumbar discectomy. However, if you have a more physically demanding occupation, check with your doctor first. This also applies to contact sports and anything else that could strain the affected area or what remains of the spinal disc. Taking appropriate precautions also reduces the risk of reinjury or reherniation.
Patient-Specific Factors
Everybody recovers differently from spinal surgery, including a lumbar discectomy. How soon you will be able to recover depends on several factors. These include:
• Whether you have any underlying health issues
• How involved you are with physical therapy
• Your overall health prior to surgery
Another factor to consider is whether or not you also had fusion surgery with your lumbar discectomy. If you had a spinal fusion, your recovery may take a bit longer, since there is more healing your body needs to do. Full recovery from a fusion procedure typically takes six months to a year.
Aiming for a Slow and Steady Recovery
It is best to avoid pushing yourself too much. On the other hand, you should not be excessively sedentary. Instead, rely on guidance from your doctor and physical therapist as you slowly and steadily improve and begin to return to your regular routine. Also, make sure to give your medical team feedback as you recover. This is what ultimately contributes to optimal and successful healing and recovery.
Back surgery recovery time varies among individuals and depends on factors such as disc height and the size of the hole left in the outer ring of the disc after surgery. If the hole in the disc is larger than a standard pencil eraser, the patient has a significant risk of reherniation, which often requires additional surgery. Fortunately, there is a new treatment available. Barricaid is a bone-anchored device shown to reduce reherniations by closing the hole in the disc after a discectomy, and 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, you may 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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