Driving is an activity many people tend to take for granted, and it also comes as second nature to many people. For this reason, it is not uncommon for discectomy patients to wonder how long it will be before driving is possible after having a spinal disc removed. For many people, the answer is roughly a week or two. This article explains what you need to know about driving after having a discectomy.
1–2 Weeks Is Typical with Minimally Invasive Procedures
As mentioned above, it is usually a few weeks before most patients can start driving again. This is more likely to be the case if you had a minimally invasive microdiscectomy. However, you should check in with your doctor to determine when it is best to start driving again following your discectomy. This may depend on several factors, including:
• Your overall health and wellbeing
• How well you responded to surgery
• The kind of vehicle you drive
• How often and how long you intend to drive (e.g., regularly for work or just occasionally for picking things up and running errands)
Expect It to Take Longer with Fusion Surgery
Some patients have longer recovery times if it is necessary to have fusion surgery with their discectomies. This is more likely to be the case if removing a spinal disc causes the spine to become unstable. In this instance, recovery typically takes longer. When it comes to driving, this means you may not be able to drive for about five to six weeks after your surgery.
Prepare to Get Back to Driving Safely Post-Discectomy
Taking appropriate precautions when getting back to driving after having any type of spinal surgery is always a good idea. After a discectomy, it is best to use a lumbar support cushion. There are specially designed cushions that can provide the added level of comfort often preferred after having spinal disc surgery. Additionally, prepare yourself for getting back to your usual driving routine post-procedure by:
• Maintaining proper driving posture
• Not overdoing it with bumps and other potentially jarring movements that could affect your healing spine and the remaining part of the disc
• Sticking to your post-surgery physical therapy routine
Physical therapy is equally beneficial because it strengthens and supports the spine. Not only is this good for post-surgery driving, but it can also help you as you go about your daily routines when you are not behind the wheel.
Check in with Your Doctor
Contact your doctor if you happen to experience any significant discomfort as you start driving again after your spinal disc surgery. It is especially important to see your doctor if you notice any lingering soreness after driving. This does not necessarily mean you have reinjured the affected area. In fact, oftentimes, it simply means you may have overexerted yourself.
Back surgery recovery time varies among individuals and depends on factors such as whether the patient has a large hole 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 experiencing a reherniation. Patients with a large hole in the outer ring of the disc are more than twice as likely to reherniate after surgery. These reherniations often require additional surgery or even a larger spinal fusion operation. 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.