How long does pain last after Microdiscectomy?

You can expect your back to feel stiff or sore after surgery. This should improve in the weeks after surgery. You may have relief from your symptoms right away, or you may get better over days or weeks. In the weeks after your surgery, it may be hard to sit or stand in one position for very long.

What helps with pain after back surgery?

Your pain specialist will offer some new medications, to control the different types of pain that can start after a surgery.

  1. Medications that fight inflammation. Medications like Advil (Ibuprophen) and Naproxen (Aleve) help reduce pain from swelling in your back tissues.
  2. Muscle Relaxants.
  3. Opioids.
  4. Anticonvulsants.

How can I make my Microdiscectomy heal faster?

Though we certainly ask our patients to restrict their activities immediately following their microdiscectomy surgeries, we also encourage them to move around, and to engage in reasonable levels of moderate physical activity in order to facilitate a faster recovery and return to normal.

How long does it take for nerve to heal after Microdiscectomy?

Most patients feel significant relief from leg pain immediately after microdiscectomy surgery. Weakness, numbness, and other neurological symptoms, however, may improve more gradually. It may take weeks or months for the nerve root to heal to the point at which numbness and weakness subside.

How do you sleep after a lumbar Microdiscectomy?

Most people return home the same day of lumbar microdiscectomy surgery and typically experience pain, fatigue, and drowsiness….Getting Sleep After Lumbar Microdiscectomy

  1. Sitting down on the bed’s edge.
  2. Lowering the head to the bed while lifting the legs.
  3. Rolling onto the back.

Why does my back still hurt after Microdiscectomy?

Recurrent pain after lumbar discectomy may be due to a variety of causes, including recurrent disc herniation involving the operated level, a new disc herniation at other spinal levels, epidural fibrosis or scarring, or other anatomical changes involving the spinal canal aside from the intervertebral disc1.

Is heat or ice better after back surgery?

Use Ice and Heat to Ease the Pain Early on, the application of heat to the surgical area can increase blood flow to the tissues and may cause slight increase in swelling and pain so should instead be considered at a later point.

How long should I be on pain meds after back surgery?

Optimally, surgery should relieve the symptoms that brought the patient to surgery, with the termination of pain medication following the acute postoperative period, generally within 1 month. However, pain medication use is often continued long after this recovery period.

Is it normal to have sciatic pain after Microdiscectomy?

Only a minority of patients experience complete relief of sciatica from the time of the surgery. Most patients notice that it is much improved but there is still some aching in the leg because the nerve has a “memory” for the pain and remains slightly irritable. This usually resolves within a matter of weeks.

Can I sleep on my side after Microdiscectomy?

Just like sleeping on your back, sleeping on your side helps reduce pain and pressure. Try to alternate between sleeping on your left and right side to distribute the pressure and benefit your spine’s alignment. Right after surgery, you can also place a pillow under or in between your knees.

How should you lay in bed after back surgery?

Doctors recommend sleeping on your back or your side as you heal from spine surgery. Sleeping on your belly is generally not recommended because your spine is not in a neutral position for a prolonged period. Consider wearing satin pajamas to bed to help it make it easier for you to adjust your sleeping position.

How do I manage pain after lumbar microdiscectomy?

When returning home from lumbar microdiscectomy surgery, patients are usually prescribed medication to help manage the pain. Several home remedies may also be used to reduce pain and improve healing. During the initial 2 weeks after a microdiscectomy surgery, the pain is most intense.

How long does it take to recover from lumbar microdiscectomy surgery?

Even though most lumbar microdiscectomies are done on an outpatient basis, complications could dictate that you remain in the hospital for up to 72 hours. Within 24 hours of surgery, you should be up and moving around.

What is a microdiscectomy for lumbar disc herniation?

Now considered the “gold standard” treatment for removing herniated lumbar disc tissue, a microdiscectomy procedure is an ultra-precise method that requires only a tiny incision – causing minimal disruption to surrounding healthy tissue.

What happens if you don’t take care of yourself after microdiscectomy surgery?

Staying too sedentary may also contribute to problems with digestion, sleep, and/or mood. Most surgeons recommend taking short walks during the first few days following microdiscectomy surgery, then gradually build up from there. Not adhering to the medication plan can lead to inadequate pain relief, complications, and delayed recovery.