MedHelp is not a medical or healthcare provider and your use of this Site does not create a doctor / patient relationship. One reason for continued pain even after a discectomy could be a misdiagnosis. In fact, in many situations, it's often possible to treat or manage lingering leg pain following a microdiscectomy with nonsurgical techniques. How to best prepare for it, if there is a way? Mild to severe pain in the lower back or buttock area, Feelings of numbness or tingling in the leg or foot, (nerve pain often radiating down the leg), When you are experiencing any of these warning signs onan ongoingbasis,its best to. Thats going to be almost 12 hours on my feet a day. Stronger painkillers, such as opioids, are typically used in combination with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Weeks 4 and 5 I started noticing improvement. Work hardening is a specialty in physical therapy so you might contact a specialist to see if they can help you. This article explains some of the potential reasons this may be the case. Peekawho is right..you probably need a dose pack of steroids..I had the same problem after my discectomy..they put me on a dose pack, and after the first pill, the pain in my butt and down my leg went away..hang in there..my surgeon explained it this way"the reason you are experiencing that pain, is because the nerve that has been pressed on by the disc for so long, is extremely "pissed off" and needs time to cool down.."it did finally cool down, with the help of the steroidsYes, be firm with the officegood luck..did you have foot drop?..if so, how severe?..and has it improved? Now considered the gold standard treatment forremovingherniated lumbar disc tissue, a microdiscectomy procedure is an ultra-precise method that requires only atinyincisioncausing minimal disruption to surrounding healthy tissue. On the other hand, be careful not to overdo it. I am happy to tell you that the buttock pain reported before has significantly subsided. If you have any questions, your doctor or physical therapist can provideinsighton what you should be doing. During the initial 2 weeks after a microdiscectomy surgery, the pain is most intense. This is usually done when there is leg or arm pain that radiates from the spine, caused by compression of the nerve. You must be logged in to reply to this topic. However, if the pain persists or gets worse over time, there might be some other issue at play, such as apinched nerveor sciatica pain. Sciatica pain starting 3 weeks after discectomy. For full benefit/risk information, please visit: https://www.barricaid.com/instructions. is a fellowship trained, board certified orthopedic surgeon who has been practicing since 1999 and specializes in complex spinal treatment. If you have trouble falling asleep, your doctor can prescribe sleep-improving medications. FAQs About Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery, The Benefits of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery. Dr. Bergin has a special interest in medical research and maintains membership in the Scoliosis Research Society. There was an immediate relief to my back pain. 1 Leg and Buttock Pain After Spinal Fusion Surgery. is a fellowship trained, board certified orthopedic surgeon who has been practicing since 1999 and specializes in complex spinal treatment. Much like anytype ofback surgery, your body needs to be active afteralumbar microdiscectomy to encourage blood flow and to help strengthen and stretch muscles that support your back. While doing so, be sureto avoid anymajordiscomfort that could interfere with the recovery process. Study design: A single-center retrospective study. They can perform the surgery in a couple of ways: An open diskectomy is done with a cut in your back . For the average patient, there are no permanent restrictions after a microdiscectomy. However, two days after the long walk, I developed buttock nerve pain in my right side, the very side that was compromised before surgery. Contact: Orthopedic and Spine Institute. In the meantime, I hope you dont mind me asking another question. This site is for educational purposes only; no information is intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Patients with a large hole in the outer ring of the disc are more than twice as likely to reherniate after surgery. This compression is most often the result of a herniated lumbar disc. "Research has shown that microdiscectomy has a success rate as high as 90 percent in alleviating nerve pressure and eliminating pain," Dr. Liu says. So, says Kaixuan Liu, MD, PhD, medical director of the Atlantic Spine Center and a world-renowned endoscopic spine surgeon, who performs a minimally invasive procedure called an endoscopic microdiscectomy and advises his patients to stay mobile, get out and walk, to expedite microdiscectomy recovery and minimize the formation of scar tissue. Unfortunately, this microdiscectomy recovery time depends on many factors, including the patients general health, the speed of tissue recovery, the success of the procedure, etc., so the actual herniated disc surgery recovery time can be longer. This is quite normal and should not be cause for alarm. Its not painful. As a patient, knowing the telltale signs ofreherniationafter microdiscectomy surgery will help ensurethat you get the care you deserve. Limit ice or heat therapy applications to 15 or 20 minutes at a time, with at least 2 hours of rest in between, to optimize tissue response between applications. Your surgeon will start with conservative treatment options in the form of pain medications, physical therapy, and activity modification. to our patients, deliveredwith integrity and honesty in a cohesive, family-like environment. The movements you notice that increase symptoms all stretch the nerve root so this would be expected for 4-12 weeks. For instance, if a herniated disc was irritating a nerve for a while before your surgery, it could take a few weeks or more for the affected part of the nerve to fully heal and recover. The movements you notice that increase symptoms all stretch the nerve root so this would be expected for 4-12 weeks. Discectomy surgery requires your surgeon to make a small incision and navigate carefully around the muscles and nerves of the spine in order to reach the spinal disc(s) in need of removal. My, Nerve injury from a GSW (gunshot wound) is highly unpredictable for recovery. Prescription non-compliance can cause side effects and other consequences that place your health and wellbeing at risk. A long pain-free interval after microdiscectomy and subsequent development of symptoms may more clearly point towards a possible re-herniation. However, if you have lingering pain for days after your doctor told you it should be subsiding or the pain is getting worse, you should letthemknow. Although its important to take it easy and rest, you need to maintain some level of activity at home. Based onfollow-upstudies, recurrent lumbar disc herniation only occurs inroughly 10%ofallmicrodiscectomy patients. The pain and other symptoms are typically relieved in a couple of months. I will keep going with my phyisical therapy, perform gentle stretches additionally and contact my surgeon again if things havent improved after 12 weeks? Still, because lower back pain can be the result of other problems apart from a bulging and/or herniated disc, it may persist after the surgery. This could signal another, more serious issue. This problem is often resolved with physical therapy, although minor surgery may be needed in some situations. Our physicians serve as innovators in technology,actively participate in national and international research studies,and are on the forefront of medical knowledge. There are other possible reasons for pain after a laminectomy, discectomy or a microdiscectomy. Immediately following the surgery, she developed severe pain in her right foot; 3 months later, she underwent an additional decompressive procedure. If your doctor prescribesmedicationfor you to help with pain or inflammation,take it as. Usually, patients are discharged either the same day or the day after their surgery. (pain radiating down the back of the leg) after total discectomy, another discmay have become herniated. I know it would be best to still be on sick leave, but this is not possible. My health is my most important concern, will just have to see how things go. In some cases, a reherniation might present in the form of back pain up to two years after a microdiscectomy. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books. Your browser is out of date. Good night. Our physicians serve as innovators in technology,actively participate in national and international research studies,and are on the forefront of medical knowledge. I had been on physical therapy>physical therapy from day 10 and in weeks 4 and 5 I started feeling more like myself. We strive toofferefficient and professional. any advise? 1999-2023 Veritas Health, LLC. after undergoing a lumbar microdiscectomy procedure. please update to most recent version. Thank you for input on this. In general, the postoperative period includes the same patient experiences. If that treatment is not effective, depending upon symptom severity, I will order an MRI. If the source of your discomfort wasn't accurately diagnosed, a nerve that sends signals to your legs may still be compressed. The explanation and descriptions are easy to follow and so helpful in understanding the a variety of conditions covered.Thank you Dr Corenmen for providing such a valuable directory of information. After my basketball season. Also, I have little to no feeling in my big toe and a tingling feeling from my knee down through my foot. Jogging isnot recommendedwhen you havedisc herniation. All me back pain was home as soon as Hey All. Your plan is good. Pinching of the nerves in the lumbar spine can cause pain radiating into the leg, ankle, and foot. In the worst cases, they may also have to go in there and reconstruct discs that have been degenerating, or they may be helping your back to straighten out a little better than it would have otherwise. It's not always easy to precisely diagnose the symptoms related to nerve irritation around the spine. Some pain in the back or buttock region post-op is completely normal. Herniation can occur due to back injuries, undue spinal stress from heavy lifting or participation in sports, and even the normal aging process as the spinal discs dry out and become more brittle, forcing a disc's outer membrane to crack and its inner core material to ooze out. There is close to 10 cm line in my right buttock that is tender to the touch. Right after your procedure, any numbness will likely not be any cause for concern. Resume driving when you can turn your head and look over your shoulder without pain. It is one of the most common spinal surgeries performed to alleviate back and leg pain, offering 90 to 95% of patients who undergo the procedure of significant pain relief. "Patients leave the hospital the same day or the day following the procedure and can begin microdiscectomy recovery immediately.". According to a study in the Journal of Neurosurgery, outpatient microdiscectomy is 75 to 80 percent effective at eliminating sciatica pain caused by disc herniation. However, some patients may have lingering leg painone of the classic symptoms associated with spinal nerve irritationafter. Our physicians serve as innovators in technology, actively participate in national and international research studies, and areatthe forefront of medical knowledge. Can;t wait until Monday a.m. to call his office again. Re-herniation can occur and can happen to 10% of individuals who have a herniation (no matter if surgery occurred or not). What follows is a snapshot of life after a microdiscectomy, along with common microdiscectomy recovery mistakes that everypostoperativepatient should avoid. The type of surgical technique used during microdiscectomy,and the type of herniation,may increase ones riskforreherniationafterwards. The Affected Nerve Root May Need Some Time to HealOne reason your leg may still hurt after microdiscectomy surgery is because of the way compression can affect nerve roots. As fellowship-trained physicians with over 50 years of experiencetreating spinal conditions, we offer patient recommendations for treatment,including conservative care, non-operative treatment, and sophisticated, customized surgical solutions. Dr. Liu offers the following lumbar discectomy recovery tips: There are not many permanent restrictions after a microdiscectomy. Now I can do it pain-free. Peekawho is right..you probably need a dose pack of steroids..I had the same problem after my discectomy..they put me on a dose pack, and after the first pill, the pain in my butt and down my leg went away..hang in there..my surgeon explained it this way."the reason you are experiencing that pain, is because the nerve that has been pressed on At Wake Spine & Pain Specialists our goal is to relieve your pain and improve function to increase your quality of life. Althougha minimally invasive procedureisoften considered the best practice for dealing with damaged spinal tissue, no surgery is completely without risk. The explanation and descriptions are easy to follow and so helpful in understanding the a variety of conditions covered.Thank you Dr Corenmen for providing such a valuable directory of information. It takes time for this swelling to reduce as noted before. See Medications for Back Pain and Neck Pain. A. is an outpatientsurgicalprocedureperformed under anesthesia to remove all or part of a herniated disc. I want to write about my lifestyle, pain levels, routine, and how things are generally going two years after my microdiscectomy. In the case of recurrent back pain accompanied bysciatica(pain radiating down the back of the leg) after total discectomy, another discmay have become herniated. However, there can be limitations to L4-L5 surgery as it is one of the lowest weight-bearing discs of the body. This navigation and surgical trauma typically results in some pain and numbness while the patient recovers. Dr. Cross notes that SI joints normally move less than 1 millimeter. Before using any new medications or going back to old medications, it is important to check with the doctor or pharmacist to reduce the risk of adverse drug interactions or serious side effects. Asa patient,thereare five classicsymptomsto watch for: When experiencingrecurrent discreherniation, a patient might also report pain in a different location, intensity, orrelated tophysical activity. My back was inflamed afterwards, and I had some hip pain the following day, but I didnt think much of it, because those episodes happened during my previous recovery and would resolve with rest>rest in 2 days max. Living with a pinched nerve causing both leg and buttock pain can be agonizing. Although most patients enjoy noticeable pain relief immediately following the surgery, nerve recovery after a lumbar discectomy is dependent on a variety of factors. Thankfully, only minor complicationsusuallyresult fromalumbarmicrodiscectomy. If I lived in the US, I would certainly choose you to be my doctor. I have a sitting job, 3 hours total commuting per day. 2 days after my surgery my pain came back full throttle and worse than before. I had my TLIF surgery on 6/24/2020 by Dr. Corenman, I can not say enough good things about the Dr or his staff. Dr. Bergin has a special interest in medical research and maintains membership in the Scoliosis Research Society. One possible source of this type of secondary nerve irritation is piriformis syndrome, which refers to issues with a muscle deep within the buttocks called the piriformis muscle. Your body naturally wants to rest during this period, as pain and fatigue are at their highest. We strive tooffer services to our patientsthat are efficient and professional, deliveredwith integrity and honesty in a cohesive, family-like environment. While it is hoped that any accompanying back pain . Sciatica is the type of pain that originates in your lower back and typically radiates down one or both of your legs. I had my TLIF surgery on 6/24/2020 by Dr. Corenman, I can not say enough good things about the Dr or his staff. Contacted the answering service for my Dr. this a.m. and still no response. During a microdiscectomy procedure, the surgeonuses a microscope and laser toremovepart of the nucleus pulposus through a small incision (less than 2 inches). So I can move my chin to my chest further, for example. You should report any numbness to your surgeon immediately after surgery. prescribed. The Affected Nerve Root May Need Some Time to Heal, The Initial Diagnosis Might Have Been Incorrect. Extend your walking distance gradually; engage in aerobic exercises like riding a stationary bicycle if you have access to one at home or a local fitness center and can do so without pain. Is this straight leg testof any relevance for determining whether its a reherniation or not? Since you are only four weeks out and better than prior to surgery, the nerve is probably still swollen. Microdiscectomy is usually very effective at treating leg pain, with about a 90% success rate in relieving pain in the leg and/or buttocks. For instance, if a herniated disc was irritating a nerve for a while before your surgery, it could take a few weeks or more for the affected part of the nerve to fully heal and recover. AtTheSpine Center, were dedicated to providing you with high quality, personalized back and neck care. The disc may press on the spinal nerves and cause pain and numbness in the buttock and leg. Could it be that the nerve is just waking up and healing? The butt pain is as bad, if not worse than, the original pain I was having in my lower back. Generally, herniated disc surgery recovery is relatively quick, with a high success rate. Did I herniated my disc again by starting to walk and even drive too soon after the surgery -- the next day? Have very little movement or ability to flex my ankle. Buttock pain after a minimally invasive keyhole discectomy procedure is most often nerve-related. Note:Reherniationdoes not occur with total discectomy because the entire disc has already been removed. If your doctor prescribesmedicationfor you to help with pain or inflammation,take it asprescribed. i was so confused and lost about which procedure i should treat my back pain with.Dr.Corenman is just so kind to make time from his schedule to help me :')! Return to light work duties when you are able. However, some patients may have lingering leg painone of the classic symptoms associated with spinal nerve irritationafter microdiscectomy surgery. Also known as spinal decompression surgery, laminectomy enlarges your spinal canal to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves and is typically performed on patients with severe symptoms or those with symptoms that are worsening dramatically. "Do what's comfortable. I would say be patient and gently perform hamstring stretches (which is the main exercise that stretches the sciatic nerve) GENTLY to try and cautiously squeeze the edema out of the nerve root. But its still there with the same movements as before but later in the movement. Thank you for your answers and your advice. You may not have a high pain tolerance but you do have a high pain medication relief level. Return nerve pain after a microdiscectomy can originate from three issues; nerve inflammation, re-herniation or seroma formation. The lumbar laminectomy may be one option. Never disregard the medical advice of your physician or health professional, or delay in seeking such advice, because of something you read on this Site. Your spinal cord runs through the spinal column. After 6 months of phyiscal therapy and epidural steroid injections I opted for surgery which was done 4 weeks ago. If you haven't seen them, here are two videos I made in which I explain how I feel during the first day and third day after surgery: I took muscle relaxants for the first two weeks or so for the initial microdiscectomy recovery period. Its not uncommon for patients to return to work about two weeks post-surgery, although others may needan entiremonth ofhealing. For patients with strenuous or physically demanding jobs,waiting three months or longer before resuming physical work activities is the norm. Be sure to check in with your healthcare provider before starting this exercise to ensure it is safe for you to do after your lumbar laminectomy and discectomy surgery. In addition to medication, ice packs and/or heat wraps may be used. We disclaim all responsibility for the professional qualifications and licensing of, and services provided by, any physician or other health providers posting on or otherwise referred to on this Site and/or any Third Party Site. Lifting heavy objects while recovering, especiallythoseoff the floor, can worsen you pain. The two year anniversary of my microdiscectomy recently passed and I thought I should write an update on the long term effects of a microdiscectomy! In addition to those resulting directly from the surgery itself or a spine injury, these lifestyle choices can increase ones likelihood for reherniation after microdiscectomy: As you can see, patient compliance plays a major role in ensuring ahealthier, more completerecoveryafter undergoing a lumbar microdiscectomy procedure. Endoscopic microdiscectomy is usually performed in the lumbar (lower) region of the back after the failure of more conservative therapeutic measures, such as light exercise, medications, hot or cold compresses, physical therapy, spinal manipulation, and epidural injections, to relieve the nerve pain of a herniated disc, according to Dr. Liu. This treatment is done immediately following the discectomyduring the same operationand doesnt require any additional incisions or time in the hospital. Still, Dr. Liu cautions that, during the first couple weeks following surgery, patients should avoid repeatedly bending or twisting, lifting anything heavier than five or six pounds, driving, or performing tasks like lawn mowing, sweeping, shoveling snow or dirt, doing the laundry, running, jogging or other activities that can overly tax back muscles. A microdiscectomy is aminimally invasiveversion of the surgerythatcan be performed on various parts of the spine. Your backbone, or spinal column, is made up of a chain of bones called the vertebrae. They prevent vertebrae from rubbing together and help maintain spine flexibility. A thin towel or t-shirt may be used as a barrier between the heat/ice source and the skin to avoid direct skin injury. You will be fatigued the first couple of days until you develop stamina. The doctor put surgical tools through the . The Content on this Site is presented in a summary fashion, and is intended to be used for educational and entertainment purposes only. When that happens, patients may experience symptoms that arevery much likethe original complaints of disc herniation. Was able to walk longer, and had almost no pain, except for the incision site stiffness. While conservative, nonsurgical therapies may provide relief for some, other individuals dont have substantial improvement from physical therapy or activity modification. If it's worse than before your operation, I would ring your surgeon for advice. muscle, ligament, or nerve damage. Our surgeries have the shortest operating times, least risk, and quickest recovery periods of any available spine surgery.