What are the Indicators of Failed Back Surgery Syndrome?

You are at a point where the continuous intake of pain medication either doesn’t seem to manage your problem or may result in addiction if not stopped. The issue is, you or your family member’s reason for taking pain medication for back pain isn’t just going to disappear by itself. 

If you or your loved one has ever undergone surgery in the past, and is now experiencing pain, it could be as a result of Failed Back Surgery Syndrome. Let’s take a quick look.

What is Failed Back Surgery Syndrome?

The term for this condition is misleading. It is neither a condition nor a result of a failed back surgery. Even though it frequently appears in people who’ve had surgery at some point in their lives, it can sometimes manifest in those who haven’t had any back surgery.

FBSS is so named because no other type of surgery has symptoms similar to it. Even then, the condition comes about as a result of spinal surgery that did not achieve the expected results. 

Symptoms of FBSS

The condition can manifest itself in several ways. Some of the most common include

• Recurring pain: Persistent neck and/or back pain, especially after surgery. The pain can also have various qualities, ranging from aching, dull, radiating, or sharp. It can appear immediately after surgery or a few days or weeks after. In case scar tissues grow over the spinal nerve roots, the pain can worsen. 
• Neurological symptoms: Aside from the various levels of pain you may be experiencing, you or your loved one may undergo leg pain, or soreness that spreads from a part of your body to another, such as from the lower back to the legs, or neck to the arms. 

If you don’t watch out, the pain may end up affecting other parts of your life. For instance, you may encounter reduced limb function or quality of life. How easily you go about handling your daily tasks can also indicate what is going on with the pain. 

Causes of Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

FBSS can be caused by a variety of factors, which can easily be split into three categories. These are

1. Non-surgical and preoperative factors

• Inappropriate surgery selection
• Psychological factors such as anxiety, depression, and poor coping mechanisms

2. Interoperative factors

• Poor surgical techniques
• Inability to meet the aims of the surgery
• Incorrect surgery levels

3. Post-operative factors 

• Progressive diseases such as herniation
• New spinal disability
• Myofascial pain development because of tissue postural changes during surgery

You should have a doctor conduct a thorough evaluation of you, or your loved one’s pain to best come up with a course of treatment and alleviation. 

Get Pain Relief Today

If you or your loved one is struggling with pain, then it’s time to get permanent relief from FBSS. At the Texas Pain Experts, we specialize in solving chronic issues such as FBSS. To get started,  request an appointment, and someone will get back to you quickly.