What To Expect Before and After Your Back Surgery

By Mudit Sharma, MD

Virginia Spine Specialists

. http://www.virginiaspinespecialists.com/

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What To Expect Before and After Your Back Surgery

Once you decide in favor of minimally invasive spine surgery, it’s important to turn your attention to the preparation process. You need to prepare your mind and body for the procedure, as this goes a long way in helping you during the recovery phase.

Here are a few things you should do:

• Talk to your doctor about what to expect. It’s good to have a clear idea of what your procedure entails, how you’ll feel when you wake up, and potential side effects. The more you know upfront the less likely it is that you’ll face a surprise in the near future.
• Understand how long you’ll be in the hospital. Your doctor should be able to provide a basic idea of how long your hospital stay will last, barring any complications. This will help you plan accordingly, such as when you need to find a ride home and how much time you’ll take off of work.
• Prepare your home accordingly. Upon returning home, you don’t want to find yourself with a lot to do. Setup your home to ensure that it’s as safe and patient-friendly as possible. Also, if you require any help after returning home, find someone who can assist you.

These are the basic steps associated with preparing for minimally invasive spine surgery. Anything else, such as sharing a medication list with your doctor, will be requested by your medical team in advance.

Even if you have minimally invasive back surgery, it goes without saying that you’ll still want to get some help after your procedure.

While your medical team will care for you in the hospital, once you head home you must make sure you have a support system in place. This is much better than attempting to make a full recovery on your own.

Here are five types of help you may require after back surgery:

• Driving assistance, as you may not be able to sit upright in one position for too long
• Assistance walking, especially in the first couple of days after the surgery
• Assistance getting around your home, as your medical team will not want you to spend too much time in bed
• Assistance with preparing food
• Help getting into and out of the shower

The nice thing about minimally invasive back surgery is that the recovery period is not nearly as long as it is with a traditional procedure. Even so, you shouldn’t expect to be back to full speed within 24 hours.

With the right support team by your side, you’ll have all the assistance you require after your surgery. This goes a long way in helping you make a fast and full recovery.