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“Oh my aching back!!!” Although this can be a humorous catch phrase, back pain is no laughing matter. Various Back surgeries can help the patient by way of alleviating pain. However, this surgery, in most cases, will forever hinder the patient’s mobility and strength. Back surgery is also not a guarantee of permanent or complete removal of pain. Is surgery always the answer? Back surgery is usually saved only for patients suffering from one of the following:

• Pinched nerve.
• Spinal cord compression.
• Too much movement between spinal columns (vertebrae).

On the bright side, new breakthroughs are being made in the way that back surgery is performed. An overall goal of back surgery is to bring it to a level in which the patient can perform all of the same tasks after surgery that they were able to perform before surgery.

In this article I will introduce several different procedures performed on the back. I will also discuss newer ways of performing these procedures that produce the same results with less pain and recovery time. Further, I will touch base on the cost of back surgery as well as back surgery recovery.

Spine fusion surgery (also known as back fusion surgery) is a procedure designed to treat lower back pain. This lower back pain can be caused by a number of things. It is called “spine fusion surgery” because the procedure involves placing small morsels of bone either in front of the spine (in disc space) or along the back of the spine (in posterolateral gutter). Once this procedure is performed, the bones grow together and fuse the selected section of spine. This fusion eliminates motion in the section of the spine that was fused. As a result, any pain that the patient was experiencing from moving that section of spine will be eliminated since the patient can no longer move that section. Interestingly enough, the surgery does not immediately fuse the spine, but instead creates conditions to where the spine can fuse on its own. The complete fusion of the spine takes up to 18 months after surgery. The cost of this procedure ranges anywhere from $15,000 to $17,000. The recovery time for this procedure is a bit lengthy. Once again, it takes up to 18 months for the spine to completely fuse. After the fusion process is complete, it may take several additional months before the patient is back to doing most normal activities.

Spinal fusion, until recently, was the only way to significantly reduce back pain in between the vertebrae. However, now there is a new and wonderful procedure known as laser spine surgery (laser back surgery) that produces similar results with much less recovery time and pain. Laser spine surgery helps alleviate pain in the lower back (lumbar), upper back (thoracic), and neck (cervical). The patient is actually able to walk out of the doctor’s office 2-3 hours after the operation is performed. Further, there are much fewer risks associated with laser spine surgery than there are with laser back surgery. And although the typical spinal fusion cannot be undone, most laser back procedures can. The cost of laser spine surgery typically ranges from $11,000 to $14,000.

Disc replacement surgery is yet another procedure linked with back surgery. This procedure is usually performed as a solution to a very bad problem: Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD). This disease progresses gradually with the patient’s age and greatly compromises the spine. It generally starts in the patients 30s and becomes worse as more time passes. This disease causes changes in the normal function and structure of the patient’s spine. The solution? Disc replacement surgery. The goals of this surgery are to:

• Restore a normal range of motion to the spine.
• Re-establish stability.

A 7cm incision is made to allow the exposure of the spine. The diseased disc material is then removed and an artificial disc replacement is performed. The artificial disc is implanted between the vertebrae in the effected level of the spine. The cost of this procedure can range from $35,000 to $40,000.

The recovery from any one of these procedures in not an easy one. It requires rehabilitation and physical therapy in most cases, which greatly improves the quality of recovery for the patient. No smoking is allowed with almost any back surgery for the entire length of recovery. Hospital stays range generally from 3-4 days. Back braces are also used during recovery to maintain stability and re-teach your spine to support your back. Applying ice or a warm compress eases the swelling and pain immediately following surgery. Deep breathing exercises are also encouraged to build muscle in the back. Nerve pain after back surgery is a common problem for many. This can be helped by exercising and being healthy in general. Being overweight also increases nerve pain, so keeping a strict diet and exercise schedule is highly recommended.

To conclude, opting to have any back surgery performed can be a confusing and frightening time. However, if back surgery means less pain and more time to truly live your life, is that not worth the recovery?