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What to Expect From Spinal Surgery Recovery
March 30, 2022
People are often surprised to learn how critical the spine is to their bodily health. On the most basic level, your spine controls your posture and helps you walk. However, it can also affect your brain function, headaches, and immune system.
That’s why spinal surgery recovery can become so intense. Recovering from spinal surgery is often an intense project that requires you to abstain from many things.
If you’re preparing for spinal surgery, you probably have many questions. How long does it take to recover from spinal surgery? Do you feel pain after spinal recovery surgery?
If you’re asking these questions, keep reading! We’ll answer these questions and others in the guide below!
What To Avoid During Spinal Surgery Recovery
There are things you’ll have to avoid in the early stages of recovering from spinal surgery. These include most physical activities, including:
- Bending your back
- Lifting anything heavier than eight pounds
- Twisting your spine
- Driving
Driving is dangerous because of the drowsiness and reduced coordination that follows your surgery. It’s also best for patients to avoid car rides in early recovery periods.
Likewise, avoid chores that involve bending, lifting, or twisting your spine. These include cooking, cleaning, cleaning laundry, and shopping for groceries. We recommend having pre-prepared meals available during this stage of recovery.
Pain Medication After Spinal Surgery
Most spinal surgery patients experience pain after their hospital discharge. Generally, doctors prescribe pain medication to help you navigate this problem.
The most common prescriptions for this pain are opioids. These prescriptions require abstinence from alcohol or operating a vehicle.
You can also supplement these medications with heating and cooling pads. However, it’s best to apply these packs/wraps for 15-20 minutes. Once this time runs out, rest for at least two hours so your skin can recover.
How Long It Take To Recover From Spinal Surgery
Recovery from spinal surgery can take varying levels of time. A diskectomy, for example, takes relatively little to heal from. However, other surgeries like laminectomy and fusion operations take much more time.
These surgeries often take three to four months for the bones to heal well. However, your bones may not heal completely until at least a year after the surgery.
Spinal fusion surgeries usually require patients to rest for four to six weeks. During this time, patients will stay home from work.
Please note that the above period usually applies to younger, healthy people. Heavy labor jobs may also require you to spend more time off of work. An older person may need four to six months to recover fully and return to work.
Find The Spinal Care You Need
Spinal surgery recovery is an extensive process that requires expert care. The best physician can inform you when you may return to work and resume doing routine tasks.
If you live in Clearwater, Florida, contact us for the spinal care you need! We’ve serviced this community for over 17 years and have experience with several types of spinal care.
To get started, sign in to our patient portal. From there, you can receive increased access to your medical information. Contact ustoday to learn more!