It is estimated that up to 40% of patients who undergo traditional open back surgery experience failed back surgery syndrome. Failed back surgery syndrome occurs when a patient continues to suffer from chronic back pain and other symptoms after a failed treatment. OPTIMAL Pain & Regenerative Medicine® is here for patients still experiencing back pain, limited mobility or spasms in their back in the Arlington, Fort Worth and Dallas, Texas area.
What is Failed Back Surgery Syndrome?
Failed back surgery syndrome is a generalized term often used to describe the condition of a patient who has experienced a failed treatment related to the spine. These treatments may include surgery to relieve back pain, stabilize the spine or decompress the spine.
When spinal surgery does not alleviate the original problem or has created more significant problems, patients may experience symptoms that include:
- Continued or chronic pain
- Limited mobility
- Inability to recuperate
- Spasms
- Sharp or stabbing pain in the arms and legs
- Dependence on prescription drugs to control the pain level
There are numerous causes of these symptoms after a failed treatment such as:
- Failure to properly diagnose the original condition
- Failure of the spine to heal together after fusion
- Recurrent disc herniation
- Spinal implant failure
- Scar tissue formation
- Failure to decompress a nerve root
What are the Treatment Options for Failed Back Surgery Syndrome?
Failed back surgery syndrome is a widely used term for a variety of spinal issues after a failed treatment. Because of this, each patient’s symptoms and medical history must be thoroughly reviewed before a treatment option can be reached. A pain specialist will consider the original surgery and the patient’s current pain level to determine the proper nonsurgical or surgical options. Some of these options include spinal cord stimulation, epidural steroid injections and facet injections.
To learn more about failed back surgery syndrome, contact the pain management physicians at OPTIMAL Pain & Regenerative Medicine®. We are here to help patients in the Arlington, Fort Worth and Dallas, Texas area alleviate the troublesome symptoms of a failed treatment.