Advanced Pain Management, Back Pain Causes, Physical Therapy, Pulsed Radiofrequency Nerve Root Treatment, Radiofrequency Facet Joint Denervation, Spinal Injections

Continued pain after lower back surgery

Back surgery is indicated in a small percentage of patients with pathology at that level. It is likely that the decision you made to have back surgery to relieve your pain has been very difficult. So it can be very annoying that, after surgery, you continue to feel pain.

Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

Despite a careful diagnosis and a successful operation, some patients still experience pain after their surgery. This persistent pain or the continuation of previous symptoms is known as a failed back surgery syndrome and may affect your ability to perform your daily activities. The failure is not the surgery itself, since the main objectives of the surgery (which could include decompression and stabilization) may have been achieved. What failed was to reach the full resolution of symptoms.
Various factors affect the outcome of back surgery. Another possible cause is that the injury for which the surgery was performed is not the only reason for the onset of pain. Many times the main problem remains unresolved properly. In some, the pain may come from the damage caused by the surgical procedure itself.
It is very common to feel discouraged if back surgery does not help relieve pain or cause the appearance of others. The good news is that there are some options for treatment, such as therapies for chronic pain.

Epidural fibrosis

Scar tissue formation is common during the recovery period after back surgery. Pain in the scar tissue is uncommon since it does not have nerve endings that cause pain.
However, epidural fibrosis, which is the formation of scar tissue in the nerve root, can cause some pressure on the nerve roots and cause pain. Usually, the symptoms associated with epidural fibrosis appear in 6 to 12 weeks after back surgery. Many times patients have almost no pain after their surgery, but as the scar tissue closes, the pain may appear again and spread to the legs. Occasionally, nerve end damage caused by the patient’s original pain causes the patient to heal more slowly. If the pain is burning or persistent and its intensity does not change with the change in posture, it is possible that a scar is forming around the nerves.
Stretching exercises after the operation can help decrease the effects of postoperative scarring around the nerve root.

Problems after treatment

In decompression surgery, such as a laminectomy or discectomy, the nerve root can take a long time to heal, which would complicate the evaluation of the outcome of the surgery.

About three months after surgery, one or two of the following results may appear:
-In general, patients who are improving within the first three months after surgery continue that way.
-Patients who have not presented an improvement approximately three months after decompression probably do not perceive a substantial benefit from surgery.

Decompression of the spine will usually relieve pain in the patient’s leg immediately after back surgery. However, for 10% to 20% of patients, the pain will continue until the nerve begins to heal.
Usually, symptoms that include numbness/tingling or weakness take a little longer to resolve, and it can usually take up to a year for these symptoms to disappear. If the symptoms persist after one year, there may be permanent nerve damage, so the pain is unlikely to improve.

Fusion Failure

Fusion is like a broken bone that is trying to heal. Bone cells migrate from the injured bone to the bone graft from other areas, which can form solid bone tissue. It takes about a year for a solid bone to form. Certain activities such as those that include excessive movements, bad placement of screws, or the use of anti-inflammatories could inhibit the process of bone fusion. There may be failures in the implantation of bones in case the fusion does not occur, and this often leads to fractures, dislocations and chronic pain.
The patient may experience recurrent pain many years after spinal fusion surgery. This can happen because the level above or below the segments that have been successfully merged can fracture, which can cause pain. This is known as adjacent segment disease.
If you have chronic pain after spinal fusion surgery, look for the right options to relieve it.

You might also want to read: Surgical treatment for back pain

Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

Fatty degeneration of multifidus muscle in patients with chronic low back pain and in asymptomatic volunteers: quantification with chemical shift magnetic resonance imaging.

Coblation nucleoplasty for adjacent segment degeneration after posterolateral fusion surgery: a case report.

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Truspilot Reviews

2022-06-10

Fabulous service Fabulous service. Mr Akmal truly cares about his patients and how he can improve their quality of life. I would recommend him to anyone with any kind of spinal issue.

Honeywell Paul

2022-06-08

Truly excellent results! I was diagnosed with lumbar stenosis after experiencing increasing pain in both legs. An MRI and consultation carried out at short notice confirmed this. Mr Akmal recommended that a spacer should be inserted in my lower back to correct the problem and release the nerves from the narrowing caused by stenosis. The operation was conducted very professionally and without pain. After the first two weeks the pain started to subside as expected. After 4 weeks I was completely back to normal. The result is exceptionally good and I feel renewed, with no pain whatsoever and a regained posture, ready to resume a normal life. I cannot recommend The London Spine Unit highly enough. They are medical magicians!

c etri

2022-06-06

Sciatica My mother was in absolute agony for more than 3 months due to sciatica. It just came out of nowhere and took her out of action. From working full time she went straight to being bed bound and unable to carry out simplest of actions.The pain was 9/10 and she was bed bound for those three months. Multiple trips to A&E and GP and they wouldn't class it as an emergency therefore they wouldn't do anything about it other than upgrading the painkillers which did next to nothing for my mother. I couldn't bear to watch my mother sleeping on A&E bench in pain for 7 hours, just to be told by doctors that she wouldn't be kept in. I remember her joining her hands and begging the doctors to stop the pain which broke my heart. I then started doing research on google and London spine unit came up with Dr Mo AKMAL's profile and review. First meeting with Dr AKMAL was via ZOOM as my mother was bed bound. Dr AKMAL spoke to me and my mom and told us that this is nothing to worry about and that the pain would be 100% gone.Dr AKMAL assured us to visit the hospital so he could physically inspect my mother and give us the best solution. One trip to the london spine unit and Dr AKMAL advised us that the best solution would be to carry out Minimally invasive disectomy. Dr AKMAL advised that due to my mother being bed bound for a while, steroid injection might not give the result that my mother wishes. Dr AKMAL was very confident and showed us some videos from other patients who had gone through the same ordeal. The biggest thing i noticed between before and after was the smile on the patients face. Dr AKMAL was constantly assuring my mother throughout the meeting that he would take care of her pain and gave her 100% confidence that the result would be delivered.He promised her that she would be walking pain free the same day after the operation. Before the operation Dr GURUNG was consulted multiple times and he also was very helpful. Right after the surgery, as Dr AKMAL promised, my mother was walking and the biggest thing was that the pain was gone. My mother had forgotten to smile for three months and there i saw her smiling again. Dr AKMAL and Dr GURUNG gave us brilliant aftercare and informed us that just give them a ring if there was any issue. Its been several weeks now and my mother is heading towards complete recovery without any issues. The pain is completely gone and anyone who is reading this going through the same horrible sciatica pain you must come and see Dr AKMAL. Thank you Dr AKMAL and your whole team for helping my mom achieve this pain free life.

Frank Otuo

2022-05-18

Extraordinary Care My 81 year old mother who has retired in Ghana was suffering from severe lower back pain so a local surgeon put her through discectomy with hardware (spine screws). The procedure was essentially botched, with one screw breaching her spinal canal resulting in extreme pain; unable to walk, pins and needles and numbness in the left leg. The hardware subsequently had become infected and loosened as a result. Her life after this surgery was the worse she has ever experienced in all her life. She had no doubt that she was eventually to die from the infection and pain. Fortunately, through diligent search, we found Mr Akmal and his team at The UK Spine Centre. She had a zoom consultation and with a ready MRI and CT scan, Mr Akmal knew exactly how to have her back to fitness and a better quality of life. She travelled to England on 26 March 2022 and had the surgery on 11 April 2022. It was a day-case. It lasted no more than 1 hour 30 minutes. She was on my feet within 2 hours pain free - still pain free 5 weeks on! To her this is simply a miracle ! She is grateful to Jehovah God for Mr Akmal and his team - thoroughly professional bunch at the top of their game. No one deserves to suffer the pain she experienced for two years. She seriously recommends Mr Akmal and his team for anything SPINE!

Luke O'Brien

2022-05-18

Bilateral discectomy and dynamic stabilisation for complete foot drop From the first phone call, the team at London Spine have been amazing. I had severe symptoms following an L4/L5 disc injury from playing sports and had complete foot drop. Mr Akmal and his team treated the situation incredibly sensitively, as I had risk of permanent damage. The whole process was so quick, from initial consultation to operation was about 96 hours. On the day of the operation, the nurses couldn’t have been more helpful, attentive and calming. The surgery was flawless, with absolutely zero pain from the operation following. I am now 8 weeks from a bi-lateral discectomy and dynamic stabilisation procedure and have regained full use of my leg and toes, with a complete range of motion also. Mr Akmal’s aftercare has been first class, with regular calls from his team in the 2 weeks following the surgery, to the final consultation and discharge. Thanks so much for giving me my life back

2022-05-09

Excellent treatment Mr Mo Akmal treated me very successfully for 2 torn discs in my back. I was in tremendous pain before I was referred to him. The treatment I received from him was excellent and he communicated with me very well throughout the whole process. I am eternally grateful to Mr Akmal for sorting out my back and would highly recommend him.

shahnaz Choudhury

2022-04-22

I had a massive bulging disk on my back… I had a massive bulging disk on my back compressing my nerve for three years. It caused me excruciating pain and almost left me disabled. I was on both crutches and completely homebound due to the severity of pain and mobility limitations. I had my lumber surgery two weeks ago and walked out of hospital within a few hours pain free on my right leg that was almost paralysing prior to surgery. The disk was shaved off releasing the nerve completely. Two days after surgery I had excruciating pain on my head that is unexplained as I had CT scan and MRI which were all fine. Dr Akmal has suggested it could be from the anaesthetic. I am extremely grateful to Dr Akmal and his very welcoming and cari g team. I would highly recommend his clinic as I have had excellent recovery.

MR HARVEY

2022-04-02

Thank you Mr Aklam After having a poor and very slow experiance in glasgow . I contacted Mr mo Amlam . Who is a true gentleman, great listener and paitent . We transfered my scans and treatments from glasgow to harley street . Mr Aklams p.a arranged a quick zoom to start our contact .I then went down for a meeting and examination and what should have been a spec scan .only to be told of a UK shortage . So 4 weeks later the scan took place in wellington hospital . Before I traveled back to glasgow. 5 days later I got a call to book me in to 19 harley street for a l3 and l4 debridement and stabilisation. The opp took place on 24th March. 2hours I was out walking 4 hours later . My pain in back groin and foot was all gone .thanks to Mr aklam . Top of his craft but more importantly pouts his patients first .he really wants to help you get better. Thank you so much Mr Robert harvey

Ken Carswell

2022-03-22

Amazing service and an amazing treatment! I can't thank Mr Akmal and team at the London Spine Unit enough for their help. I had a herniated disc in my back which was causing pain and restrictions. Compared to other offers of surgery (e.g. several nights in hospital), the day surgery and minimally invasive procedure were hugely appealing. I am now 3 weeks post surgery, have no pain and am recovering incredibly quickly if I compare myself to friends who have had a similar procedure. it was truly remarkable, straightforward and the team were kind, friendly and always helpful. very highly recommended!

customer

2022-03-17

Great service and painless procedure Great service and painless procedure. Definitely alleviated the pain

London Spine Unit Harley Street Hospital

A Focus on High Quality Specialised Care

We are a specialist Private Hospital based on Harley Street, London UK The Harley Street Hospital, Day Surgery Hospital

We provide exclusive health services for individuals seeking Advanced medical, non-surgical or minimally invasive treatments. We are covered by All Insurance Companies apart from AXA PPP

Our Medical Director and Lead Spinal Surgeon Mr Mo Akmal MD is a world renowned Spine Specialist Consultant with over 20 years of experience. He and his team have developed revolutionary techniques to perform all types of Spinal Surgery as a Day Case procedure without traditional General Anaesthetic.

We are constantly improving our techniques for treatment and improving facilities for our patients.

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