Say ‘Yes’ to Pain Management and ‘No’ to FBSS

Pain, wherever is in your body and whatever triggers it, is annoying. You can’t ignore pain for long and if you do, know that the activities you are participating will be disturbed by the pain. Your brain will keep reminding you of the discomfort and it cannot focus on anything else. The scenario is worse for chronic pain. It might accompany you for years and you may only get temporary relief from it once in a while.

Back pain is a common problem for people across the globe. Their lifestyle, long working hours, less time for healthy workouts, unhealthy diet etc. can result in back pain. Many people rush for surgery as they think it is the only way to get rid of the pain, but modern back pain doctors in OKC recommend other alternatives.

It is reported that more than 600,000 Americans go for traditional back surgery every year, but 40% of them suffer afterward from Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS). The symptoms of this syndrome can be new or it can be a continuation of the previous back pain.

About FBSS

In some cases, back surgery is helpful and can actually cut away the intolerable pain. If the cause behind the injury is an anatomical injury, it can alter the anatomy and fix the pain. But if the injury is not the cause of the pain, it cannot be cured with a surgery. You could say that the diagnosis is not always accurate, especially when nerve root compression in the spine brings the symptoms to other parts of the body. Also, other chronic pain such as arthritis can add symptoms of spine pain.

There are many other causes for FBSS like

• Scar tissue formation around the nerve root.

• Joint or nerve problems.

• Inadequate decompression of the nerve root.

• Failure of spine fusion surgery.

The common symptoms of FBSS which people suffer from include spasms, restricted mobility, persistent pain in the back, neck and legs, anxiety, depression and many others.

Without the right diagnosis, no successful treatment is possible. If a person is suffering from FBSS, the correct source of pain needs to be diagnosed. The diagnosis for treating someone with FBSS starts with a clinical evaluation that your back doctor in OKC can perform. This evaluation includes a physical examination and a medical history. Neurovascular and musculoskeletal exams, in addition to a general examination are done in the process to eliminate those causes apart from FBSS. Other tests may include MRI, x-rays, CT scans to evaluate nerve compression or similar disc diseases and eliminate tumor and infection. Another diagnostic process is Electromyography which determines muscle health and nerve cells.

About the Treatment

FBSS needs pain management to be cured. The pain management options for FBSS include getting inflammation and irritation under control by following the below-mentioned options:

• Epidural steroid injections are delivered to the nerve roots and facet block injections on the facet joints.

• Radio frequency ablation uses electrical currents to heat up nerve tissues and control the transmission of pain signals.

• Spinal Cord Stimulation is a pain relief technique where a low-voltage electric current is used to interrupt pain signals process to the brain. 70% of pain relief is achieved with this process.

Before proceeding with anything, you need a thorough check-up and that is only possible by an experienced back doctor in OKC. Contact Longevity Institute, where pain management treatment has been our focus for all types of pain.

* * Disclaimer: This content should not be considered medical advice and does not imply a doctor-patient relationship.