Back Surgery

The lumbar laminectomy surgery is indicated for relief of back pain that hinders you from doing the activities of daily living. It is never easy to go through a lot of pain. That is why, when the need for surgery calls, it will be the best thing to do to prevent worsening of the condition. Right after the surgery is done, it does not mean that there will be no more meetings with your doctor. The follow up check up is very important to check on your recovery as well as your overall condition after the procedure.

After the procedure and when you have gone home to make full recovery, it is often done that the doctor will see you a week after the procedure. The lumbar laminectomy surgery entails incision. That is why there is a need for the doctor to check on patients and to ensure it is healing the right way. The staples or stitches used to close the incision are then removed at this time and there will be a few checks done to ensure there are no complications brought by the surgery.

When you are going through the laminectomy recovery phase at home, there should be changes in your lifestyle to give you time for the healing process to take place. Activities should be limited and there should be no bending to protect the back and the incision site. Getting help from significant others is very important as well to reduce stress on your part. When you have a light job that does not require lifting, bending or strenuous activities, you may get back to work after a week or two.  Driving is also prohibited especially when you are taking medications that make you drowsy.

During your lumbar laminectomy recovery at home, you should be aware of symptoms brought by the lumbar laminectomy surgery. Healing after a lumbar laminectomy takes time. But when you see unusual symptoms, get immediate help from your doctor. You should watch out for the following symptoms:

• High fever indicating infections
• Redness and inflammation at the surgical site
• The wound dressing becomes soaked with blood after change
• Unable to pass out urine
• Pain and numbness on the back, legs and buttocks
• Shortness of breath that may indicate blood clots in the lungs or other problems
• Immobility of the legs that may indicate damage to the nerves

When having the symptoms stated above, it is very important to seek help soon so as to rule out these unusual symptoms. When you think there are more symptoms that are way beyond the normal course of healing, it is better to see your doctor for immediate check up.

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