Failed Back Surgery

Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

The aftermath of spinal surgery is not always good. Some are helped, some are not. 10-40% of individuals suffer with on-going pain and disability after surgery. Certain individuals who have had back surgery are either not improved or are worse off than they were prior to the surgery. This is called "Failed Back Surgery Syndrome". To make the condition sound palatable, and leave out the word "Failed" this syndrome has recently been re-named "Post Surgical Continued Pain."

Causes of Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

Recurrent or Persistent Disc Herniation: removal of a disc can weaken the area leading to another herniation at the same level or another level at a later time.

Spinal Stenosis from Scar Formation: This is narrowing of the openings where the nerves exit the spine due to post-surgical scar formation.

Post-Operative Infection: Upwards of 12% of patients receiving back surgery will develop an infection in the surgical area complicating healing and leading to a poor eventual outcome.

Post-Operative Epidural Fibrosis: Now that is a mouth full. This is basically scar tissue that has formed around the protective covering of the spinal cord and nerve roots that leads to persistent back and or leg pain.

Battered Nerve Root Syndrome: This is caused by accidental stretching, bruising or cutting of a nerve or from burning of a nerve from lasers, leaving permanent nerve damage and chronic pain.

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Hope for Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

Recent studies reveal that "Cox Flexion Distraction Technique" a method used in this office can be effective at reducing the pain and improving the quality of life in individuals who suffer from "Failed Back Surgery Syndrome."

A recent article published in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine revealed that a 55 year old male postal worker who had recently undergone a spinal fusion was still having pain and spasms in his lower back as well as right sided buttock and leg pain. After undergoing 13 Cox Flexion Distraction treatments the patient was Pain Free. A two year follow up revealed that the patient was still Pain Free.

Another article recently published in The Journal of Manipulative and Physiologic Therapeutics showed 32 cases of Failed Back Surgery Syndrome with an average pain of 6 (on a 1-10 scale) was reduced to an average pain of 2 after receiving an average of 14 Cox Flexion Distraction treatments.