Going home after back surgery
What to expect at home
Recovery after microdiskectomy (diskectomy) is usually fairly quick.
After diskectomy or foraminotomy, you may still feel pain, numbness, or weakness along the path of the nerve that was under pressure. These symptoms should get better after 1 to 2 weeks. However, your nerve pain may take 2 to 3 months to recover.
It takes longer to recover from laminectomy and fusion surgery. You will not be able to return to activities as quickly. It takes at least 3 to 4 months after surgery for bones to heal well, and healing may continue to happen for at least a year.
If you had spinal fusion, you will probably be off work for 4 to 6 weeks if you are young and healthy. If you are older it may take 4 to 6 months before you can to get back to work.
The length of recovery will also depend on how bad your condition was before surgery and also the extent of the operation.
Activity
Your doctor may or may not send you for some physical therapy after you leave hospital. Before you leave the hospital, you will learn how to move and do activities in a way that prevents pain and keeps your back in a safe position. These are:
- How to get out of bed or up from a chair safely.
- How to get dressed and undressed.
- How to keep your back safe when doing work for other activities, which will include lifting and carrying items.
You will also learn certain exercises that help make muscles in your back stronger and keep your back safe and stable.
Your doctor and physical therapist can help you decide whether or when you can return to your job.
You will need to change how you do some things.
- Try not to sit for longer than 20 or 30 minutes at a time.
- Sleep in any position that does not cause back pain.
- Your doctor will tell you when you may become sexually active.
You may be fitted for a back brace or corset to help support your back:
- Wear the brace when you are sitting or walking.
- You may take the brace off when you sit on the side of the bed for a short time or use the bathroom at night.
DO NOT bend at the waist. Instead, bend your knees and squat down to pick up something. DO NOT lift or carry anything heavier than 10 pounds (nothing heavier than a gallon of milk). This means you should not lift a laundry basket, grocery bags, or small children until your surgeon says you can. You should also avoid lifting something above your head until your fusion heals.
Take only short walks for the first 2 weeks after surgery.
- After that, you may slowly increase how far you walk.
- You may go up or down stairs once a day for the first 1 or 2 weeks, if it does not cause much pain or discomfort.
- DO NOT start swimming, golfing, running, or doing other heavy activities until your doctor says you can. Avoid vacuuming and doing strenuous household cleaning.
Riding or driving in a car:
- DO NOT drive for the first 2 weeks after surgery. After 2 weeks, you may take short trips when needed.
- DO NOT drive when you are on narcotics.
- Travel only for short distances as a passenger in a car. Avoid trips where you are sitting for a long period of time. If you have a long ride home from the hospital, stop every 30 to 45 minutes to briefly stretch.
Wound care
Your bandages (Steri-strips) will fall off within 7 to 10 days. If not, you may remove them yourself after this time.
You may feel numbness or pain around your incision, and it may look a little red. Check it every day to see if it:
- Is more red, swollen, or draining extra fluid
- Feels warm
- Begins to open up
Keep the incision dry for first 5 to 7 days. When you begin showering again, cover the incision with plastic wrap. DO NOT allow water from the shower to beat down on the incision. The first time you shower, have someone there to help you.
DO NOT smoke or use tobacco products after spine surgery. Avoiding tobacco is even more important if you had a fusion or graft. Tobacco interferes with wound healing and bone fusion.
Make sure your bathroom is safe. A fall could cause a serious problem and make it harder to heal. You can have handles installed around the bathroom for support and balance.
Pain management
Your doctor will give you a prescription for pain medicines. Get it filled when you go home so you have it available. If the pain is becoming worse, take your pain medicine to help before the pain becomes very bad.
During the first few weeks of your recovery, think about taking pain medicine about a half an hour before you are going to increase your activity.
When to call the doctor
Call your doctor or nurse if you have:
- Fever above 101°F (38.3°C) or chills.
- More pain where you had your surgery.
- More drainage from your wound, or the drainage is green or yellow.
- Loss of feeling or a change of feeling in your arms if you have neck surgery or your legs and feet if you had lower back surgery.
- Chest pain or shortness of breath.
- Swelling around your incision.
- Headaches that are significantly worse when you are upright.
Also, call your doctor if you have:
- Back pain that begins to worsen and does not get better with rest and pain medicines.
- Difficulty urinating or controlling your bowel movements.
Reviewed By: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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