Significant pain post procedure can occur from a number of circumstances. Assuming the surgery went well and the compression is now gone, the nerves are currently inflamed. Normally in my office, if the nerve is still swollen after surgery, a course of oral steroids is given to reduce root swelling.
Occasionally, an epidural steroid injection is employed to directly coat the nerve with steroid. The concentration of steroid given by this method is immeasurably higher and more effective but this technique does require an injection.
If the pain is minimally reduced after surgery, there are occasions a new MRI is warranted. Hematoma (a small pool of blood), recurrent disc hernation and even a missed fragment are some of the possibilities for pain that is not reducing.
Dr. Corenman
PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.
