About This Blog:
- Chronic back pain can be a hard thing to decipher, especially if it’s moderate or severe and comes in waves.
- Nevertheless, if medication, physical therapy, and other conservative therapies have not worked for you, it may be time to consider minimally invasive spine surgery.
- In this blog, Dr. Mark Giovanini of NeuroMicroSpine provides answers to frequently asked questions about minimally invasive spine surgery.
For patients with chronic back pain, minimally invasive spine surgery may sound “too extreme” as a treatment option, but Dr. Mark Giovanini of NeuroMicroSpine would ask you this: “Are you okay with living in pain for the rest of your life?”
It’s a question that may stop you in your tracks. Of course you’re not okay with living in chronic, debilitating pain, but what else can you do? You may think spine surgery is not worth your time or money, but contrary to popular belief, minimally invasive spine surgery is a highly effective, often permanent solution to chronic back pain. Due to a lot of misconceptions, Dr. Mark Giovanini has taken it upon himself to answer a few questions about minimally invasive spine surgery. Check them out below!
1. Who’s a good candidate for minimally invasive spine surgery?
Technically, a “good candidate” for spine surgery must fit several criterion: 1) generally speaking, patients should be in good health. Meaning, the ideal patient would not have a pre-existing condition that may put their life at risk during the operation. While there are no guarantees with surgery, a life-threatening illness should be mitigated before going under the knife. 2) Patients with pain that has persisted for more than 6 months and has not gotten better with conservative or interventional treatment. Patients who met both of these “requirements” are considered good candidates for spine surgery.
2. What is the recovery process like with minimally invasive surgery?
Minimally invasive spine surgery spares cutting vital muscles, and it requires small surgical equipment, so patients often experience minimal blood loss, a reduced risk of infection, and a shorter stay in the hospital. Every patient case is different, but many patients are able to get up and walk around shortly after surgery and return home that same day. After a week or two, patients may be able to perform light physical activities. A full recovery can happen in as little as six weeks depending on the patient’s surgery and his or her condition. Dr. Mark Giovanini will discuss your possible recovery with you before performing surgery.
3. Will I need physical therapy or interventional pain care after surgery?
Dr. Mark Giovanini may recommend a number of therapies through his sister company iLifestyle Destin. His program integrates functional medicine, with nutrition, wellness, and more! As such, he may start you off with a physical therapy program to ensure proper healing and improve flexibility and mobility. Then, you may meet with a health and wellness coach to learn about nutrition and ways to maintain a happier and healthier lifestyle. Massage therapy and other techniques may be employed to provide the most benefit from spine surgery.
For more information on minimally invasive spine surgery or to make an appointment with Dr. Giovanini, please call (850) 934-7545 or visit https://www.neuromicrospine.com/request-appointment.
We hope to see you soon!
The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.