Post-Laminectomy Syndrome Treatment in NJ

Since the term post-laminectomy syndrome is often interchangeable with failed back surgery syndrome, you don’t necessarily need to have had a lamina removed to be diagnosed with the condition. Anyone who experiences chronic pain following a failed back surgery can receive the diagnosis at any age or physical condition.

Due to the complex nature of the condition, failed back surgery syndrome does not refer to a single issue. Instead, it refers to a cluster of various possible symptoms.

For instance, following your spinal surgery, you may experience:

• No change. After a successful procedure, the original pain returns.
• New problem. Despite successful surgery, a new spinal problem emerges, causing pain.
• Surgical complications. There may have been nerve damage during the surgery, you may have developed an infection, or your spine didn’t heal correctly. The metal used to fuse your vertebrae may also cause pain.

Diagnosing the cause of post-laminectomy syndrome becomes even more complicated if you’ve used opioids for long-term pain management. These narcotic pain relievers work by fooling the body’s endocrine system, which detects pain.

Not only do you develop a tolerance to opioids over time, but these drugs also inhibit your ability to produce endorphins naturally. While opioids can be helpful in short-term pain relief, physical debilitation from long-term use is a significant risk.

The symptoms of post-laminectomy syndrome may appear throughout your body. Since the failed back surgery usually takes place on the spine, your symptoms most often occur in one or more areas as:

• Neck pain
• Upper back pain
• Middle back pain
• Lower back pain
• Hands or feet pain

When post-laminectomy syndrome affects your hands and feet, it’s a result of neurologic symptoms. Neurologic pain can take the form of tingling, heat, or cold sensations in the extremities. This discomfort is a result of nerve damage in the spinal column.

Neurologic symptoms can also include loss of strength and feelings of heaviness. In rare cases, you may lose bowel or bladder control. Doctors can sometimes positively identify the nerve or nerve group responsible for the neurologic symptoms, but this isn’t always the case. Your doctor may need to do extensive testing to find the source of your symptoms.