Have you ever been told that you need low back surgery? Did your surgeon discuss the outcomes and research regarding low back surgery? As we break down the literature regarding low back surgery, we need to discuss just how common low back pain is.
Low back pain is the 2nd most common reason someone visits the ER. It is the leading cause of disability worldwide. There is an 80% chance that you will develop low back pain sometime in your life. There are many ways we have managed low back pain as healthcare providers. However, if your doctor has told you that you need back surgery (or spine surgery), such as spinal fusion, you may want to reevaluate your options. Various research studies have shown that most back surgeries fail to relieve pain completely. Read on for failed back surgery statistics in 2020.
Despite the high number of back surgeries, many people don’t get better after back surgery. In fact, up to 74.6% of low back spine surgeries fail to alleviate back pain, according to a 2016 review in the Journal of Pain Research. The number is so high. There’s an official medical term for this—failed back surgery syndrome. FBSS, often called for short, refers to chronic back pain following back surgery. So how’s that for failed back surgery statistics?
Before deciding to undergo back surgery, you should talk to your doctor or get a second opinion from another local back doctor near you that can offer alternative, nonsurgical treatment options.
