Recovery from back surgery can take time
Q: I recently had a spinal fusion operation (same as Tiger Woods), and I’m tapering off my pain meds. But my pain doesn’t seem to be going away. There’s no indication that anything is wrong with my back repair. Why do I feel so bad? — John W., Hebron, Kentucky
A: Back surgery is complex, and recovery takes time. Tiger Woods had his spinal fusion operation (anterior lumbar interbody fusion) in April 2017. After a year, he’s now playing golf at a level that can be attained only by a few people. We hope you recover as well as he has. But remember, Tiger also had a rough time getting away from the medications that were necessary for him to endure his operation.
A recent study from the University of Colorado Boulder sheds some light on why he, you and millions of others have found that taking pain pills isn’t always a simple solution to post-op pain and that “trauma, including surgery, in combination with opiates can lead to chronic pain.”
The study, published in Anesthesia & Analgesia, found that in animal tests, the longer test subjects were taking morphine, the longer their pain lasted after they stopped taking opioids. Something is going on inside the nervous system’s pain receptors that actually prolongs pain and the desire for pain relief.
That’s why you need a good painmanagement specialist to guide you through your detox and regular physical therapy to make you ever stronger. Pain is a serious issue, and today’s meds are so good that it’s much easier to get hooked than it was in the 1970s, when pain meds had dysphoric or nausea-creating side effects. Let’s not forget that a few bad actors in medical care and some bad actors in society profit handsomely from you getting addicted. We cannot stress enough that if the pain or the need for narcotics lasts longer than three days, you should seek an immediate second opinion from a pain-management specialist.
Dr. Mehmet Oz is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Dr. Mike Roizen is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen at youdocsdaily@sharecare.com.