Still in Pain After Back Surgery? Discover Advanced Options for Real Relief

Back surgery is a big deal. You decided to have surgery to relieve pain, restore your ability to move, and return to your normal life.

But what happens if the pain doesn’t go away? Unfortunately, the reality is that some people still experience persistent back pain even after surgery.

The good news is that at Pain Management Associates in Greenbelt, Maryland, we still have advanced treatment options that offer real relief.

Why does pain continue after surgery?

Often called failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) or persistent spinal pain syndrome, continuing back pain after surgical treatment doesn’t necessarily mean the surgeon made a mistake or that there’s no hope for pain relief.

Continuing pain can have several causes. Scar tissue may develop around a nerve, or a nerve may remain irritated or sensitized and continue sending pain signals. Adjacent spinal segments may also develop a new problem. In other cases, the original problem may not have been completely repaired.

In most cases, the problem lies in the nervous system itself, which means that more surgery isn’t usually the answer.

What treatments are available?

Our strategy at Pain Management Associates is to diagnose exactly why your pain is persisting and then employ advanced interventional techniques to give you relief.

One of the most effective treatment options we use is called spinal cord stimulation (SCS). We implant a small device under your skin that sends low-level electrical currents directly to your spinal cord.

These signals, or pulses, do two things: They block the pain signals that are being sent to your brain, and they replace those signals with a much more soothing sensation. 

Before we install the permanent implant, we test a trial device to make sure it actually reduces your pain.

While this is the most effective option in most cases, other treatments are available as well, such as epidural steroid injections that let us deliver anti-inflammatory medication to irritated spinal nerves to reduce inflammation and provide pain relief.

Radiofrequency ablation interrupts the pain signals from the affected nerves with heat, providing longer-lasting relief.

Targeted nerve blocks can help pinpoint specific sources of pain while also providing short-term relief.

No matter which treatment works well for you, it’s important to develop a comprehensive pain management plan to break your cycle of pain and get back to your normal daily life.

If you’re experiencing persistent back pain after surgery, our team at Pain Management Associates is here to help. To schedule an appointment, call our office or use our online scheduler to choose a convenient time for you.