Can I receive chiropractic treatment after a back surgery?

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For people who have chronic lower back pain that is caused by a herniated disc, generation, or another injury, surgery might be the best method of treatment. Usually spinal fusion surgery is the very last option that a doctor will recommend, and often, the person must have explored things like injections, medications, physical therapy, and chiropractic. When these treatments are not effective, surgery might be scheduled. 

That said, many patients will experience some degree of pain or discomfort even after they have had spinal fusion surgery. When this is so, the patient might question what options are available to them. Is chiropractic treatment an option after a back surgery>

Some doctors will warn patients about the potential risk chiropractic treatment might bring forth after a back surgery. However, as long as the patient is sufficiently healed, these risks greatly decrease. At [clinic], we see post-operative patients on a daily basis., Many of them are ideal candidates for chiropractic treatment after back surgery, and for the small number of people who are not, we often recommend other options such as physical therapy, electrical stimulation, massage, or acupuncture. 

How Long Should You Wait After Surgery to Receive Chiropractic Care?

Spinal fusion surgery is a common type of back surgery that involves the removal of discs between at least two spinal vertebrae. Afterwards, the bones are fused together with plates and metal screws. The surgery is performed by an orthopedic surgeon and is done to correct conditions such as degenerative disc disease, and herniated discs. Once the surgery is done, the spine is immobilized within that area. 

It can take up to three months for the vertebrae to fuse together; thus creating an immobilized graft of the spine. Once complete, several more months of physical therapy will be needed to strengthen the tissues around the graft. In general, it takes about one year for a patient to fully recover from spinal fusion surgery. During that time, bending, twisting, or performing aggressive activities/exercises should be avoided as there is a risk of breaking the graft. If this should happen, surgery may need to be performed again. 

Chiropractic Treatment After Back Surgery

There is no guarantee of spinal surgery fixing a patients’ back pain. Many people discuss ongoing discomfort after the surgery, and for many years upon fully recovering. This is something that might be aided by chiropractic treatment. 

It is important to understand that chiropractic adjustments are meant to realign the spine or other parts of the body. Because the treatment is considerably intricate, many people who have had surgery of the back will be reluctant to even consider chiropractic care. 

Once you believe you have fully recovered, you can discuss the idea of receiving chiropractic treatment after back surgery with your doctor. He or she will examine the spinal graft to determine whether it is strong enough to withstand the subluxations, or chiropractic manipulations. If you have not fully recovered, or otherwise healed correctly, your doctor may advise you against seeing a chiropractor as there could be a risk of injury. 

What this means is that chiropractic care is not completely out of the question; rather, it’s a matter of whether you have healed and are strong enough to endure even mild manipulations. You are encouraged to speak with a chiropractor about rehabilitation during a consultation.