You may have undergone back surgery with the hope of long-term pain relief and improved function. For many patients, it helps. For others, pain persists or returns. Research shows there are about 80,000 failed back surgeries every year.
When back or leg pain continues after surgery, it’s often referred to as Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS).
Despite its name, FBSS doesn’t mean the surgery itself was a “failure.” Rather, it describes a complex condition in which pain persists due to a variety of physical and neurological factors. The good news is that effective treatment options are available.
Here at Expert Pain in Houston, Texas, Ioannis Skaribas, MD, DABA, FASA, wants to help you understand why FBSS happens and how he can help you find relief and better function.
Failed back surgery syndrome is a term used to describe chronic pain that persists after one or more spinal surgeries. Symptoms can include:
Pain may appear immediately after surgery or develop months and sometimes even years later.
There are several reasons you may continue to experience pain after spinal surgery, including:
Changes in biomechanics that place stress on other parts of your spine may also result after surgery and contribute to pain. In many cases, more than one factor is contributing to the pain.
Understanding why your pain is occurring is important to choosing the right treatment. Dr. Skaribas does a thorough evaluation before diagnosing FBSS.
This evaluation includes a detailed review of your surgical history and current symptoms. He may have you undergo physical and neurological exams, including imaging studies such as MRI or CT scans.
Dr. Skaribas may also perform diagnostic injections to pinpoint the source of pain.
Dr. Skaribas tailors treatment to you. It often focuses on reducing pain, improving function, and helping you return to daily activities.
Options may include:
Targeted medications may help manage nerve pain, inflammation, or muscle spasms. We want to alleviate your symptoms with the lowest effective dose.
Guided movement can help improve strength, flexibility, and stability, especially when paired with pain-relieving treatments.
Minimally invasive procedures like epidural steroid injections, nerve blocks, and radiofrequency ablation may provide significant relief. These treatments can reduce inflammation and interrupt pain signals.
For some patients, spinal cord stimulation can be highly effective. This therapy uses mild electrical impulses to modify how the brain perceives pain signals and has shown strong results in managing chronic post-surgical back pain.
In addition to clinical treatments, Dr. Skaribas recommends lifestyle interventions. Addressing sleep, stress, mood, and overall quality of life is integral to long-term success.
In many cases, repeat surgery is not the best solution and may increase your risk of ongoing pain. Dr. Skaribas finds that a comprehensive pain management approach often provides better outcomes with fewer risks.
Living with persistent pain after back surgery can feel discouraging, but failed back surgery syndrome doesn’t mean you’re out of options. With the correct diagnosis and a personalized treatment plan, Dr. Skaribas can help you find meaningful improvement in pain and function.
Contact Expert Pain today to schedule an appointment. Dr. Skaribas can help identify the cause and guide you toward treatments designed to support your recovery and quality of life.
