CHRONIC PAIN OUTCOMES FOLLOWING SPINAL SURGERY: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY FOLLOW-UP

Abstract

The problem of chronic pain after having a spine surgery is among the most frequent challenges that affect the quality of life, mobility and psychological health of a patient.   This study aimed to determine the outcome of chronic pain improvement in time when patients receive follow-up care provided by a team of specialists, such as surgeons, physiotherapists, and pain-management specialists.  Every patient was followed up in a structured manner after 12 months of their operation.  The intensity of pain, the degree of ability, the mental state, taking of medicine and participation in rehabilitation were regularly measured. The results of the study revealed that a majority of the patients improved in an understandable and gradual manner.  The severity of pain, measured using conventional scales, had a substantial decrease at all the follow-up intervals.  More than two-thirds of the patients experienced significant pain relief at the end of the research period.  Based on the established disability grading scales, functional biomarkers such as walking, bending, lifting, and total daily performance were improved by more than 40-55.  The results of psychological assessments were positive, which implied that the levels of anxiety and depression symptoms that are common with chronic postoperative pain decreased.  These transformations were closely related to reduced pain and enhanced movement. It was also discovered that the patients took less and less pain pills in time as they improved in physiotherapy and learned to alleviate pain without the use of drugs.  The fact that the number of individuals involved in the rehabilitation process increased during the year demonstrates that the patients took the interdisciplinary treatment plan with great interest.  Notably, postoperative issues were not very severe, which could have aggravated chronic pain. In general, this paper indicates that a holistic approach to follow-up after a spine surgery results in the achievement of control over the pains, physical functioning, and emotional wellbeing.   A combination of physiotherapy with regular surgical checkups and assistance of pain specialists is a more appropriate long-term approach to persistent pain following spinal surgery.