Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

Failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) describes a condition that arises from complications following back surgery or spine surgery.  It refers to chronic back or leg pain that occurs after your surgery. If you experience recurring pain following surgery, you may have FBSS.

There are many reasons for a back surgery being ineffective, even with top surgeons.  Most cases of failed back surgery are the result of unidentified issues, or surgery not targeting what initially caused your pain.

Contributing factors may include, but are not limited to:

  • Herniated discs

  • Pressure on a spinal nerve

  • Altered joint mobility

  • Joint hypermobility with instability

  • Scar tissue (fibrosis)

  • Spinal muscular deconditioning

Chronic back or neck pain can also lead to depression, anxiety, and sleep deprivation.

You may be predisposed to the development of FBSS due to systemic disorders such as diabetes, autoimmune disease, and peripheral blood vessels (vascular) disease.  Smoking tobacco also puts you at risk and can increase your chances of a poor recovery after surgery.

Comprehensive Pain Consultants offers a wide range of treatment options for FBSS, including:

  • Physical therapy

  • Minor nerve blocks

  • Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)

  • Behavioral medicine

  • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medications

  • Membrane stabilizers

  • Antidepressants

  • Spinal cord stimulation therapy

  • Intrathecal morphine pump

  • Alternative therapies

Failed Back Surgery Syndrome in Asheville & Western North Carolina

If you experience chronic neck, back, or leg pain for weeks on end following surgery, you should schedule an appointment at Comprehensive Pain Consultants. Don’t let your symptoms linger. Our physicians discuss your complications after back surgery, review your symptoms, and go over the best treatment options to relieve your pain.