Once you’ve made the decision to undergo degenerative disc disease surgery, there are a variety of factors that you will need to take into consideration prior to your procedure to help you prepare as much as possible. You should also take time before your surgery to learn about what you can expect afterward – physically, mentally, and emotionally – as this will likely make the rehabilitation process less overwhelming. Recovering from surgery likely will be stressful under the best of circumstances, so the more unforeseen complications you can avoid by preparing beforehand, the better.

Preparing for Degenerative Disc Disease Surgery

Your doctor will likely give you a pre-operative preparation plan that begins up to several months before surgery and continues up until the hours before your surgery. This may include long-term modifications to your lifestyle, such as quitting smoking, adhering to a specific diet, or increasing the frequency with which you exercise. Your doctor will likely conduct a series of blood tests and other evaluations, such as urinalysis and EKG, to determine if you suffer from any health conditions that could complicate the outcome of the surgery. Other adjustments may include stopping any medications you are currently taking that could interfere with your degenerative disc disease surgery, such as anticoagulants (blood thinners) and anti-inflammatory drugs.

On the day before your surgery, you may be instructed to stop eating at a certain hour (usually midnight) so that your stomach will be clear for the general anesthesia, which can cause nausea in some patients. You will also receive specific instructions from your doctor about hospital admittance paperwork, what time to arrive for the operation, and other relevant details.

Knowing What to Expect After Surgery

In addition to the physical preparations for surgery, emotional preparations should also be made. Be sure that your doctor reviews all the possible risks of the degenerative disc disease surgery with you. Also, try to get a clear understanding of what you can expect after surgery. For instance, will there be a lot of pain? Will you have limited mobility? When will your physical therapy regimen begin? When can you go back to work? At the very least, knowing your doctor’s projections about what you might experience can help make the transition from the hospital to your home a bit easier.

The Importance of a Support System

While some people may not like to share information about their personal health with others, it will be important for you to establish a post-surgical support system of family, friends, and medical professionals who can help you through the process of rehabilitation. From finding someone to drive you home from the hospital after your degenerative disc disease surgery to enlisting a neighbor to walk your dog or pick up your prescriptions while you’re recuperating, it can be extremely comforting to know there are people you can rely on. It’s also a good to stay in close communication with medical professionals throughout the recovery process, including your primary care physician, the surgeon who performed your surgery, and your physical therapist. Depending on your lifestyle prior to surgery, you may also be in touch with a personal fitness trainer, a yoga instructor, a massage therapist, or anyone else who may have been familiar with your condition and your plan to undergo surgery.

Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute specializes in safe and effective outpatient procedures for the treatment of degenerative disc disease and several other spinal conditions.

Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute. Laser Spine Institute specializes in safe and effective outpatient procedures for the treatment of degenerative disc disease and other spinal conditions. http://www.laserspineinstitute.com/back_problems/degenerative_disc_disease/

Author Bio: Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute specializes in safe and effective outpatient procedures for the treatment of degenerative disc disease and several other spinal conditions.

Category: Medicines and Remedies
Keywords: Degenerative disc disease