With the rise of podcasts as a platform for free-flowing dialogue and discussion, Here’s some of the most informative and...
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Due to popular demand, I bring you 5 more stories of people who have recently undergone back surgery and are well on their way to...
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So…in a moment of self-pity, you googled ‘famous people with bad backs’ and this blog-post popped up...
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Like many people reading this blog, along with bulging discs and Spinal Stenosis, I have Degenerative Disc Disease. It’s...
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To answer the question simply, yes. In my experience when used responsibly, cannabis particularly CBD oil, can reduce back pain...
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I first heard about Stu McGill on a podcast about the rehabilitation of high-performance athletes. He was describing how some...
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Treating back pain with painkillers has become a controversial topic. And there’s a particular stigma against people that regularly use opiates to treat back pain. The media reports on the use and misuse of drugs such as Oxycontin and morphine almost daily, backed with statistics of rising rates of overdose.
On the recommendation of a neurologist, I began epidural treatments for back pain in early 2013. These were injections of Depo Medrol used to reduce swelling, and inflammation in my lower back. After several treatments that were largely ineffective, I stopped with the injections and looked for other forms of pain relief.
I was traveling through India in early December 2010 when ye ol’ back starting acting up again. The years of backpacking across the globe had taken it’s toll on my spine, and somewhere between Pune and New Delhi, I was hammered by pain in my lower back radiating down my leg. It began with a dull ache and a few days later I was in a familiar position; laid out on a bed, this time under a ceiling fan in Chandhigarh. While visiting my grandmother in the city that I was born, I was suffering through another bad flare up and wondering how I would make it back home.
In 2011, as my neurosurgeon was explaining the results of the laminectomy, he casually mentioned that I had condition known as Spinal Stenosis, most likely congenital and most likely the cause of my Sciatica. Of course, this was all news to me and I wondered why it hadn’t been noticed on the MRI scan. Regardless, I had a new back ailment to add to the list and one that laminectomy should partially fix.
Exercise is an important step towards recovering from any injury. When you’re dealing with herniated discs it’s particularly tricky to find the right routine to get your strength and flexibility back. And if your lower back is as temperamental as mine, you’re constantly reminded that one wrong twist or bend could land you back in bed for or worse, the operating table.
For every operation I’ve had, I’ve encountered an unforeseen complication like numbness in my foot or inflammation around scar tissue. For every pill there’s been some side effect especially pain medication that alters digestion and forces my liver to work much harder than it should. For every therapy there’s been some muscle soreness or overstretched ligaments. I’ve come to the conclusion that the best I can hope for are back pain remedies that keep most biological systems in check, and that’s how I came to acupuncture.
Can you really put a price on a healthy back ? You certainly can. And if you’re suffering from a herniated disc it’ll cost you anywhere between $20k – $80k depending on your surgical team and the type of surgery you choose – minimally invasive costing less. For patients that have a good insurance policy, the deductible is pegged at somewhere between 10 to 40 percent of the cost of the procedure.
Some forum users at Spine-Health and eHealth provide a few facts and figures into the cost of their surgery as well as cheaper options such as signing up for clinical trials. “Average national costs were about $14,000 for a single-level ACDF procedure and $26,000 for a single-level PLF. (These total figures reflected combined professional and facility costs.) Average cost for KA was about $13,000, increasing to $22,000 for TKA in patients with accompanying other major medical conditions.”
Hub Pages provides an example of the costs associated with Microdiscectomy.
|
Description
|
Amount (USD)
|
|---|---|
|
Hospital Services:
|
|
|
Anesthesia
|
1128.00
|
|
Medical Supplies
|
1969.00
|
|
Pharmacy
|
978.50
|
|
Radiology
|
646.00
|
|
Recovery Room
|
2466.00
|
|
Surgery
|
4586
|
|
Surgeon’s Fee:
|
6329.00
|
|
Anesthesiologist’s Fee:
|
1890.00
|
|
TOTAL CHARGES:
|
$19,992.25
|
Fortunately, for those of us living in Canada, microdiscectomy cost is covered by the government. Universal health is definitely one of the major benefits of living North of the 49th parallel. Perhaps another option for those Americans looking to get a microsurgery done sooner rather than later. Here’s Warner Nickerson’s story of getting the procedure done in Croatia. And if you live in France, this study states a discectomy costs around $650 US (approx. 4000 Francs).
Here’s a concerning story from NPR that shows that it’s possible that not all costs, such as neuromonitoring are covered through your medical insurer.
In 2010 I was diagnosed with having a Schwannoma off an L1/L2 root nerve. After studying my MRI, the neurosurgeon told me that the pain I was experiencing near the middle of my back, which had me vigorously pinching my side, was most likely a tumor. The word ‘tumor’ got my heart racing and I immediately thought of a life threatening scenario but after some brief consultation with said neurosurgeon, I was relieved to find out that Schwannoma’s are typically benign and not likely to cause serious harm. However, the best option for immediate pain relief was to remove it. I agreed to the operation and this began a long period of recovery.
Something I use daily (along with Tumeric in my smoothie) to naturally fight inflammation. It’s important to use fish oil with a high EPA of 500 or more as this is the inflammation fighting element.
