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.
Just to be clear, Schwannoma’s aren’t specific to the spine. You can find a more detailed description of Schwannoma on this page at TumorSurgery.org
After surgery, I was in a lot of pain. My back was inflamed, and I felt a constant burning sensation in the area around the incision. The surgeon had came in direct contact with the nerve root so the nerve was extremely sensitive and it stayed this way for months during which I continually iced my back and rubbed a special Ayurvedic oil to reduce heat.
After many months of discomfort, the burning feeling lessened and I didn’t need to apply ice to the surgical area. From time to time, the incision point does become inflamed but it’s usually temporary and I’m happy to report that I haven’t had to pinch my side post operation.
