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Dr. Barba explains if women will need pain medication after undergoing minimally invasive spine surgery and if they should worry about becoming dependent.
Dr. Barba:
Following minimally invasive spine surgery, some pain is expected. During the time in the hospital we’ll frequently give you a pump, which you can trigger yourself to control your own pain levels, which works very well for that. After surgery, sometimes frequently patients are on pain medications for two to six weeks afterwards. After you go home, pain medication will be required in most patients, but if you use it just a couple of times a day the risk of being addicted or becoming dependent on the medication is very low.
But again, it’s a combination of working with your doctor and being cautious about how you use the medication so that you use enough and not too much to make things good for you, but not put you at risk for addiction. It’s very unlikely that you would become dependent on pain medication following minimally invasive spine surgery.
About Dr. Barba, M.D.:
Certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgeons, Dr. David Barba is a member of numerous professional societies including the San Diego Academy of Neurological Surgeons, the Western Neurological Society, and the Research Society of Neurological Surgeons. He is currently serving as associate professor in the Division of Neurological Surgery in the Department of Surgery at UCSD.