Disc Replacement Surgery Recovery Time
Image sourced from Freepik
What is the disc replacement surgery recovery time? Many patients with a damaged or herniated disc ask this question before undergoing minimally invasive spine surgery. There are many spine problem treatment options. For instance, you can take medications, such as over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, including NSAIDs, to relieve discomfort and pain.
Your health provider may also prescribe you epidural injections to reduce inflammation in your spine. Physical therapy, stretching exercises, talk therapy, yoga, meditation, and an anti-inflammatory diet are other treatment options. However, minimally invasive spine surgery, such as an artificial disc replacement procedure, is an effective and long-term solution.
What is Artificial Disc Replacement Surgery?
An artificial disc replacement is a minimally invasive spine surgery that requires the surgeon to remove the problematic disc and replace it with an artificial one. At MINT, our qualified neurosurgeons use reputable disc products, such as:
- Zimmer Mobi-C
- Centinel pro-disc c and L
- Aesculap activ-L
- Orthodox M6
- Nuvasive Simplify disc
MINT has a qualified team of surgeons, including orthopedic, vascular, and neurosurgeons, who work collaboratively to perform the procedure. Our surgeon will make a small incision in your belly or abdomen and move your organs, muscles, and blood vessels to the side.
That way, the surgeon will reach the affected area and remove the damaged disc. Once done, the surgeon will insert a new artificial disc in your spine and close the incision after putting back your organs and blood vessels in place.
The team will take you to a recovery area where the health staff will monitor your closely until you wake up. Remember, you will have an intravenous line and may have a catheter inserted in your bladder. The purpose is to make the urination process easier without any problems.
What is the disc replacement surgery recovery time?
Research shows that disc replacement surgery recovery time is between three and five weeks. However, the recovery time depends on different factors, such as the patient’s condition and overall health status, symptoms’ severity, age, and the clinic where the surgery is performed.
According to MINT, patients can return to day-to-day activities, including desk work, within one week. However, some patients may take longer to complete the rehabilitation period. The maximum disc replacement surgery recovery period is up to three months.
Remember, spinal fusion is a similar minimally invasive spine surgery, but its rehabilitation period is between six and nine months. Therefore, disc replacement surgery is an effective spine problem treatment with higher success rates and a faster rehabilitation period.
How to Speed up the Recovery Process?
A qualified and experienced team of health professionals will prepare you for the disc replacement recovery period before the procedure. It means you will access healthy meals, medications, and other things you will need for the rehabilitation. Many patients find the recovery easy if a family member takes care of them.
Your health provider may prescribe you low-dose opioids for a few days after the surgery. However, we recommend taking NSAIDs, such as naproxen and ibuprofen, to manage inflammation and pain in your spine. If you want to speed up the recovery process, make sure you follow your surgeon’s instructions.
For instance, limit your daily activities for a few days after the surgery. When your body heals over time, you can perform your day-to-day activities. Make sure you undergo physical therapy sessions after the artificial disc replacement surgery. Not only does physical therapy leads to proper healing, but it also speeds up the entire process.
Most people have a full recovery within three months after the minimally invasive spine surgery. However, some patients will recover faster. The reason is that they follow their surgeon’s instructions and undergo physical therapy, leading to improves range of motion in your spine.
Whether you had undergone lumbar or cervical disc replacement surgery, you will recover faster if you eat healthy meals, including food packed with anti-inflammatory compounds and antioxidants. Unlike spinal fusion, disc replacement surgery is more effective in maintaining the natural motion of your spine.
Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery at MINT
Although spinal fusion and disc replacement are minimally invasive spine surgeries, the latter is more effective and reliable because it does not involve the insertion of bone graft material. The bone graft fuses the two vertebrae and may take more time.
On the other hand, disc replacement surgery involves removing the damaged disc and inserting a new artificial disc. That’s why the disc replacement surgery recovery time is relatively faster than spinal fusion. Contact MINT, Plano, TX, today for disc replacement surgery.
