There still is hope! Many patients with spine pain have failed multiple cortisone shots or epidurals! Many patients also have even failed spine surgery and they still have the same pain as prior to surgery. They get diagnosed with a general condition called failed back syndrome that means absolutely nothing. Many of these patients are left for nothing except being in chronic pain and turn to pain medication for relief. Many patients can even have no more spine pain but have residual arm, hand, leg or foot pain.
What causes failed back syndrome?Why does this happen? Because the true cause of your pain has been missed. You could have a nerve pain (or neuropathic pain) that is causing you back pain or causing you pain that runs down your arm or leg. For example, you could have low back pain with symptoms shooting down you leg. Your physicians performed surgery and you still have the symptoms shooting down your leg. The key is to address the cause of your symptoms and it could be the nerve that is the true cause of your pain. Many of these patients give up hope and have pain for years, there symptoms turn into chronic pain, and it affect their lives. But there is hope and they could still obtain a 50% reduction in pain and a 50% increase in function within weeks! Yes, within weeks, but the full outcome may take months in chronic cases.
