When to Go Home After Spine Surgery

The timeframe to go home following spine surgery depends on your individual surgery type, overall health and healing progress toward short-term recovery goals.

For some procedures, spine surgery is done on an outpatient basis. This means that you could go home the same day. In other situations, you may be in the hospital for a few days to a week depending upon your healing progress. Your doctor will likely prescribe painkillers and a back brace and maybe additional assistive devices.

Tips

• Breathing deeply and coughing frequently may help prevent lung congestion following surgery.
• During early recovery, using a positioning split (i.e. V-shaped pillow) may help protect your spine.
• You may need assistive walking devices, such as a walker or crutches, and your doctor or physical therapist will help train you and can estimate how long you may need these.
• With the help of a physical therapist, you should be doing strengthening exercises every day to help you recover and restore spine movement.

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