What Percentage of Back Surgeries are Successful?
When you’re in chronic pain, knowing what percentage of back surgeries are successful is the question that really matters. Unfortunately, the evidence shows that back surgeries mostly fail to relieve pain. Here’s a selection of some of the most cited scientific studies on the success rates of back surgery.
Only 19% of back surgery patients return to work at full capacity.
This observational study of 725 lumbar fusion patients, published on PubMed, found that only 19% retuned to work within 2 years.
Only 50% of back surgery patients experience pain relief.
This meta-analysis, published on PubMed, finds that many back surgery patients do not experience significant improvement in their pain.
Only 34% of patients report significant pain relief after 5 years.
This study, published on Journals, shows the poor outcomes for the majority of spine surgery patients, even after multiple operations.
Placebo is the strongest variable in back pain study.
This study, published in the Journal of Neurosurgery, shows that patients with high preoperative expectations for back pain relief reported less pain 2 years after surgery compared to those with low preoperative expectations.
66% of spine surgery patients don’t see any improvements.
The Pain Management published this study showing that 66% of patients did not experience significant improvement, and some even reported significantly worse pain after the 5 years check.
42% of young people in same, or worse, pain post-operation.
This study, published in the Spine Journal found that persistent postoperative pain was reported in up to 42% of a adolescents patient population that had been hoped would heal better.
What percentage of back surgeries are Successful? Only 25%
This study, published in PubMed, shows that the surgery is associated with increased disability, opiate use, prolonged work loss, and poor return to work status compared to nonsurgical treatment.
Non-surgical treatment for lumbar pain more effective than surgery
The Pain Management published this study showing that 66% of patients did not experience significant improvement, and some even reported significantly worse pain after the 5 years check.
Surgery for chronic back pain has poor results in pain relief.
This analysis, shows that spinal surgery, including fusion and disc arthroplasty, has poor results in terms of pain relief or improved function for chronic low back pain.
My Treatment Philosophy
Chronic pain is complex. It can be very hard to overcome. That’s why I see myself more as a chronic pain coach than a therapist. I’m dedicated to providing you with support, advice and encouragement at every step. I will put the work in, but you also have a role here. Rebuilding your nervous system requires a lot of effort, as well as an open-mind, a willingness to be curious about your body, and 30 minutes a day.
Every client’s pain is unique, and their treatment program reflects that. Still, most
have to learn concepts and techniques from all three steps of my treatment philosophy.
01
Unlearn what you think you know about pain.
Most people, therapists included, fundamentally misunderstand chronic pain. You can’t fix what you don’t understand.
02
Reconnect to your nervous system.
Pain starts here, yet most of us have spent years, decades even, learning to ignore our nervous system. Start listening and you will start healing.
03
Movement is medicine.
Chronic pain stops us from moving, and over time the body becomes deconditioned. Staying pain free requires you to rediscover safe movement and ways to include it into your life..
get to the root cause of your pain.
My Chronic Pain Coaching sessions are 90 mins long. They can be done in-person (in Sayulita & in San Pancho) as well as online via video conferencing.
Evidence based
I only work with modalities that have proven their effectiveness in studies.
High success rate
I lived through chronic pain. But I overcame it, and I help my patients do the same.
Your pain is as unique as you are
Effective treatment has to reflect this. That’s why I blend multiple modalities into my practice.
Active treatment is the way out of pain
The more you put in, the more you get out. Clients that do the work, see the results. It’s that simple.
90 mins Session
Chronic Pain Coaching
$100 USD
I regularly work with the following chronic symptoms:
Contact Me
Please contact me to request an Information Pack, or to book a Chronic Pain Coaching session.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why haven’t I heard about chronic pain coaching before if it works so well?
Great question. I had the same thought, and there are several reasons. First, I initially resisted it myself due to the significant time and financial investments I had already made in bio-mechanical therapies. This new approach represented a paradigm shift, and change is challenging, especially when you’re in chronic pain, which can cloud rational thinking.
On a broader scale, there’s also a lack of financial incentive for medical companies to promote these methods. Surgeries and medications are highly profitable, whereas mind-body therapies are not. I recommend the book Crooked, by acclaimed journalist Cathryn Ramin, that delves extensively into the subject. Ultimately, the issue boils down to money. Many professionals profit from back surgeries, even though they have a mere 10% success rate in returning people to work after one year. In stark contrast, mind-body therapy is much more effective. 9/10 of my lower back pain clients are back to work within a few months and don’t require surgery.
What therapeutic modalities do you work with?
I have studied a broad range of physical and psychological modalities that I can integrate into my practice. These include: Hanna Somatics, Feldenkrais, Dynamic Neuro-Muscular Stabilization (DNS), Reactive Neuro-Muscular Training (RMT), Range Conditioning, Egoscue, Flobility, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Fascia Release Therapy, Kinesiology, Pain Reprocessing Therapy, Functional Anatomy and Brainspotting.
Can you show me some more evidence?
Is this an alternative to back, hip, knee or TMJ surgery?
Very much so. A much better alternative. I have dozens of studies listed here that show how a Mind/Body, Nervous System Based and an Active approach is the most effective approach to healing chronic pain.
What payment methods do you accept?
I accept various payment methods: cash, credit/debit cards, PayPal, and bank transfers. Please mention ahead of the session if you plan to pay in something other than cash or if you will need a tax receipt.
What should I expect from a session?
The first session is primarily dedicated to getting to you, your history and understand the relationship you have with your nervous system. During this 90-minute session, I’l work on understanding of your mental and physical health.
This approach could be predominantly movement-based or cognitive in nature, depending on your specific needs. Your nervous system has been shaped by your life experiences, and we need to learn to listen to it. Gradually, we will retrain your nervous system to function in harmony with your current lifestyle. If your current lifestyle is not conducive to your well-being, we will work together to discover how to adapt it to better meet the needs of your nervous system.
The goal is to create a personalized treatment plan that considers both your physical and emotional health, ensuring a holistic approach to overcoming chronic pain.
Do you have a privacy policy?
Yes, you can find my privacy policy here.
Do you have a social media presence?
Yes, I am on X (formerly Twitter) as jp_paincoach.
