Pain medications are provided either with PCA (patient controlled anesthesia), through the intervenous catheter, or by mouth.

Since fusion will take at least three months to set up, some type of immobilization is recommended. Often, bracing will be recommended. You may be asked to wear a neck brace for a few days to weeks after surgery. Lumbar bracing is often used after surgery for comfort and to decrease the motion of the neck to allow fusion.

The activity level is gradually increased. Patients are encouraged to walk as much as possible but to avoid lifting or binding early on. Strengthening and physical therapy can be started at three months post-operative if the fusion appears to be progressing well.

It should be noted that the time to fusion can vary, and usually use of the patient’s own bone or use of instrumentation can result in a quicker fusion. It usually takes approximately three months, but can take up to 6 to 9 months, for the bone graft to fuse the facets together. Heavy lifting, bending, and twisting are usually limited until the fusion is noted to be solid.

Signs of infection like swelling, redness or draining at the incision site, and fever should be checked out by the surgeon immediately. Keep in mind, everybody is different, and therefore the amount of time it takes to return to normal activities is different for every patient. Discomfort should decrease a little each day. Most patients will benefit from a postoperative exercise program or supervised physical therapy after surgery.

Radiographs will be taken at regular intervals to assess fusion. Further studies such as CT scan, MRI, or CT myelogram may be necessary if the pain continues or if the fusion is in question.