A microdiscectomy removes the piece of herniated disc that is pressing on a nerve root, usually through a small incision. Because the goal is to take pressure off the nerve, leg pain from sciatica often improves sooner than other symptoms. Here is what recovery typically looks like.
Most people are up and walking the same day as a microdiscectomy, then return to normal activities gradually over the following several weeks.
The first few days
Most of my patients go home the same day, some stay overnight and go home the next day. In those first days, expect:
Soreness around the incision, which usually eases day by day
Short, frequent walks, which I encourage starting right away
Showering starting on day two after surgery
Walking is one of the best things you can do. It helps circulation, keeps you from getting stiff, and is gentle on the healing disc.
The first six weeks
For six weeks after surgery, I ask patients to avoid bending, lifting, and twisting while the disc and surrounding tissues heal.
People with desk jobs often return to work sooner than those with physically demanding jobs. Driving is usually fine once you are off prescription pain medicine and can turn and brake comfortably. Some patients also benefit from physical therapy to rebuild core strength and flexibility. See typical spine surgery recovery timelines.
Numbness or tingling can take longer to fade than pain. Nerves heal slowly, so steady improvement over weeks to months is normal.
When to call your surgeon
Contact your surgeon’s office if you notice:
Fever, or redness, swelling, or drainage at the incision
New or worsening weakness in your leg or foot
A sudden return of severe leg pain
Go to the emergency room right away for new trouble controlling your bladder or bowels, or numbness in the groin or inner thighs.
Everyone heals at their own pace. The best recovery plan is the one built around your health, your job, and your goals, so follow your own surgeon’s instructions.
If you’d like to talk through your options, request an appointment at Virtua Reconstructive Orthopaedics in Sewell or Cherry Hill, or call (609) 267-9400.
This article is for general education and is not medical advice.
