Dr. Stefano Sinicropi, M.D.

It’s completely normal to be nervous or scared of your upcoming spine surgery, but aside from giving you the best care in the world, we also want to do everything in our power to help manage this fear and ensure you’re in a good head space both before and after an operation. Below, we’re going to explain some of the factors that contribute to the fear of an operation, and what you can do to help get to a healthy mental state prior to your spine surgery.

Why You’re Afraid Of Surgery

It’s reasonable to have a few reservations about your upcoming operation, but we never want you to be afraid of surgery. Here’s a look at some of the main reasons people start to get scared about their upcoming spine surgery, as well as some ways to mitigate these specific fears.

1. Fear That Something Will Go Wrong During Surgery – Some people are afraid of surgery because they think something will go wrong during surgery. While we can’t guarantee that every surgery will go perfectly every single time, methods and techniques are constantly being improved, and that’s reflected in rising success rates and declining complication rates. To help mitigate this fear, find a surgeon that you trust. Set up multiple consultations and only move forward when you’ve found a surgeon with a wealth of experience successfully treating the same condition you’re dealing with.
2. Fear Of The Unknown – Some patients find that their anxiety is driven by the fear of the unknown in regards to their operation. Will they feel better in the end? Will there be any issues during surgery? Will they need another surgery in the future? We’ve found that this fear can be partially alleviated by focusing on what you’ll be able to regain assuming everything goes as planned with your surgery. You may be able to run without pain, play with your grandkids or regain some independence after your surgery. Focus on the big improvements in your life that should come assuming all goes as planned, and you’ll begin looking forward to the future instead of fearing it.
3. Fear Of Pain – We get it, some people handle pain better than others, and if you don’t have a particularly high pain tolerance, you might be afraid of your upcoming spine surgery. While we can’t sit here and say surgery and recovery will be completely painless, we work hard to minimize patient discomfort. Dr. Sinicropi is well-versed in a myriad of minimally invasive techniques that limit tissue damage and reduce pain, and we walk all of our patients through a post-op pain management program to help as they progress through rehab.
4. Fear Of The Recovery Process – Finally, some patients say that the prospect of weeks or months of rehabilitation has them nervous or anxious. While you may not be looking forward to a recovery program, you certainly shouldn’t fear it, because it will be the process by which you return to the healthiest version of yourself. You’ll get out what you put in, and we’ve never met a patient that said they regretted giving it their all during rehabilitation. We’ll ensure you understand the rehab process and will be by your side every step of the way to help you reach maximum recovery. It may take some time, but it’s better than living with constant spine pain, so really commit to the rehabilitation process.

For more tips on reducing pre- or -post-surgical fears, or to talk to a specialist about your back pain, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi’s office today.

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