Your spine is a series of bones that cooperate with connective tissue, nerves and the musculature of your back to give you strength and an impressive range of motion. Unfortunately, issues ranging from trauma caused by car crashes to degenerative medical conditions could lead to severe spinal pain and require a spinal fusion procedure.
Specialized surgeons use bone grafting techniques to help fuse the spine. Properly performed, a bone graft in the spaces between two spinal bones can start the body’s healing processes and fuse those two individual vertebrae together. The outcome of the procedure is reduced pain but also reduced flexibility that may limit a person’s work ability. When do people need spinal fusion procedures?
Pain is the primary indicator for spinal fusion
When your doctor is able to locate the source of severe pain in your back, they can fuse two or more vertebrae to prevent movement and therefore pain.
Sometimes, people need spinal fusions after a fractured vertebra or a herniated disc. Other times, spinal fusion is necessary because of a medical condition. The diagnoses that may require spinal fusion include tumors, spinal infections, scoliosis, spondylolisthesis, degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis.
Major back surgery may necessitate disability benefits
Spinal fusion is a serious procedure with lengthy rehabilitation in most cases. Generally, a medical condition will keep you from working or caring for yourself for at least 12 months to qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits.
Those in need of spinal fusion due to a medical condition or injury may qualify for SSDI before and after their procedure if their recovery will last more than a year or indefinitely if doctors do not believe they will be able to return to work after the procedure. You may need legal guidance if you have difficulty getting the benefits you need.