Phone counseling reduces pain, disability after back surgery
Wednesday, April 1, 2015 - 13:30
in Health & Medicine
Having a short series of phone conversations with trained counselors can substantially boost recovery and reduce pain in patients after spinal surgery, a new study shows. The phone calls, designed to enrich standard pre- and post-operative care by reinforcing the value of sticking with physical therapy and back-strengthening exercise regimens, are a relatively inexpensive and simple intervention that can maximize surgical outcomes for the hundreds of thousands of Americans who undergo spinal surgeries every year, the investigators say.