How does a tummy tuck help back pain?

Answer 1

For serious chronic Back pain, a Tummy Tuck won't help anything but the mindset of the patient, and the HMO getting the money for it. For minor back pain, it can be of some help though. However, I've never considered it a viable fix for any back pain, nor do most doctors.

Back pain is lessened if the patient's abdominal area is stronger, and this is one effect of the operation. However, having been a long term chronic back pain sufferer for many, many years, if there is structural or real tissue / nerve damage involved, then a Tummy Tuck is just a band aid - it doesn't solve the problem, and for any back or neck pain, getting at the root cause of the pain is the only real path to any relief. Also, if the procedure isn't done correctly, the patient could wind up with other problems besides the back pain the surgery was intendedto help with in the first place.

Surgery should not be taken lightly - I was shocked to learn during my 3rd major spinal operation that my first 2 spinals had been done improperly, resulting in the cause of most of my pain for over 10 years now (see my Bio page if you're curious). The problem had previously never been detected, and my pain cause had been mis-diagnosed for years. Having experienced virtually every back therapy and procedure available, I am often asked what I think about surgical intervention of any kind. My answer is always this: Only submit to surgery when there's absolutely, positively, NO OTHER OPTION LEFT. In every case, I had absolutely no choice left but to take the surgical option. When faced with a wheelchair or walking, or partial paralysis, the choice is a no-brainer, for most anyway.

Also, you may be subject to things you'd not considered either. Though my second operation went apparently well, an hour after surgery a nurse failed to properly account for how much morphine was in my system. Her error nearly cost me my life - had my family not been with me and seen that I had stopped breathing due to a massive dose of morphine (well above even my tolerance level, which is extreme) I would not now be around to tell you to avoid surgery whenever possible.

Answer 2

One of the causes of back pain is obesity; the weight on your belly has to be held up by the muscles in your back. A "tummy tuck" can reduce the amount of belly weight, easing the strain on your back.