Spine Surgery in U.K: Impact of Diabetes on Back Pain and Spine Surgery:

by Mr Jwalant S Mehta//Back Pain

Body’s inability to use or make insulin to regulate the blood sugar levels results in metabolic diseases called Diabetes. When there is no insulin or body doesn’t get to use insulin the sugar levels in the body can go out of control, overtime harming blood cells, vital organs, nerves and blood vessels.
This progressive metabolic disease when not treated properly can cause serious long term complications that include kidney damage, heart diseases, and stroke and nerve damage.

Diabetes – Musculoskeletal System & Arthritis 

Overtime inflammation caused by Diabetes can impact the musculoskeletal system comprised of muscles, joints, bones, tendons and ligaments causing joint pains, nerve damage causing musculoskeletal problems. The symptoms of these musculoskeletal problems can range from muscle and joint pain, swelling and decreased mobility in joints.
Diabetes also increases the risk of arthritis;

Diabetes type-1 : Which is auto-immune diseases can increase the chance of rheumatoid arthritis which propels the body to attack its bones, joints causing pain, swelling and deformities.

Type-2 diabetes: Which is closely associated with unhealthy lifestyle and excess body weight also increases the risk of osteoarthritis owing to excess stress the weight puts on joint and bones in the lower body. In general, it is estimated that a diabetic is two times more likely to develop arthritis than a normal person in his life time.

Diabetes – Back Pain & Impact on Spine Surgery:

According to research by Mayo Clinic, it is estimated that 27% of the diabetic patients suffer from some form of back pain as opposed to 13% in the general population.
While high sugar levels and bad cholesterol levels associated with uncontrolled diabetes can trigger the tissue damage, poor blood circulation increases the cartilage inflammation of the discs. On top of this, due to narrowing of blood vessels in diabetes, discs may not receive proper nutrition leading to disc degeneration causing a slew of back problems. Muscle strength loss and medications associated with diabetes in general, obesity and unhealthy weight gain that is associated with type-2 diabetes can also play a role in lower back pain.

Having said that, the research is still not conclusive enough to pinpoint that causes of increased risk of back pain in diabetics. However, if you are diabetic who has been recommended spine surgery by a spine specialist to treat your back pain or any other spine condition you must keep in minds that diabetes does impact the spine surgery.

  • High blood sugar levels can increase the complications of deep vein thrombosis, silent heart attacks and a slew of other health problems that can manifest without any noticeable symptoms.
  • Due to inherent problems of tissue healing, the pain relief can slow or less for diabetics undergoing spine surgery.
  • In general post-surgical recovery can be longer and diabetic patients undergoing the spine surgery procedure need more hospital stay compared to the general population.

However, by making necessary lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, stress reduction) and taking proper care of the patients after surgery can reduce the risk of complications and ensure successful surgical procedure for diabetics. If you are a diabetic patient looking for a spine specialist in UK treatment of back pain or any other spine condition, you can contact Children and Adult Spinal Surgeon, Mr Jwalant S. Mehta : Clinical secretary: Samantha Leavy +44 785 021 1939