By Dr. Goodman, DC + Dr. Bradberry, DC | ReliefNow Laser Charlotte | Charlotte, North Carolina
Failed back surgery syndrome affects 10 to 40 percent of spinal surgery patients, according to figures associated with the North American Spine Society. For people in Charlotte, Pineville, Matthews, and across Mecklenburg County who still have post-surgical pain after spinal surgery, joint replacement, or soft tissue procedures, ReliefNow Laser Charlotte offers the Regenerative Medical Laser™ protocol as a non-invasive option for the tissue-level and neurological factors that surgery does not always resolve.
Why Does Pain Sometimes Persist After Surgery?
Post-surgical pain rarely comes from a single source. Scar tissue, adjacent segment disease, residual nerve irritation, and established central sensitization can each play a part, sometimes at the same time. Sorting out which of these is driving a given patient’s pain is the starting point for any thoughtful post-surgical plan.
The numbers explain why this matters. One 2016 study in Pain Physician reported that failed back surgery syndrome can affect quality of life at a level comparable to chronic heart failure. Research published in Spine has also found adjacent segment changes that required additional surgery in roughly 15 percent of lumbar fusion patients within ten years. For many people, a single operation is not the end of the story.
What Is the Regenerative Medical Laser Protocol?
Photobiomodulation is the light-based modality at the center of the Regenerative Medical Laser™ protocol. It is a non-invasive, FDA-cleared form of Class IV laser therapy that uses specific wavelengths of light intended to work with the body’s own cellular activity. Research in the European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine has examined photobiomodulation for chronic spinal pain, including some post-surgical presentations.
At ReliefNow Laser Charlotte, the protocol is used as part of a non-surgical approach for patients who continue to experience post-surgical pain. Rather than masking symptoms, the clinic’s focus is on the mechanical and neurological factors that can keep pain going long after the surgical site has healed. Each plan is built around the individual patient and what their history and examination reveal.
The Care Team at ReliefNow Laser Charlotte
Dr. Goodman’s post-graduate training includes neurokinetic therapy and acupuncture. He draws on neurokinetic therapy to look at the motor compensation patterns that can develop after surgery, patterns that sometimes persist even after the underlying structure has been corrected. His acupuncture training informs how he approaches central sensitization, the heightened pain response that long-standing pre-surgical pain can leave behind.
Dr. Bradberry brings a sports-medicine background and a CCSP credential. His experience includes working with athletes who have come back from procedures and need structured return-to-function programs. That same careful, function-first mindset shapes how the team works with post-surgical patients in Charlotte.
Visit ReliefNow Laser Charlotte to learn more about the clinic and its approach. Patient education videos are also available on the ReliefNow Nation YouTube channel. Contact ReliefNow Laser Charlotte at 4601 Park Rd, Suite 100, Charlotte, NC 28209 | 704-527-7246.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before beginning any treatment program.
