It’s not uncommon for patients to experience a change in perception(s) following treatment for a chronic problem like low back pain. It’s good you recognize that you really got better as a result of the surgery. But you may be experiencing a shift in the meaning or impact pain has had on daily activities and function.
The change in health status wasn’t what you were expecting. You were hoping for a complete cure but what you got was a partial cure. This type of treatment response can shift how you view the results you did get. Social scientists call this the response shift phenomena. The response shift occurs in all kinds of patients whether the health condition is multiple sclerosis, diabetes, dental disorders, joint replacements, cancer, or back pain.
Efforts are underway to look at different types of patients and compare their response shifts. For example, Worker’s Compensation patients may have a very different response shift compared with non-Worker’s Comp patients. It’s possible that patients like yourself who have a partial cure are more likely to develop a response shift.
Knowing there is such a thing as the response shift phenomena may help you understand your own situation. You are asking good questions that will help guide you through the recovery process. A successful return-to-work plan should take into account both your reality and your perception of reality. Vocational counseling may help you sort through all the ifs, ands, and buts you might put up subconsciously as you move toward a full return-to-work status.