What is a herniated disc?
The bones (vertebrae) that form the spine in your back are cushioned by small, spongy discs. When these discs are healthy, they act as shock absorbers for the spine and keep the spine flexible. But when a disc is damaged, it may bulge or break open. This is called a herniated disc. It may also be called a slipped or ruptured disc.
You can have a herniated disc in any part of your spine. But most herniated discs affect the lower back (lumbar spine). Some happen in the neck (cervical spine) and, more rarely, in the upper back (thoracic spine). This topic focuses mainly on the lower back.
What causes a herniated disc?
A herniated disc may be caused by:
-
Wear and tear of the disc. As you age, your discs dry out and aren't as flexible.
-
Injury to the spine. This may cause tiny tears or cracks in the hard outer layer of the disc. When this happens, the gel inside the disc can be forced out through the tears or cracks in the outer layer of the disc. This causes the disc to bulge, break open, or break into pieces.
What are the
symptoms?
When a herniated
disc presses
camera on nerve
roots, it can
cause pain,
numbness, and
weakness in the
area of the body
where the nerve
travels. A
herniated disc
in the lower
back can cause
pain and
numbness in the
buttock and down
the leg. This is
called sciatica.
Sciatica
is the most
common symptom
of a herniated
disc in the low
back.
If a
herniated disc
is not pressing
on a nerve, you
may have a
backache or no
pain at all.
How is a
herniated disc
diagnosed?
Your doctor may
diagnose a
herniated disc
by asking
questions about
your symptoms
and examining
you. If your
symptoms clearly
point to a
herniated disc,
you may not need
tests.
Sometimes a
doctor will do
tests such as an
MRI or a CT scan
to confirm a
herniated disc
or rule out
other health
problems.
Herniated Disc Treatment:
We treat herniations with a simple laser procedure without stripping muscle at all. Instead of using expandable retractors, like many others who claim to do minimally invasive surgery, we insert a tiny camera through a 3 or 7 mm incision, treating the disc with a laser, so you can heal and get back to life as quickly as possible.
