Herniated Disk Treatments

Find out if you're a candidate for a minimally invasive alternative to open neck or back surgery

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Herniated Disc in the Neck

To be considered a herniated disk in the neck must be located within the C1-C7 vertebrae of the spine, called the cervical spine. Based on where it is located within this range, a herniated disk will cause symptoms that affect varying parts of your body. For example, a rupture in the C1 or C2 position will result in pain and other symptoms in the head and neck, while a torn disk in C4, C7, or C8 will cause issues in the shoulders, hands, and arms. Regardless of where the symptoms flare up, they will likely include:

Herniated Disk in the Back

A herniated disk in the back can be located anywhere in the spine, but it is most commonly found in the lower or lumbar region, which includes vertebrae L1-L5. The reason for the higher incidence in this area is the fact that the lower back generally endures more stress than the other parts of the back, as it is involved in heavy lifting and twisting. Over time, this extra wear and tear can break down the disk and cause its outer layer to split, allowing the inner layer to leak out.

Herniated Disk Diagnosis

Herniated disk is a condition that can cause significant pain and other uncomfortable symptoms. Receiving a herniated disk diagnosis of this condition means that the outer layer or annulus fibrosus of one of the spinal disks has torn or ruptured, allowing the inner layer or nucleus pulposus to leak out. In most cases, the disk will close this rupture on its own and heal just as any other part of the body would, and this healing period can be hastened by rest.

Herniated Disk Symptoms

Intervertebral disks are cartilaginous structures found in between the vertebrae of the spinal column. Made of a tough outer layer and a soft inner layer, they are responsible for cushioning the vertebrae and, along with the facet joints, allowing for flexibility in the back. When they rupture, meaning when the outer layer tears and allows the inner layer to leak out, it is known as a herniated disk. Although a ruptured disk can be a serious injury, most disks will heal fine within a few weeks, and this healing period can sometimes be hastened by resting and avoiding excess pressure on the back.

Treatment for Herniated Disks

The proper herniated disc treatment depends on several factors, including the cause of your condition, and your doctor is the only one who can recommend the most effective treatment plan. However, there are some treatments that are used in the majority of cases, some of which are simple and easy enough to do at home.

These herniated disc treatment options include:

Causes of Herniated Disks

Herniated disc causes are as varied as the symptoms they produce. However, there are a few common factors that lead to the majority of cases.

These main herniated disc causes include:

Living With a Herniated Disk

When you're suffering from a herniated disc, even simply daily activities can seem insurmountable. However, there are many things you can do to make living with this condition more bearable and to hasten your recovery.

Simple, at–home steps you can take to minimize discomfort from a herniated disc include:

Herniated Disk Help from Laser Spine Institute

If you’re living with a herniated disk, chances are you’re looking for a treatment that can end the tingling, weakness, and pain for good. For the lucky majority, the answer lies in conservative therapies like bed rest, stretching, and over-the-counter medicines. For a smaller group, stronger prescription medicines or spinal steroid injections may be needed. But unfortunately, even those aggressive interventions won’t effectively eliminate herniated disk pain for some. Those that continue to suffer may need to consider surgery. If you fall into that group and you’ve read up on the traditional surgical treatment available, you may be a reluctant participant. The surgery can be highly invasive, painful to recover from, and in the end, may not even work.

Herniated Disk Treatment at LSI May Provide Relief Quicker Than Traditional Surgery

If you’re searching for a herniated disk treatment, it’s probably because you’re living with tingling, weakness, and pain that can be severe enough to sideline the most active person. It can rob you of the simplest pleasures, like an evening walk or a round of golf, and it can even prevent you from working if you have a physical job. If you’ve already tried the conservative treatments for herniated disks including physical therapy, stretching, bed rest and over-the-counter medications, surgery might be an option you’re considering. If it is, you’ll want to look into herniated disk treatment at Laser Spine Institute (LSI).

Herniated Disk Treatment at Laser Spine Institute is Ideal for Some Sufferers

Fortunately for most who suffer from a herniated disk, treatment is as easy as getting some bed rest, taking anti-inflammatory medications, and practicing a few special stretches. But for others, the pain doesn’t subside with those methods, and something more aggressive is required. Usually this involves taking prescription strength medication or receiving an epidural steroid injection. After those steps, surgery may be a viable option. If you find yourself in this position, you’ll want to consider the treatment at Laser Spine Institute (LSI). It’s both highly effective and gentle, providing herniated disk patients an alternative to traditional open-back of neck surgery.

Herniated Disk Treatment at Laser Spine Institute is Gentle and Effective

When you’re looking for a herniated disk treatment to ease your pain, you also want a solution that’s not a high risk for dangerous side effects and other complications. Laser Spine Institute (LSI) may be able to provide you with that. We offer a procedure that’s ideal for those who are considering surgery because conservative treatments such as bed rest, physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medication have provided little relief. This treatment, a percutaneous arthroscopic discectomy, involves carefully removing the portion of your disk that’s pushed through its exterior wall and into the spinal canal. This relieves pressure on any compressed nerves, and lessens your pain. Traditional open back or neck surgery uses a similar strategy, but can be very invasive. It often requires a large incision, muscle cutting and tearing, general anesthesia, hospitalization, and months of downtime for recovery.

Herniated Disk Causes

The most common causes of a herniated disk is wear and tear on the vertebral disk caused over the years as we age and move forward in life. Degeneration of the disk happens as we age through a natural process causing us to lose some of the fluid found in our vertebral disks.

Herniated Disk Surgery

A herniated disk is a spinal disk that has ruptured or torn, allowing the jelly-like interior of the disk to leak out past the cartilaginous exterior. While in most cases, this does not cause any issues for the afflicted person, in some instances, it can result in debilitating pain and other symptoms.

Lumbar Herniated Disk

As the human body begins to age the disks in our back will start to break down and degenerate making them prone to disk herniation. A spinal disk may become herniated as well due to traumatic injury.

Thoracic Herniated Disk

Symptoms related to a thoracic herniated disk will often be felt as pain in the upper back that will often radiate to the front of the chest in the rib area. Numbness and tingling are often felt along with pain as the compressed or “pinched nerve” starts to become deprived of oxygen and nutrients. The location of these symptoms are dependent on which nerve the thoracic herniated disk is compressing.

Herniated Disk in Neck

When the material that bulges from a herniated disk applies pressure to a cervical nerve the pain will be felt in the location that that nerve is responsible for. Cervical nerves follow pathways through the shoulder, down the arms and into the hands. With this in mind, a cervical herniated disk may cause pain or numbness to be felt in the shoulder, arms, or in the hands

Herniated Disk Symptoms

Many people will not show symptoms of leg or back pain associated with a herniated disk and therefor are unaware that they have one

What is a Herniated Disk

A herniated disk is also referred to as a ruptured disk, herniated nucleus pulposus, prolapsed disk, ruptured intervertebral disk, or a slipped disk.

Herniated Disk Treatment

Most herniated discs will heal within one to six months on there own. Treatment goals at this stage are to relieve pain and the weakness or numbness in the leg or lower back. During this period the patient is also educated on techniques and exercises that will help to prevent further injury and strengthen the back.

Herniated Disk Diagnosis

A doctor will examine the patients medical history and conduct a physical examination for patients with leg and back pain to determine whether these symptoms may be being caused by a herniated disk.