Herniated Disk Treatments
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
With the advancements that we have seen in modern medicine there are new minimally invasive treatments available that require less recovery time, lower pain during recovery and can be performed in an outpatient surgical setting.
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.