Spinal surgery has come a long way in the past few decades. Conditions that used to seem too dangerous to operate on are now routinely addressed with minimally invasive surgeries, making it possible to repair badly damaged or even destroyed discs in your spine.
Ajay Kumar, MD, and our team at New Jersey Advanced Pain Management Center provide diagnostic and medical care for patients with back pain. If you have a bulged or herniated disc, Dr. Kumar can perform minimally invasive spine procedures such as a discectomy to repair damage and minimize symptoms when more conservative treatment options have failed.
The bones of your spine, your vertebrae, are stacked one on top of one another from your tailbone to the base of your skull. Your spinal cord threads up through the vertebrae, along with countless nerve branches.
Flexible discs separate the bones, providing a cushioning effect and flexibility. This is what lets your spine bend and curve as you move.
Each intervertebral disc features a ring of tough fibrous cartilage and a gel-like center. If a disc gets a bulge, crack, or break, often called disc herniation, the gel inside it can squeeze out, pressing on nearby nerves.
A small bulge or crack can often repair itself with rest and time. However, when a disc is severely herniated, you can experience one or more of the following symptoms:
The most severe disc herniations typically occur in the lumbar spine (lower back), but it’s possible for trauma like whiplash to cause herniation in your cervical spine (neck). Much rarer are cases of herniation in the thoracic spine (middle back).
If symptoms of a herniated disc persist even with time, rest, and physical therapy, you may need medical intervention. The most effective way to repair a ruptured disc is with a discectomy, which removes all or part of the disc that’s placing pressure on your nerves.
If Dr. Kumar determines you’re a good candidate for a discectomy, he discusses the procedure with you, including information about the location of severity of your herniation, such as:
Dr. Kumar performs your discectomy under general anesthesia. He begins by making small incisions on either side of your spine. Then he uses small retractable instruments to hold the incisions open and access the damaged disc(s).
Once the disc is revealed, Dr. Kumar assesses its condition and notes where pressure is being applied to nerves. He can remove part of a disc to relieve pressure or take out an entire disc and fuse the adjoining spinal bones so nerves can’t become trapped between them.
The discectomy can take from a few weeks to a few months to completely heal, and you’ll need to strictly follow physical therapy protocols to regain full mobility and range of motion.
If you have a herniated disc and conservative treatment options aren’t effectively addressing your back pain, please schedule an evaluation appointment by contacting our team at New Jersey Advanced Pain Management Center. Dr Kumar can evaluate your condition and help you decide if a discectomy is right for you.
