Traditional disc herniation surgery requires stripping away back muscles in order to expose the spine, which can cause extreme scarring and bleeding. At the Minimally Invasive Spine Institute, we are able to treat the herniation with just a laser and without stripping muscle at all. Because we do not use expandable retractors, like many others who claim to do minimally invasive surgery, we avoid cutting muscle altogether. And instead, we insert a tiny camera through a 3 or 7 mm incision, treating the disc with only a laser, so you can heal and get back to life as quickly as possible.

Definition:
A herniated disc is sometimes referred to as a slipped disc or a ruptured disc. It is often the result of an injury or trauma to the spine.

Your spinal column is made up of bones (vertebrae) that are cushioned by small discs consisting of a tough outer layer (annulus) and a soft, jelly-like inner layer (nucleus). These discs act as shock absorbers, protecting the spine and nerves from the stress of everyday tasks – as well as strenuous work such as heavy lifting.

When a disc “herniates,” a tear or weakness in the annulus allows the jelly-like nucleus to push out into the spinal canal. If it puts pressure on a spinal nerve, the herniated disc can cause pain, numbness or weakness in the back, legs or arms – depending on where the disc is located. Herniated discs are most common in the lower spine, but about 10% occur in the neck.

You can have a herniated disc without knowing it – herniated or bulging discs sometimes show up on spinal images of people who have no symptoms of a disc problem. But some herniated discs can be painful.

Symptoms:

• Sciatica – a radiating, aching pain, sometimes with tingling and numbness, that starts in the buttock and extends down the back of one leg.
• Pain, numbness or weakness in the lower back and one leg, or in the neck, shoulder, chest or arm.
• Lower back pain that worsens when you sit, cough or sneeze.

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Definition:
A pinched nerve occurs when too much pressure is applied to a nerve by surrounding tissues such as bone spurs, disc herniation and ligaments. This pressure (compression) disrupts the nerve’s function – causing pain, tingling, numbness or weakness in the affected area, and in many cases causing permanent damage.

A pinched nerve can occur anywhere in your body. For example, a herniated disc in your spine (neck, thoracic or lumbar) may put pressure on a nerve root, causing pain that radiates down the back of your leg (sciatica), or down your arms or hands. Another common type of pinched nerve is the median nerve in the carpal tunnel in your wrist; compression of that nerve can lead to pain and numbness in your hand and fingers (carpal tunnel syndrome). These are just two common examples of pinched nerves; many other nerves can be pinched including those in your neck, shoulder, elbow and other areas.

With rest and other conservative treatments, most people recover from a pinched nerve within a few days or weeks. In some cases, however, surgery is necessary.

Symptoms:

• Numbness or decreased sensation in the area supplied by the nerve.
• Sharp or burning pain, which may radiate outward. When the pinched nerve comes from the spinal cord, coughing or sneezing may aggravate the pain.
• Tingling, “pins and needles” sensations (paresthesia).
• Muscle weakness or twitching in the affected area.
• Frequent feeling that a foot or hand has “fallen asleep.”

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Two of the more popular types of tests that are used to diagnosis a herniated discs are the following:

MRI’s

While the most commonly used diagnostic test is an X-ray, many times this test is not able to give a definitive diagnosis. When this happens your doctor may try an MRI, this being the gold standard for tests when dealing with back pain. An MRI would use magnetic fields, computers, and radio waves to create a highly detailed image of the muscles, ligaments, organs, discs, and other parts of the spine.

CT scan

A CT scan is another popular test that can be used to diagnose back pain. With this test a powerful computer and X-ray machine is used to create a three dimensional image of the spine. So instead of taking just one picture of an area like a normal X-ray with a CT scan pictures are taken all around the body and to create a more detailed view or the spine.

Types of Herniated Discs

There are four different types of herniated discs; they are a bulging, prolapsed, extruded, and sequestered disc. Keep in mind though that it is possible to jump right to some of the more damaged discs right away depending on what caused your disc become injured.

Bulging disc

With a bulging disc it is extremely rare for it to cause any symptoms; oftentimes those with a simple bulging disc do not even know that they have them. When you have a bulging disc what happens is a small bulge would appear on the outside of your disc. This bulge is still contained inside the disc and there is no tear or crack in the disc and since this bulge is so tiny it may not even compress or bother any of the surrounding tissues, nerves, or spinal cord.

Prolapsed Disc

This is the next stage for a bulging disc and also when you may start to notice symptoms such as pain, numbness and tingling on your skin. With a prolapsed disc your bugle is now larger in size but would still be contained inside the disc itself. Since this bulge is now larger in size it is more likely to cause problems.

Disc Extrusion

With a disc extrusion your bulge has now broken through the surface of your disc and the soft gel center is leaking out and into the spinal canal spaces. If enough of this material is no longer inside your disc it may begin to compress the surrounding tissues, spinal cord, or spinal nerves.Sequestered Disc

This would be the very last stage of a herniated disc. With a sequestered disc what happens is, a piece or pieces of the leaking material has broken off the main part of your disc and is now floating around in the spinal canal. At this point it is possible for you to feel less pain as the free floating material may no longer be compressing your nerves or spinal cord.

To learn more please click this Hernaited Disc Information link. You can also find more information on Herniated Disc Treatments here.

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1. Evaluate your habits. Take a moment and think about how you spend most of your day. Do you work on your feet or sit in a chair all day long? After a day of work do you come home and crash on the couch? Perhaps there is something in your daily routine that is causing your back pain.
2. Correct your posture. Spending a lot of time in a car or working on a computer can lead to a tremendous amount of stress on your lower back and neck. Try some active sitting and learn about correct desk ergonomics.
3. Try alternative methods of exercise. Getting active doesn’t mean you have to join a gym, there are many other alternative methods of exercise. For example, Yoga offers many poses that can help ease back pain. You could also try riding a bike or swimming.
4. Stay active. The old remedy of bed rest for back pain is no longer a wise option. Bed rest can actually make pain worse because without exercises and daily movement, back muscles and the spine weaken and become even less able to support the body properly overall.
5. Change your diet. Your diet can directly affect your health. For example, foods that are more acidic like beef, chicken, dairy, and fish promote inflammation, however foods that come from plants are anti-inflammatory. A diet that is high in animal fats and proteins can cause weight gain, which leads to chronic inflammation of the joints in the spine. This can trigger a pain response.
6. Alter your sleeping position. While your body is resting, your spine may be under a great deal of stress. Some sleeping positions are actually healthier for your spine than others. Try changing your sleeping position.
7. Track your back pain progression. Keep a journal or make a note of the day you first started feeling back pain. If the pain lasts longer than two weeks it may be considered chronic pain. Know the difference between chronic and acute back pain.

The most important point to remember is that you should not ignore the symptoms of back pain. It’s best to know the source of the back or neck pain and have an evaluation to determine whether it is something that will improve, or if the condition could deteriorate if not treated. Many times, people try and ignore the pain or mask its symptoms with over-the-counter medication, and end up hurting themselves even more. Consider an evaluation a check-up for your health.

A discectomy is a surgical procedure in which the central portion of an intervertebral disc, the nucleus pulposus, which is causing pain by stressing the spinal cord or radiating nerves, is removed.

An open discectomy is performed under general anesthesia. The procedure takes about an hour or so, depending on the extent of the disc herniation, the size of the patient, and other factors. A discectomy is done with the patient lying face down, and the back pointing upwards.

In order to remove the fragment of herniated disc, the surgeon will make an incision over the center of your back. The incision can be about 3 centimeters in length or more. The surgeon then dissects the muscles away from the bone of your spine. Then the surgeon removes a small amount of bone and ligament from the back of the spine. This part of the procedure is called a laminotomy.

Once this bone and ligament is removed, the surgeon can see, and protect, the spinal nerves. Once the disc herniation is found, the herniated disc fragment is removed. Depending on the appearance and the condition of the remaining disc, more disc fragments may be removed in hopes of avoiding another fragment of disc from herniating. Once the disc has been cleaned out from the area around the nerves, the incision is closed and a bandage is applied.

The Alternative
Traditional disc herniation surgery requires stripping away back muscles in order to expose the spine, which can cause extreme scarring and bleeding. At the Minimally Invasive Spine Institute, we are able to treat the herniation with just a laser and without stripping muscle at all. We avoid cutting muscle altogether. And instead, we insert a tiny camera through a 3 or 7 mm incision, treating the disc with only a laser, so you can heal and get back to life as quickly as possible.

At The Minimally Invasive Spine Institute we offer free review of your existing MRI report. To get started simply fill out the form on this page and a patient advocate will contact you.

An annular disc tear occurs when the substance of the annulus fibrosus (circled in red above) rips and allows that highly pressurized nucleus pulposus to escape outward toward the periphery of the disc. When the tear reaches the outer layer of the annulus the resulting contact between the nerves and nucleus pulposus can cause pain and irritation. At this point in the tear it is now called a herniated disc.

If the nucleus pulposus is still contained by some of the outer annular or capsular fibers then it is referred to as a bulging disc. A herniated disc, also known as a slipped or ruptured disc is a protrusion that has ruptured through the annulus. At the Minimally Invasive Spine Institute we are able to treat the herniation with just a laser and without stripping muscle at all. Because we do not use expandable retractors, like many others who claim to do minimally invasive surgery, we avoid cutting muscle altogether. And instead, we insert a tiny camera through a 3 or 7 mm incision, treating the disc with only a laser, so you can heal and get back to life as quickly as possible.

In summary, an annular tear is not in itself a problem, but it can lead to pain and discomfort if the contained material inside the annular disc reaches the surrounding nerves. You can have a herniated or bulging disc without knowing it. They sometimes show up on spinal images of people who have no symptoms of a disc problem. If you are experiencing aching pain, tingling, or numbness, especially if it extends down the leg, we would strongly encourage you to schedule an appointment with a spine specialist.

Conventional open laminectomy often involves excision of the posterior spinal ligament, and some or all of the spinous process, and facet joint. Removal of these structures, in the open technique, requires cutting the many muscles of the back which attach to them.

Alternative to Conventional Laminectomy
Commonly, spinal stenosis and disc herniation are reasons why a laminectomy is performed. These traditional surgery requires stripping away back muscles in order to expose the spine, which can cause extreme scarring and bleeding. At the Minimally Invasive Spine Institute we are able to treat both of this issues with the least invasive methods.

Minimally Invasive Procedures
We can treat the disc herniation with just a laser and without stripping muscle at all. Because we do not use expandable retractors, like many others who claim to do minimally invasive surgery, we avoid cutting muscle altogether. And instead, we insert a tiny camera through a 3 or 7 mm incision, treating the disc with only a laser, so you can heal and get back to life as quickly as possible.

The same is true with Spinal Stenosis. It can be treated with our minimally invasive techniques and have been highly successful in diminishing the pain caused by this common disorder. We can enter through a 7 or 15 mm incision and enlarge the spinal canal by shaving off the matter causing the narrowing and the resulting pain. And because we do not use expandable retractors, like many others who claim to do minimally invasive surgery, we avoid cutting muscle altogether, so you can get back to life as quickly as possible.

Visit zerospinepain.com for more information about our minimally invasive methods.

Third most popular blog post:
Minimally Invasive Bulging Disc Repair

Summary: A bulging disc is a frequently known term in the back pain world, therefore it’s a common self diagnosed condition for people experiencing some minor form of back pain. Our blog post from over a year ago attracts many viewers because they are seeking the least invasive method to cure this issue. You can read the blog here.

Second most popular blog post:
Foraminal Stenosis Treatment Through Minimally Invasive Procedures

Summary: For those seeking alternative methods to traditional open surgery, this short blog post has given many people reason to seek a second opinion about treatments for Foraminal Stenosis. We are proud to offer minimally invasive procedures. Read the full blog post here.

The most popular blog post of all time:
The Difference Between a Bulging & Herniated Disc

Summary: Topping the chart as the most frequently visited blog post of all time is a post about the differences between a bulging and herniated disc. There is a very simple difference between the two and this blog post gives both a short and long answer to help readers better understand the two. Read the most popular blog post here.

What is your favorite blog post here on the Minimally Invasive Procedures blog? Let us know about it in the comments or on our Facebook or Twitter pages.

Bulging disc symptoms depend on the location. Some patients may experience symptoms of pain and discomfort in the legs and feet, others in the arms and in other regions of the body. The diagnosis for bulging discs is usually made after a complete medical history has been taken and MRIs, CT scans, and/or X-rays have confirmed the presence of bulging.

A herniated disc may be present without the patient even knowing about it – herniated discs sometimes show up on spinal images of people who have no symptoms of a disc problem. But some herniated discs can be painful.

Our Approach Bulging Disc and Herniated Disc Repair:
Traditional bulging disc surgery requires stripping away back muscles in order to expose the spine, which can cause extreme scarring and bleeding. At the Minimally Invasive Spine Institute, we are able to treat the disc with just a laser and without stripping any muscle at all. Because we do not use expandable retractors, like many others who claim to do minimally invasive surgery, we avoid cutting muscle altogether. And instead, we insert a tiny camera through a 3 or 7 mm incision, treating the disc with only a laser, so you can heal and get back to life as quickly as possible.

There are two different types of disc disorders, contained and non-contained. A bulging disc is a contained disc disorder. That means when the pressure within the disc itself builds up it can cause a “bulge”. The disc is not ruptured, rather the pressure must go somewhere so it forms a bulge in the disc. Much like how a water balloon distorts when pressure is applied.

A herniated disc is a non-contained disorder. It is a physical tear in the outer ring of the disc which can cause severe pain. In this way, a herniated disc is not contained and pops out of it’s containing spinal disc. The resulting pressure from the released material as well as the inflammation from the ruptured disc is what causes the patient pain.

If you believe you may be suffering from a herniated or bulging disc please know that you don’t have to suffer alone. Millions of Americans suffer from back pain due to a variety of spinal issues. The spine experts at ZeroSpinePain.com can help you take back your life and get rid of back pain forever.