Herniated Disc

What is a herniated disc?

Your spine is a column of backbones (vertebrae) stacked on top of one another. Discs are the soft, rubbery pads between each vertebra that provide your spine with cushioning, stability, and flexibility.

Discs have a tough outer ring with a gel-like center (nucleus). A herniated disc happens if part of the nucleus protrudes through a damaged outer disc.

Most disc herniations affect the lower back (lumbar spine); however, they can also happen in your neck (cervical spine).

What causes a herniated disc?

Disc herniation often results from age-related wear-and-tear damage (degenerative disc disease). Over time, discs lose their water content and become less flexible. This makes them more prone to tearing.

Certain factors may increase your risk of getting a herniated disc, including smoking, excess body weight, poor posture, and lifting using incorrect techniques. Occupations or activities requiring repetitive motions, such as bending, twisting, and pulling, can also increase your risk of a herniated disc.

How do I know if I have a herniated disc?

Herniated disc symptoms vary depending on the disc’s location and the rupture’s severity. If the herniated nucleus irritates nearby nerves, you may experience:

• Lower back or neck pain
• Weakness in your arm or leg
• Arm or leg tingling/prickling
• Arm or leg numbness

To diagnose a herniated disc, your Synchrony Medical Group physician performs a physical exam, reviews your symptoms, and checks your medical history.

They may also arrange diagnostic imaging procedures, such as X-rays, an MRI, or a CT scan. Sometimes, your provider may need to measure your nerve function with electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction velocity (NCV) tests.

After reaching a diagnosis, your physician recommends the best course of treatment for your specific condition.

How is a herniated disc treated?

Herniated disc treatment generally begins with nonsurgical therapies focused on relieving pain and restoring spinal function. Your personalized treatment plan may include:

• Physical therapy
• Activity modification
• Wearing a back or neck brace
• Pain-relieving medications
• Spinal steroid injections
• Nerve blocks
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy
• Radiofrequency ablation
• Spinal cord stimulation

If your pain or symptoms don’t go away with these treatments, your provider may recommend surgery. They can partially remove the disc (microdiscectomy) or extract the whole disc (discectomy). The spine then needs fusing or an artificial disc replacement.

Call Synchrony Medical Group or schedule an appointment online today to find relief from a herniated disc.