Herniated Disc Diagnosis & Treatments
How is a Herniated Disc Diagnosed?
Accurate and thorough diagnosis is key to selecting the best treatment options for herniated or ruptured discs. The following is part of a comprehensive diagnostic workup:
- Medical history – Assessment of symptoms, previous treatments and care.
- Physical examination – A careful examination by a spine specialist for limitations of movement, problems with balance, and pain. The examination should also cover loss of reflexes in your extremities, muscle weakness, loss of sensation or signs of spinal cord damage due to a ruptured disc.
- Diagnostic tests – Generally, plain x-ray films are taken which allows the physician to rule out other problems such as infections. CT scans and MRIs are often used to give them a three-dimensional view of the lumbar spine and can help detect herniated discs.
What are the Treatment Options for a Herniated Disc?
Most cases of lumbar disc herniation do not require surgery. Research evidence suggests that pain associated with a herniated disc often diminishes without surgical treatment within 4-6 months. Thus, patients are usually prescribed non-surgical treatments initially to help relieve symptoms.
Call Today: (225) 313-4700
Non-Operative Herniated Disc Treatment
- Pain medications: anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxers and on rare occasions narcotic medications
- Alternating heat/cold therapy during the first 24-48 hours
- Physical therapy exercises: including stretching, massage, and strengthening
- Epidural steroid injections are used two-fold, first, to relieve inflammation of the affected spinal nerve and secondly, diagnostically to confirm the correct affected level at which the pain originates from.
Least Invasive Procedures For Ruptured Disc Treatment
If pain still persists and patient is intolerant to the pain after non-surgical treatment and there is evidence by CT Scan, MRI or X-ray or neurological deficit, then ruptured disc surgery is usually recommended.
The following minimally invasive procedures can treat herniated disc with 90% success:
- Endoscopic Discectomy (transforaminal or interlaminer): With an incision less than a ¼ inch. The surgeon can avoid all lamina bone resection and enter the spinal canal without disturbing or cutting muscle. The surgeon directly observes the herniated disc in a water (arthroscopy) environment with a surgical working channel endoscope coupled with an HD camera. Recovery is superior to a microdiscectomy with most patients returning to work within a week. Conscious sedation is used with the patient awake, comfortable and aware during the procedure.
Minimally Invasive Spine Surgical Options For A Herniated Disc Treatment
- Minimally Invasive Microdiscectomy – Is a surgery to remove herniated disc material that is compressing a nerve root or the spinal cord. This surgery is usually done as a microdiscectomy using a microscope or surgical loops. Before the discectomy is done the surgeon removes a small piece of bone called the lamina from the targeted intervertebral body in order to access the herniated disc. This bone resection is referred to as a laminectomy of laminotomy. A microdiscectomy can be done as an open or with a tubular retractor.
How Long Is The Recovery From Ruptured Disc Surgery?
Our Least Invasive Procedure patients can begin getting out of bed one hour after their ruptured disc surgery and go home shortly afterward. There will probably be some pain after the procedure and is usually localized to the incision site. Activity is gradually increased and patients are typically able to return to work around a week to two weeks. Keep in mind just because there is less or no pain, always consult your physician before beginning any physical work.
Our Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery patient’s post-operative recovery is much longer and may involve overnight stay in the hospital. Once your pain in under control you can go home. Dr. Rodriguez will give you medication to control your pain while you recover at home.
At home, you will need to continue to rest. You will be instructed on how to gradually increase your activity. You may still need to take the pain medications for a while. However, pain and discomfort should begin to reduce within a couple of weeks after surgery. The doctor will discuss with you other techniques for reducing pain and increasing flexibility before you leave for home. The doctor will also discuss with you a time frame for when you can resume basic activities such as walking, driving and light lifting, and when you can return to more advanced activities such as physical labor, sports and yard work.
