IF I NEED SURGERY FOR A LUMBAR HERNIATED DISC WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT?
Orthopaedic Associates-Frequently Asked QuestionsMost disc surgery involves a small incision in the back, a 45-90 minute surgery and usually a one day hospitalization.
Related QuestionsIf I have a herniated disc, won't I need surgery?
Chronic Back Pain & Chronic Neck Pain QuestionsA herniated disc is not a catastrophe. Annoying, certainly, but a condition with a favorable natural history. Many people feel that this is a serious injury that always needs an operation. In fact, over 90% of people who herniate a disc go on to uneventful recoveries without surgery and do quite well. A famous study done in 1983 compared patients with surgically treated herniated discs with similar patients treated non-operatively (Reference 1).
Related QuestionsShould I have surgery for a herniated disc?
Herniated DiscA herniated disc usually is caused by wear and tear of the disc (also called disc degeneration). As we age, our vertebral discs lose some of the fluid that helps them maintain flexibility. A herniated disc also may result from injuries to the spine, which may cause tiny tears or cracks in the outer layer (annulus or capsule) of the disc.
Related QuestionsLow Back Pain, SVCMC; New York NYMost low back pain is triggered by some combination of overuse, muscle strain, and injury to the muscles, ligaments, and discs that support the spine. Many experts believe that over time muscle strain can lead to an overall imbalance in the spinal structure. This leads to a constant tension on the muscles, ligaments, bones, and discs, making the back more prone to injury or reinjury. The causes of pain in the low back, or lumbosacral region, tend to add on to one another.Related Questions
Herniated DiscMany people are able to resume work and daily activities soon after surgery. In some cases, your health professional may recommend a rehabilitation program after surgery, which might include physical therapy and home exercises. Pain management counseling can help you develop mental skills for coping with and reducing chronic pain.Related Questions
Do I need surgery for my herniated disk?
Non-Surgical Frequently Asked QuestionsThe majority of patients (95 percent) with a herniated disc will recover within twelve weeks. The recovery process can be made less symptomatic through conservative measures outlined above. In those that do not improve, surgery for a herniated disc can relieve the arm or leg pain, but it cannot prevent future spine problems.
Related QuestionsWhat is a herniated disc?
Center for Spine Care - Frequently Asked Questions About Bac...A weakening of the disc wall, which we call the annulus, causes a herniated disc. The defect in the disc wall allows the central portion of the disc, called the nucleus, to be displaced from the central portion of the disc out into the spinal canal. The shape or the morphology of the disc herniation can vary. It can be just a slight focal defect in the disc wall, or the herniation may go trough the entire disc wall.
Related QuestionsChris Urban M.D.A herniated disc is an intervertebral disc that has an incompetent outer layer, called the annulus. Due to the weak surrounding architecture, it is possible for the inner disc material to squeeze out of the disc. Depending on the size and location of the herniated fragment, a patient may or may not become symptomatic. If the herniated disc material presses against a nerve root, it could cause leg pain or numbness.Related Questions
Advantage Health and Wellness CenterHerniated Disc is a generic term for more specific derangements. They are classified either as a bulge, protrusion or extrusion depending on the size, extent and location of the problem.Related Questions
what point should I consider surgery for a herniated lumbar disk ?
Lumbar Disk FAQ - FAQ Lumbar DiscThis has to be discussed with your doctor. Usually there is given a period for conservative management, but the length of this will depend on the intensity of the pain and the associated neurological signs. Personally I believe that if the pain is bearable with analgesics and anti inflammatory drugs, a 4 weeks trial is a good lapse. I don't like to wait more than a week if there is muscle weakness. If there are bladder problems the surgery has to be done immediately.
Related QuestionsDo children ever have lumbar disc problems?
Patient Education • Panorama Orthopedics & Spine C...Help please...we need some quick answers. Our daughter has a fracture in the thighbone that needs surgical treatment. The doctor is talking about using a metal plate and screws to hold it in place while she heals. She'll be in a big cast, too. We live in a very isolated, rural area with few family and friends to help out. Isn't there an easier way to treat this problem? I don't know how we can manage.
Related QuestionsI have been told that I have lumbar Degenerative Disk Disease. Do I need surgery?
Frequently Asked QuestionsDegenerative disc disease means wear and tear changes in the disc. All of us have it to some degree. Nearly everyone has signs of degeneration of lumbar discs after age 40. Some people show evidence of changes much earlier. Most of us are relatively asymptomatic with these changes. Others have backaches. A few people have severe pain or even nerve compression causing loss of muscle function.
Related QuestionsWhat are the symptoms of a herniated disc?
Back Pain Frequently Asked Questions - Back Pain FAQ'sTypically, a herniated disc causes radiating leg symptoms. Generally, this is what people refer to as sciatica or radiculopathy. The herniated disc is defined by a disc where the outer lining has been torn, and the inner soft disc material has expressed out of the tear and compressed the adjacent nerve roots. This pressure on the nerve roots tends to cause not only low back pain but leg pain, as well.
Related QuestionsChris Urban M.D.A herniated disc is sometimes preceded by intermittent attacks of low back pain. When a disc herniation occurs, it often produces sciatica, which is pain that begins in the hip or buttock and extends down the leg. The pain may be associated with weakness, numbness, or burning in the leg and foot. Sitting, coughing, or sneezing often aggravates these symptoms. In rare circumstances a large disc herniation may cause difficulty with bowel or bladder control.Related Questions
What is the Treatment for a Herniated Disc?
Chris Urban M.D.There are several treatment options for a herniated disc. A nonoperative approach is successful in treating many small disc herniations. This includes a short period of rest followed by a conditioning program to improve muscle strength and aerobic conditioning. A variety of modalities are available to relieve the acute pain associated with a disc herniation. These include anti-inflammatory medications, muscle relaxants, narcotics, and oral steroids.
Related QuestionsI have been told that I have the diagnosis of lumbar degenerative disc disease. Do I need surgery?
Our Doctors - The Spine Institute of Southern New JerseyDegenerative disc disease is a term that is used when discussing early aging in the spinal discs, even to advanced aging changes in a disc that is the cushion between two vertebral bones in the spine. These changes can happen from wear and tear and normal aging, and most people at the age of 40 have some of these changes. However, degenerative disc disease may also be caused by a trauma, such as an injury or accident. And it can be the source of back pain.
Related QuestionsWhat is the difference between a herniated disc and a bulging disc?
Center for Spine Care - Frequently Asked Questions About Bac...A bulging disc represents degenerative disc disease. The disc is showing signs of wear-and-tear. It is losing some of its fluid content and therefore, it is drying out. As it dries out, the disc tends to decrease in height, or it starts to settle. As it does this, the wall of the disc tends to bulge or buckle outward. It generally bulges in a symmetric manner, much like the side walls of a deflated automobile tire would tend to bulge outward in a symmetric fashion.
Related QuestionsBack Pain Frequently Asked Questions - Back Pain FAQ'sthe disc undergoes the natural process of degeneration, it loses the ability to retain the hydration necessary to support the spine. The result is a diffuse bulging similar to a tire that loses air pressure. In the case of the disc it is loss of hydraulic pressure. Another consequence of the degenerative process is the development of fissures or cracks that result from the desiccation of the disc.Related Questions
Chris Urban M.D.Loss of the normal structural integrity of the intervertebral disc can lead to either a bulging or herniated disc shape. Bulging discs are very common and develop in most individuals as we age. A disc bulge is a diffuse symmetrical swelling of the disc and is caused by early disc degeneration and collapse. Bulging discs rarely cause symptoms unless associated with spinal stenosis. In contrast, a herniated disc is one in which the outer layer of the disc, called the annulus, is incompetent.Related Questions
I have back pain and an MRI showing a disc has herniated. Do I need surgery?
Disc Herniations in the Lumbar Spine: Frequently Asked Quest...This is an excellent question, and there is a good answer. There are four reasons to seek a surgical solution: Cauda Equina Syndrome, a disorder affecting a bundle of spinal nerve roots, which is extremely rare and requires urgent surgery. This syndrome includes back and leg pain, weakness and numbness, and may be associated with problems with bladder and bowel function. Progressive strength loss.
Related QuestionsWhat is the difference between a slipped disc, a herniated disc or a bulging disc?
BodyZone -- Frequently Asked QuestionsThey are all the same thing. A herniated, slipped or bulging disc is like a bubble in the sidewall of a car tire. The jelly in the center of the disc pushes the weakened part of the disc outwards creating a bulge. This bulge can press on a nerve or other delicate spinal structures.
Related QuestionsMRI shows I have a disc problem. Do I need surgery?
Chiropractic Care, Acupuncture, & Massage Therapy. Austi...Over half of normal adults with no symptoms will have a disc problem show on their MRI. Although each case is different, most problems respond well to conservative therapies such as chiropractic and massage. It's your body. View surgery as a LAST resort.
Related QuestionsAdvantage Health and Wellness CenterOver half of normal adults with no symptoms will have some type of disc problem show on their MRI. Although each case is different, most problems respond well to conservative therapies such as chiropractic, massage and exercise. It’s your body. View surgery as a LAST resort.Related Questions
What if the MRI Scan shows a herniated disc? What do I do then?
Low Back Pain Q&AIf you have a herniated disk, you should see a spine specialist. The doctor will first diagnose the cause of the problem. Unless there is severe pain or weakness, conservative care will usually be recommended. Exercise and pain medications are used first. Chiropractic or acupuncture may be helpful. If these do not help, a steroid shot may be advised. Surgery is usually the last resort.
Related QuestionsWhat causes a herniated disc?
Herniated DiscInjury to the spine. This may cause tiny tears or cracks in the hard outer layer of the disc. When this happens, the gel inside the disc can be forced out through the tears or cracks in the outer layer of the disc. This causes the disc to bulge, break open, or break into pieces.
Related Questions