Herniated Disc

What is a Herniated Disc

A herniated disc occurs when the inner disc material (nucleus) has pushed through the outer material (annulus). There are three main classifications: 1) contained herniated disc - the nucleus has not broken through the annulus. 2) extruded herniated disc - the inner material has broken through the annulus, but is still attached to the disc. 3) sequestered herniated disc - the nucleus has pushed through the annulus and broken away from it.

    Healthy Disc                 Affected Disc

Symptoms of a Herniated Disc

In most cases, a herniated disc will not cause localized pain unless it is applying pressure on the nearby soft tissue. Most often, symptoms of a herniated disc will include pain, tingling, numbness, and weakness in the extremities. If a disc herniation occurs in the lumbar section of your spine, you will feel these symptoms in your lower buttocks, legs, and feet, while if it occurs in the cervical section of your spine, you will feel it in your upper extremities. Symptoms will worsen with activities that apply more pressure to the affected nerve(s) or surrounding tissue.

What Causes a Herniated Disc

A herniated disc is usually a consequence of a sudden jarring motion causing traumatic injury to the intervertebral disc. As wear and tear occurs on your spinal discs, you become more susceptible to a disc herniation. Incorrect lifting while bent at the waist, instead of the knees, is a common cause of trauma that causes a herniated disc.

Treatment Options for a Herniated Disc

Treatment for a herniated disc includes anti-inflammatory medicine, physical therapy, and core stabilization exercises. Depending on the patient's pain level, pain narcotics may be prescribed to help deal with it during the initial stages of the exercises.

Endoscopic discectomy or transforaminal endoscopic lumbar surgery has been proven to be very effective in treating herniated discs.

Spine Centers of America's founder Dr. Bryan Massoud has developed an advanced surgical technique for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation. Using the "Between" technique in transforaminal endoscopic lumbar surgery, Dr. Massoud, and other surgeons he has taught, have achieved a high success rate and found it to be safe, effective and easy to use. Details of the technique have been published Surgical Technology International - Issue XIX (July 2010), a peer-reviewed medical journal. Article Reprints are available through Surgical Technology International or through Spine Centers of America.