A collapsed disc is a disc in the spine that has been compressed under the pressure of the surrounding vertebrae. This condition is often described in conjunction with a herniated disc, bulging disc or any other degenerative disc disease. Many times, a collapsed disc will develop gradually as the spine ages, enduring increased body weight and repetitive motions that grind the components of the spine together.

As the vertebrae compress under added body weight, the discs in between them are compressed, causing the inner gel-like center to push against the tough outer layer of the disc in an attempt to flatten and expand under the pressure. While the elasticity in the disc’s wall is able to maintain the proper shape and height of the disc, this may decline over an extended amount of pressure and eventually allow the disc to collapse or bulge.

When the disc collapses, it no longer is able to function as a stabilizer for the spine. In the event that the disc impacts a local nerve root in the spinal canal, it can cause debilitating symptoms to develop. To learn more about the signs of this debilitating condition and the treatments available for relief, read the following article.

Symptoms of a collapsed disc

A collapsed disc can cause pain and discomfort when the damaged disc or surrounding vertebrae shift out of alignment and touch a nearby nerve root. The strength of the symptoms is often directly related to the amount of pressure on the nerve root. Symptoms of a pinched spinal nerve include dull or sharp pain associated with bending, lifting or twisting as well as muscle weakness, muscle spasms, numbness and tingling.

You can also experience these issues in the neck, back, torso or extremities, depending on which region of the spine is affected by a collapsed disc. If you are suffering from any of these symptoms, it is important that you consult a doctor to determine the best course of treatment to find relief from your symptoms.

Alternative treatments for a collapsed disc

Many patients find relief from the symptoms associated with a collapsed disc through alternative treatments, which can include:

• Yoga or Pilates
• Acupuncture
• Herbal supplements
• Chiropractic care
• Physical therapy
• Cortisone injections
• Heat massage

These conservative therapies aim to stretch the spine to relieve pressure on the impacted nerve root and reduce your symptoms. Sometimes, a doctor may prescribe pain medication to help control your condition during your regimen of conservative therapy. For many patients, conservative treatment is an effective option for relieving the symptoms of a collapsed disc and pinched nerve.

However, some more severe instances of this condition may require more direct treatment in the form of spine surgery. If you are recommended to undergo spine surgery for your condition, we encourage you to research the safer and effective alternative to traditional open back surgery^ — the minimally invasive spine surgery at USA Spine Care.

Minimally invasive collapsed disc surgery

At USA Spine Care, we offer several options of minimally invasive spine surgery to help treat the most common degenerative spine conditions. For a collapsed disc, we often perform two options for surgery — minimally invasive discectomy and minimally invasive stabilization. The type of surgery performed will depend on the cause, location and severity of the condition.

The difference between the two procedures is that a minimally invasive discectomy only removes a small portion of the collapsed disc in order to release pressure from the pinched nerve root. This is commonly used for moderately collapsed discs. However, if a disc is severely collapsed, our board-certified surgeons+ may require the entire disc to be removed, which signifies a need for a stabilization procedure.

Once the damaged disc is removed, our surgeons will insert an artificial disc to immediately support and stabilize the spine. This is a minimally invasive discectomy and stabilization procedure. USA Spine Care’s outpatient procedures utilize small incisions, lower risks of complication and have shorter recovery times^ compared to traditional open back surgery. Contact our dedicated team to learn more about our minimally invasive procedures and to find out if our procedures would be effective for you.

As the leader in minimally invasive spine surgery, USA Spine Care has performed more than 75,000 patient procedures. To find out if you are a potential candidate for our outpatient collapsed disc procedures, reach out to our team today and ask for a free MRI review.* We can help guide you on your road to recovery.