A collapsed disc is a degenerative condition that causes a disc to lose its water content, which reduces the ability for the discs to cushion the vertebrae and decreases the disc height. This condition can occur as a result of a massive herniation, protrusion or extrusion, resulting in a loss of the disc’s ability to afford flexibility and stability to the spine.

A mild collapsed disc can result in axial back pain, primarily associated with activities such as bending, lifting or twisting. If your condition is more severe, it can compress nerve structures, creating pain, numbness, weakness and sciatica. This causes any motion, no matter how small, to lead to excruciating pain in the lower back and into the legs. To learn about the variety of pain relief options you have for this condition, read the following article.

Nonsurgical treatments for a collapsed disc

If you are diagnosed with this condition, many patients are able to benefit from a course of conservative treatments depending on the severity of their collapsed disc. This may include:

• Pain medications
• Anti-inflammatories
• Muscle relaxants
• Physical therapy
• Heat massage
• Low-impact exercises
• Corticosteroid injections

Alternative treatments, such as chiropractic manipulation, acupuncture, yoga, Pilates and herbal remedies may also be helpful in relieving your pain and discomfort.

Surgical options for a collapsed disc

If conservative and alternative treatments do not provide you with adequate relief from your symptoms after several weeks or months, then USA Spine Care may be the answer to recapturing your life from this condition. Contact our dedicated team today to learn how our procedures offer a safer and effective alternative to traditional open spine surgery.^

To treat a mildly collapsed disc causing nerve compression, our board-certified surgeons+ are able to use a less than 1-inch incision that is muscle-sparing in order to decompress the nerve. However, in the instance that there is an extreme collapse where there is bone-on-bone contact that causes axial back pain, a stabilization procedure is able to be performed to remove the disc and alleviate your symptoms.

If you are interested in undergoing an outpatient surgery at one of our state-of-the-art facilities, reach out to us today. Through a no-cost MRI review* we can determine if you are a potential candidate for one of our minimally invasive collapsed disc procedures, in order to help you move to the next step on your journey to wellness.

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