At USA Spine Care, we offer multiple treatment options for an annular tear in either the neck or back. Our procedures are minimally invasive in nature and each is conducted on an outpatient basis, which makes them compelling options for individuals who have exhausted nonsurgical options like anti-inflammatories or physical therapy and are exploring their next steps.

Furthermore, the treatment options that we offer at USA Spine Care have minimal risk of post-surgical complication and require far less recovery time^ than traditional open spine surgery. Read on to learn more about what an annular tear diagnosis signifies and what treatments are available to help you find relief from this debilitating condition.

What is an annular tear?

Each spinal disc is made up of a thick outer layer and an inner gel-like center. An annular tear refers to a situation where a tear develops in the disc’s wall, known as the annulus fibrosus, sometimes allowing the inner disc material to escape and seep into the spinal canal. A disc tear can be painful if it irritates a nerve ending that impacts the disc wall. Other neuropathic symptoms can also develop if the herniated disc material compresses the spinal cord or nearby nerve root in the spinal column.

How does USA Spine Care’s annular tear treatment work?

At USA Spine Care, we offer several treatment options for patients who have been diagnosed with an annular tear and are candidates for our minimally invasive spine surgery. The specific treatment recommended will depend entirely on factors like the patient’s condition, the severity of the problem and the location of the disc tear. Some examples of treatments that we offer include:

• Discectomy — to remove part or all of a damaged disc by using a less than 1-inch incision and muscle-sparing techniques
• Foraminotomy or laminotomy — if the disc material is taking up space and compressing the spine’s nerve infrastructure
• Minimally invasive stabilization — to support a severely degenerated region of the spine by replacing the torn disc with an implant

To learn more about the treatment options for an annular tear that we offer at USA Spine Care, contact us today and be sure to request a no-cost review of your recent MRI or CT scan.* We can determine if our outpatient procedures would be effective in relieving your chronic neck or back pain and helping you recapture your quality of life.