Degenerative disc disease surgery can be a complicated topic. Depending on the extent of your condition, the type of surgery you select and other variables, your experience can greatly differ from somebody else’s. However, we can provide you with a general overview of degenerative disc disease surgery, when it’s needed and what such a surgery involves.

When do you need surgery?

Perhaps the most important point to make here is that many people who experience degenerative disc disease don’t require surgery to address their symptoms. Rather, they find relief in other, conservative methods, such as exercise, medication and physical therapy. However, you may need surgery if you’ve already tried these methods without gaining adequate benefits over the course of a few weeks or months. Surgery is also a consideration if your symptoms are worsening over time or if they have become so severe that you cannot complete daily tasks, such as going to work or performing household chores.

What does surgery entail?

Surgery for degenerative disc disease usually includes the removal of at least part of a spinal disc. In some cases, part of the damaged disc can be removed to alleviate the pressure on a neighboring nerve root, but in other cases, the entire disc is recommended to be removed. There are various methods for achieving these results, including traditional open back surgery and the minimally invasive spine surgery performed by USA Spine Care.

Types of surgery and recovery

Traditional degenerative disc disease surgery, or open spine surgery, can be used to remove a damaged disc but the methods used to do so can mean a long road to recovery after the surgery. By contrast, USA Spine Care performs minimally invasive spine surgery, which is often the clinically appropriate first choice and provides many advantages versus open neck or back surgery.^{^} Our surgery also involves no lengthy recovery because of a less than 1-inch incision and muscle sparing technique.

To find out if you’re a candidate for our procedures, contact USA Spine Care today.

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