Paracentral disc extrusion is another way to describe a herniated disc that has leaked inner disc fluid in a centraldirection into the spinal cord, as opposed to left or right into the spinal canal.

This type of herniated disc occurs when the inner material of a disc seeps through a tear in the tough outer disc wall. The tear in the disc can be due to sudden injury from trauma or more often, gradual deterioration from age.

For many people, paracentral disc extrusion goes unnoticed because it has no symptoms on its own. However, if the any disc material touches or presses against the spinal cord or a nearby nerve root, severe pain and symptoms can occur.

Symptoms of paracentral disc extrusion

A herniated disc can happen at any level of the spine, but is most frequently experienced in the cervical (neck) and lumbar (lower back) regions. This is due to years of wear and tear associated with twisting, bending and other movements performed by the neck and lower back.

Disc herniations often remain asymptomatic as the body heals the damaged disc through a process known as resorption. However, if a paracentral disc extrusion does touch a spinal nerve or the spinal cord, the following symptoms may be experienced:

• Pain caused by inflammation at the site of the herniation
• Pain that radiates along the length of the affected nerve
• Tingling or numbness in the areas of the body affected by the pinched nerve
• Weakness in the muscle groups affected by the compressed nerve

Treatment for paracentral disc extrusion

If it is determined that your chronic symptoms are caused by a herniated disc, talk to your physician about treatment options. In general, conservative treatments such as pain medication, exercise, lifestyle changes or physical therapy can manage symptoms while resorption takes place.

Occasionally, however, conservative treatment may prove ineffective after several months. If this is your situation, you may be a candidate for the minimally invasive spine surgery at USA Spine Care. These procedures offer several advantages over traditional open neck or back surgery, including a shorter recovery time^{^} and lower risk of complication.

Depending on the severity of your condition, we offer minimally invasive decompression surgery and minimally invasive stabilization surgery. A decompression surgery, which is our most commonly used procedure, removes part of the damaged disc to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or pinched nerve, while a stabilization procedure replaces the damaged disc with an artificial one to regain stability in the spine.

To find out if you are a potential candidate for either of these minimally invasive procedures, contact USA Spine Care today and ask for a review of your MRI report or CT scan.

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