People who have a herniated disc generally start addressing their symptoms using conservative methods such as taking pain medication, a weight management plan and engaging in light to moderate exercise. In many cases, these measures relieve symptoms and improve mobility enough to return to normal activity. In other cases, surgery may be recommended if these and other methods aren’t effective.

If you are being recommended for surgery, but have anxiety about undergoing a traditional open neck or back surgery for your herniated disc, USA Spine Care can help. Our board-certified surgeons⁺ can perform several procedures to address nerve compression related to a herniated disc, depending on where the disc is located and how severe it is. Here is an overview of some of the procedures that may be recommended for patients who are candidates for minimally invasive spine surgery at one of our state-of-the-art facilities.

Discectomy

Our minimally invasive discectomy is a procedure that involves accessing the spine through a less than 1-inch incision and removing the disc material that is the source of nerve compression. In addition to localized pain, a herniated disc can cause numbness, weakness, pain and other symptoms at areas further down the path of a compressed nerve. A herniated disc in the cervical (upper) spine, for example, can cause numbness in an arm or neck pain, while one in the lumbar (lower) spine might impact the sciatic nerve, causing numbness, weakness or pain in the buttock, thigh or foot. By removing part of the disc, our surgeons can relieve the pressure placed on the spinal cord or nerve roots and relieve symptoms.

Minimally invasive spinal stabilization

In more severe cases that require the removal of an entire damaged disc, USA Spine Care provides minimally invasive stabilization procedures. This type of surgery is an alternative to traditional fusion and involves the placement of an implant into the disc space to stabilize the spinal column. This is performed through a small incision on an outpatient basis at one of our state-of-the art facilities.

By avoiding the large incision, overnight hospitalization and long recovery period of traditional open spine surgery, our procedures are a safer and effective alternative and offer our patients less risk of complication.^{^} To learn more about the herniated disc treatment options that USA Spine Care offers, contact us today.

You can receive a no-cost review of your MRI or CT scan* to find out if you may be a candidate for one of our procedures.

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