Herniated Disc And Spinal Stenosis Specialist

What is a herniated disc?

In between the vertebrae in your spine, there are shock absorbent cushions that have a jelly-like center and a thick outer casing. These are the spinal discs that protect the vertebrae and help keep your spine flexible.

A herniated disc happens when the interior of a disc pushes through a weak spot or tear in the outer casing. If the inside of the disc protrudes far enough, it can press on nerves in the spinal canal, causing pain and other sensations like tingling, weakness, and numbness.

What is spinal stenosis?

Spinal stenosis is a problem that often occurs because of degenerative changes in your spine that cause narrowing of the spinal canal. The discs that protect each vertebra start to dry out and flatten as you get older, which changes the shape of your spine slightly.

This puts pressure on the facet joints that connect the vertebrae, increasing the narrowing effect. These facet joints start to deteriorate too, and your body often responds by producing bone spurs to reinforce the spine. The ligaments holding the bones together begin to enlarge, and this causes even more narrowing.

Herniated discs and spinal stenosis have close connections. Herniated discs can help cause spinal stenosis, and the narrowing effect of having spinal stenosis makes a herniated disc more likely to cause nerve impingement. Treating herniated discs often relieves the effects of spinal stenosis.

How are herniated discs and spinal stenosis treated?

Initially, the team at Interventional Pain Management, Stem & Regenerative Cell Therapy uses noninvasive treatments to resolve the symptoms of herniated discs and spinal stenosis. These treatments could include:

● Physical therapy
● Stretching exercises
● Massage
● Anti-inflammatory medications
● Steroid injections
● Acupuncture
● Manipulation

If these initial therapies aren’t helping, you might need to undergo surgery to remove the affected disc or open up the spinal canal.

The Interventional Pain Management, Stem & Regenerative Cell Therapy team uses minimally invasive surgical techniques such as percutaneous endoscopic laser discectomy (PELD) wherever possible as the procedures cause far less tissue damage and ensure a speedy recovery.

mild® is a safe form of treatment for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. Using imaging technologies and specialized endoscopic instruments, your provider at Interventional Pain Management, Stem & Regenerative Cell Therapy makes a tiny incision in your back and takes out any bone spurs and excess ligament fibers. Removing these opens the space around your spinal canal, relieving pressure on the nerves and thus reducing pain and other symptoms.

If you’d like to learn more about treatments for herniated discs and spinal stenosis, call Interventional Pain Management, Stem & Regenerative Cell Therapy today, or book an appointment online.