Disk herniations in the Cervical and Lumbar Spine are one of the most common causes of pain and disability. Depending upon how the condition is treated will determine the ultimate outcome: a short recovery and resolution of the pain, or a long recovery and possible lifelong back pain. Unfortunately, I have seen hundreds of patients in the latter condition, and continue to treat patients with persistent back pain after surgery.

Disk herniations which put pressure on the spinal cord cause localized neck or low back pain. If the herniation pinches a nerve in in the neck, this will cause a cervical radiculopathy

If it pinches a nerve in the back it will cause a lumbar Radiculpathy.

There are several types of minimally invasive techniques to treat a disk herniation. There include a percutaneous discectomy and endoscopic discectomy.

A Percutaneous discectomy involves placing a trocar (large bore needle) into the disk, and removing a small amount of disk material. This is most useful for contained disk herniations, and helps to reduce intradiscal pressure to normal.

An endoscopic discectomy involves making a small incision whereby a working channel is placed, to remove the disk herniation under direct visualization. The endoscopic is attached to fiberoptic cable leading to a television screen. Different instruments can be placed to remove to both disk material as well as (if necessary) bone to create a larger foramen through which nerves pass, to alleviate any nerve impingement which may exist.

What conditions can be treated?

Most causes of back pain may be treated with one of these techniques. Disk bulges and herniations, nerve impingement, spinal stenosis (with associated ligamenum flavum hypertrophy), sciatica, claudication, and facet hypertrophy can all be successfully treated utilizing various minimally invasive surgeries.

If you have neck or low back pain, arm pain, or leg pain, call our office or use online booking to schedule examination at Garden State Pain Management.