Patient - Education
Education:
Back pain and contained disc herniations

Agonizing, and sometimes debilitating back pain can be experienced by people with contained herniated discs, an injury that strikes about one and a half million Americans each year. Commonly referred to as a thrown-out back, slipped disc, or pinched nerve, this injury can be accompanied by intense pain in and around the affected disc, as well as down the legs or arms. These discs, sandwiched between the bones of the spine called vertebrae, are composed of two parts, a protective ring made of fibrous tissue called the annulus, and a soft, gel-like center, or nucleus.


Figure 1: Intervertebral disc sandwiched between
spinal vertebrae

Figure 2: Intervertebral disc and adjacent structures

Figure 3: Herniated disc compressing nerve root,
causing pain flare in back and down leg


A healthy disc is like the shock absorber of an automobile, providing a cushion against jolts caused by simple movements, like running or jumping. If the annulus, or protective ring around the disc, is damaged by injury or weakened by normal aging processes, pressure inside the disc can cause the annulus to bulge outward. It is this unnatural bulge, or herniation that often causes irritation to surrounding nerve roots in the spine and can lead to intense pain.

Treating painful contained herniated discs through decompression

Decompressing the nucleus of the disc is a proven technique for treating disc herniation, and the pain symptoms it causes. Similar to letting air out of a bicycle tire, removing tissue from the center of a disc causes a reduction of pressure within the disc. This in turn leads to a reduction in the pressure that the disc applies to other parts of the body, such as nerve roots or the spinal cord.


Figure 1 - Herniated disc compressing
nerve root,  causing pain flare in back
and down leg
Figure 2 - Decompressed disc with
herniation and symptoms relieved

Disc decompression has been used in the treatment of herniated discs for over 40 years. A variety of techniques can be used to decompress discs, including chemical, mechanical, and thermal/heat (radiofrequency and laser) methods. Plasma Disc Decompression, created by ArthroCare, has been used in over 100,000 cases worldwide since 2000. Utilizing Coblation technology, it provides an improved method to dissolve tissue safely and effectively.

Links to websites for more information

www.spine.org
www.spineuniverse.com
www.spine-health.com
www.spine-surgery.com
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