Every year, thousands of Americans develop herniated discs, which can be painful and debilitating if left untreated. Fortunately, there is a minimally invasive kind of spine surgery available here at Modern Orthopedic Spine Specialists in Thousand Oaks, CA. Endoscopy can help to address your pain and correct the pathology, so the underlying issue can heal.
Treating Herniated Discs in Thousand Oaks
Back pain is an increasingly common occurrence, and it can affect people of all ages. In particular, those at sedentary jobs are affected because their posture might not be ideal, and they are sitting for lengthy periods of time every day. However, a part of the issue is genetic and age-related, so conditions such as herniations can occur even in patients who exercise frequently. Let’s have a look at what a herniated disc is and how your surgeon will be able to treat it.
What Is a Herniated Disc?
If your doctor tells you that you’ve herniated a disc in your spine, this means that the spongy bit between your vertebrae has pushed away from the spine and is now pressing up against your nerve. It is a common condition that comes with age, bad posture, or suboptimal exercise habits, and the most significant symptom is back/neck pain in the area affected associated with shooting pain down the arm or leg. Different discs can become herniated, so your issue could be in your neck or anywhere in your back.
How Can Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Help?
Usually, a herniated disc doesn’t require extensive surgery. In some cases, the problem can resolve itself through rest, better posture, and rehabilitative exercise. However, severe cases might need to be addressed by an orthopedic surgeon, who can perform a gentle type of surgery that doesn’t involve a lengthy recovery process.
Although most herniations in the neck (cervical spine) are treated without implants, a disc replacement implant may be used in the affected area to take the pressure off the spinal cord. Depending on the location of the herniation, these conditions are often addressed endoscopically without the need for placing any implants.
In the low back (lumbar spine) the vast majority of disc herniations can be addressed endoscopically through a 7mm incision.
What to Expect from Endoscopy
Fortunately, an endoscopic procedure isn’t an invasive surgery, so you don’t have to worry about staying overnight at the hospital or undergoing an extensive recovery process. Instead, your doctor will be able to perform the operation at the outpatient surgery center, and often, you’ll be sent home on the same day. Further details regarding the procedure will be discussed at your initial consultation with a qualified physician.
If you’ve herniated one of your discs, you’ll be in a lot of pain and looking for a way to resolve the injury. But a lot of patients don’t have time to spend several weeks recovering from surgery. An endoscopic procedure could help you to get back on your feet quickly.. Get in touch with us today at Modern Orthopedic Spine Specialists to find out more and book your initial consultation with our Dr. Armen Ognesian. You can call us at 805-370-0748, or email us at info@themodernspine.com.
You can also visit our office at:
250 Lombard Street
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
www.TheModernSpine.com
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