Why Do You Require Surgery for a Herniated Disk?

herniated disk surgery

Disks are those round cushions that sit between your spine’s bones. They usually act as shock absorbers and let you bend or move without the bones rubbing together. When one of the disks herniates and pushes out from between the bones, it might press on nearby nerves.

Before you opt for a herniated disk surgery, you must know numbness, pain, and weakness in your legs, back, and arms. You will find that you can often relieve herniated discs with proper rest, physical therapy, or using pain relievers. But surgery is the only option when symptoms do not get better; read the blog below to learn why you require surgery for a herniated disk.

Do You Require Surgery?

A herniated disk is an option for you if you fulfill these criteria:

  • You feel a lot of pain that you are unable to get around or pursue any of your daily activities.
  • You are suffering from weakness or numbness from the disk that is pressing on the nerves.
  • You are unable to control your bowels or bladder.
  • You have problems standing or walking.

What Are the Surgeries for a Herniated Disk?

Surgery can help take the pressure off the nerves, that are usually troubled by your herniated disk. Multiple surgeries can achieve this and can relieve your pain. They are as follows:

  • Diskectomy

During this surgical procedure, your surgeon will remove your damaged disk, which can help relieve pressure on your nerves. They can perform this surgery in various ways:

  1. An open diskectomy is performed with a cut in your neck or back.
  2. In this form of herniated disk surgery, microdiscectomy is performed via a much smaller cut. In this process, your surgeon will insert a thin tube along with a camera to see and remove the specific damaged disk.
  3. Lumbar laminotomy

At times, your surgeon will also need to eliminate or remove a small piece of bone called the lamina from the vertebra. The lamina can form a cover that can help safeguard your spinal cord. By removing a part or all of it, a surgeon can get to your herniated disk; this surgery can also help reduce pressure on your nerves and also stop sciatica or leg pain.

Before you opt to undergo a herniated disk surgery, you must know that the lamina can be removed at that time as the diskectomy. You can also choose to take it out in a different surgery.

  • Spinal fusion

After laminotomy or diskectomy, your surgeon can also choose to fuse together the two vertebrae on either side of the disk and ensure the spine is more stable. This is known as spinal fusion; when both disks are fused. the bones will not move any longer, and pain will be reduced.

Bottom Line

If you have a herniated disk and the pain cannot be relieved via any homemade remedies or therapies, you must opt for herniated disk surgery. You must choose a reputed overseas surgeon who can perform this surgery on you.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *