Does Back Surgery For Disc Herniation Work

When you have suffered from a herniated disc for a long time, it can seem like no treatment will provide relief. This is especially true if you have tried non-surgical treatments and found them ineffective. For patients who have a herniated disc that doesn't respond to conservative methods, surgery can be long-awaited relief from pain.

The concept behind a herniated disc operation is very simple, but it requires a great deal of skill and delicacy to implement. When a disc herniates, it becomes misshapen, and the disc material starts to press against the nerve roots or the spinal cord, causing pain and/or neurological symptoms. During surgery, the doctor simply removes the excess disc material, thus relieving symptoms.

There are two forms of back surgery for disc herniation:

• Laser back surgery
  
• Open back surgery
  

During laser back surgery, a small camera and laser are inserted into the spine, and the laser is used to dissolve a small portion of the disc. During open spine surgery, the doctor creates a large incision to access the spine, and uses special tools to physically remove the herniation.

Is it Effective?

It is possible for symptoms to continue after surgical treatment of a herniated disc. In fact, failure to resolve symptoms is one of the most common side effects associated with back surgery. However, a good surgeon can help reduce the risk of this happening by practicing good surgical technique.

A wide majority of patients who undergo back surgery for disc herniation do experience permanent relief from their symptoms without developing any long-term side effects. A doctor will only recommend a surgery if the benefits outweigh the risks, and in the case of back surgery, the benefits of symptom relief outweigh the risk that the surgery will be unsuccessful.

To learn more about back surgery for disc herniation, please click below or call (646) 374-1799.