Disc Herniation
Neurosurgery located in Birmingham, AL
Herniated discs (disc herniation) affect up to 2% of people each year. If you have persistent neck or back pain and it doesn’t improve, seek treatment immediately. The board-certified neurosurgeons at Alabama Neurological Surgery & Spine in Birmingham, Alabama, offer various treatments for herniated discs, including physical therapy, pain management injections, and surgery. Call the office to receive treatment for disc herniation today, or make an appointment online.
Disc herniation occurs when one of your intervertebral discs –– the rubbery cushions that pad your vertebrae –– changes position and bulges outward. Herniation can occur anywhere in your spine, but it’s most common in the neck and lower back.
Symptoms of disc herniation include:
Sometimes, herniated discs don’t present any symptoms. You might not realize there’s a problem until you undergo imaging for another issue.
Make an appointment at Alabama Neurological Surgery & Spine if you have neck or back pain that lasts for more than a few days and it doesn’t improve with rest, ice, or anti-inflammatory medicine. That’s particularly true if the pain occurs alongside numbness that extends into your arms or legs.
Various factors may increase your risk of disc herniation, including:
Disc herniation tends to affect people who live sedentary lifestyles. Exercising regularly can help your spine and vertebrae stay healthy.
Your Alabama Neurological Surgery & Spine provider reviews your health charts and asks about your symptoms. They then have you sit or lie down on an exam table and check your spine for redness, swelling, and bruising. Your provider gently presses on your back to identify sensitive areas and completes a neurological exam, checking your reflexes and muscle strength.
Often, a physical exam is enough to make a diagnosis, but your provider may order CT scans or MRIs to rule out other problems, such as infection, tumor, or poor spinal alignment.
Alabama Neurological Surgery & Spine offers various treatments for herniated discs. They may recommend:
If your symptoms continue for six weeks or more and don’t improve, your provider might recommend surgery. During surgery, your provider removes the bulging portion of your disc, relieving pain and weakness.
Call Alabama Neurological Surgery & Spine to explore the treatment options for disc herniation today, or book online.