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Slipped Disc Treatment

Slipped disc treatment is aimed at reducing or eliminating the symptoms caused when an intervertebral disc breaks open and presses upon surrounding nerve roots or the spinal cord, causing pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, and other discomfort. It should be noted that a slipped disc never actually "slips." More accurate terms for slipped disc are torn disc, herniated disc, or ruptured disc.

Slipped disc treatment plans differ based on your age, physical condition, and the severity of your symptoms. Every case is unique, and your doctor may choose a conservative treatment plan or one that’s more aggressive. In most cases, slipped disc symptoms can be treated with conservative therapy and lifestyle modification.

Oftentimes, a doctor will first prescribe a short period of rest to reduce the amount of pressure placed on the nerves and thereby lessen the severity of the symptoms. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory or pain medication can sometimes relieve slipped disc pain, and hot and cold therapy can help to relax the neck and back muscles.

Activity modification can also help to improve symptoms of a slipped disc. You may be instructed by your doctor to refrain from certain physically demanding activities that aggravate your symptoms. Since excess body weight can place extra pressure on the back, overweight patients can benefit from diet modification and light exercise to strengthen the muscles used to support the spine. All diet and exercise plans, however, should be approved and continuously monitored by a doctor.

If a patient doesn’t respond well to conservative slipped disc treatment, steroid injections can help to reduce the swelling around the disc and relieve some of the pressure on the impinged or pinched nerve. Prescription pain medications and oral steroids also can be useful in relieving symptoms, but both come with potential side effects.

Surgery is often a last resort in slipped disc treatment, and is only considered for patients who experience chronic pain that hinders everyday activity. Traditional slipped disc surgery is performed to decompress the nerves surrounding the slipped disc; however, this surgery usually involves significant tissue damage, infection risk, and a lengthy recovery time.

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Minimally Invasive Slipped Disc Treatment

Fortunately, Laser Spine Institute (LSI) offers an alternative to traditional open back surgery. Our revolutionary outpatient procedures are minimally invasive, so there’s significantly less damage to muscles and tissues, and the recovery time is as short as two weeks. Our slipped disc treatment offers a very high success rate, and oftentimes, patients begin to feel relief the same day.

If you’ve been diagnosed with a slipped disc and are tired of living your life in pain, contact LSI to learn more about how our state-of-the-art procedures can help you take back your life. We can review your MRI or CT scan, free of charge.

Please note: Laser Spine Institute currently does not perform endoscopic procedures on the thoracic spine.