What Is A Degenerative Spinal Disc?

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Find out if you're a candidate for a minimally invasive alternative to open neck or back surgery

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What Is A Degenerative Spinal Disc?

As with all parts of our bodies, our spinal discs change as we age. The wear and tear of normal life take their toll, and the cartilage that makes up our spinal discs begins to break down. This process, which is known as spondylosis, can be accelerated by traumatic injuries like those inflicted by a car accident, but generally speaking it is a slow, steady progression.

Because it has lost water and protein, a degenerative spinal disc is more brittle than a young healthy one, increasing the likelihood that it will bulge or hemorrhage. The disc is also thinner and less flexible, meaning vertebrae are closer together with less cushion in between them, and the remaining cushion doesn’t function as well as it once did. If the degenerative spinal disc becomes too thin, the vertebrae above and below it can actually begin to rub against one another, causing them to produce protective structures called bone spurs. All of these factors combine to make it much harder and more painful to bend your back and neck, and even to perform simple activities like walking.

Treatments for Degenerative Spinal Disc

So, what can you do if you have a herniated disc and have exhausted conservative treatment options recommended by your doctor? For many people, the only thing left to try is open-back or neck surgery, a risky and serious procedure involving a lengthy hospital stay and recovery time. Endoscopic surgery from Laser Spine Institute (LSI), however, offers a safer alternative.
Our minimally invasive procedures use a small tube to bring surgery tools to the affected disc, so only a small incision is needed, and there is no cutting of muscle. The procedure itself usually takes under an hour, and most patients are walking within hours of the procedure. Some report feeling immediate relief, and more than 85% say that their quality of life has improved within three months of the procedure. Most patients are back to normal activities in around six weeks.

For more information on degenerative spinal disc treatment from LSI, or to request a complimentary review of your MRI or CT scan, contact us today.

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