How a Discectomy Works to Treat Your Damaged Spinal Disc

Each spinal disc contains a hard outer shell and a softer inner portion. Spinal discs, which act as shock absorbers in your spine, can become damaged. Trauma from straining or injury can cause your spinal disc to move out of place (herniate) or to rupture. This can cause pain and discomfort while pressure on your nerves can cause numbness and weakness.

As a fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeon, Dr. John Regan is an expert in diagnosing and treating damaged spinal discs here at Spine Group Beverly Hills. He may recommend a discectomy, a type of spinal surgery, to treat your damaged spinal disc.

Here’s how a discectomy can help.

What is a discectomy?

A discectomy, sometimes called a diskectomy, is a type of spine surgery to treat damaged spinal discs that:

• Contribute to nerve pain that makes walking and standing painful or difficult 
• Didn’t respond fully to conservative treatments, such as physical therapy or steroid injections
• Cause pain that travels down your buttocks and leg

During surgery, Dr. Regan removes the piece of your spinal disc that's compressing your nerve. Depending on the severity and type of damage, our team may also need to remove damaged bone and ligament material.

How does discectomy treat damaged spinal discs?

When the soft inner gel extrudes through the outer shell of your disc and presses on nerves, it causes pain. During a discectomy, Dr. Regan uses an endoscope to trim away portions of damaged or herniated discs. 

The goal of a discectomy is to relieve the pressure that a herniated or ruptured disc puts on your nerves. Reducing the pressure on your nerves decreases your pain and discomfort. 

What happens after your discectomy?

Dr. Regan performs a discectomy with minimally invasive techniques when possible. Your recovery timeline depends on a few factors. However, minimally invasive procedures tend to cause less post-op pain and bleeding, quicker recoveries, and less disruption to the muscles in your back. Regardless of the type of surgery, follow all post-op instructions carefully.

Once you’ve recovered, practice spine-friendly habits to reduce your risk of future herniated discs. These include:

• Lifting items with proper lifting techniques (once cleared to lift after surgery)
• Walk regularly 
• Stretch regularly
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Avoid sitting for long periods and take regular breaks to stretch and walk
• Stopping smoking as smoking can increase your risk of developing disc damage
• Avoid slouching or using poor posture when sitting, standing, or walking

If conservative treatments aren’t providing the relief you need, book an appointment with Dr. Regan to explore your treatment options for damaged spinal discs. You can reach Spine Group Beverly Hills by calling us at 424-238-3281 or booking directly through our online contact form.