HERNIATED DISC TREATMENT

Low back pain is a frequently reported complaint and a common condition for which people seek treatment. However, the diagnosis of a herniated disc is not as prevalent as low back pain itself. The stages of herniated disc formation do not occur suddenly, so symptoms and complaints are often seen in the long-term. Of course, there are also cases where the herniated disc develops suddenly. Patients may visit a doctor due to back and leg pain before the herniated disc forms. At this point, they may be advised to avoid heavy lifting, pay attention to their movements, and exercise, and then be monitored. But if the patient does not pay attention to this and creates an environment conducive to herniated disc formation, disk herniation, also known as herniated disc, can occur.

What is Herniated Disc?

To understand what a herniated disc is, we must mention the structure of the spine. There are a total of 33 vertebrae in an adult human body. The structure called intervertebral disc is located between each two vertebrae and facilitates the movement of the vertebrae. This structure contains a jelly-like substance called the nucleus pulposus. This jelly-like substance is about 80% water-based. On top of this substance, there is a section of a tough and elastic structure called the annulus fibrosus that plays a supporting role. A herniated disc occurs when the jelly-like substance of the nucleus pulposus brims over out of the tough layer annulus fibrosus. When this brimmed over liquid exerts pressure on the nerve roots, a herniated disc disease develops. This herniation can occur not only in the lower back, but also in the upper parts of the spine, causing cervical herniation as well.

Diagnosis of lumbar hernia

Before diagnosing patients with lumbar hernia, some tests are applied using various methods. First, the patient undergoes a physical examination. How the patient uses their muscles and where their pain is located is tested during this time. Then, MR, CT, X-ray and CT scan methods are used to carefully examine whether or not a hernia is present. If a hernia is detected, the diagnosis is made and treatment options are considered.

What are the Symptoms and Complaints of Disk Herniation Disease?

Disk herniation is a commonly seen disease. Sometimes patients come with specific complaints, while at other times they may experience certain symptoms in daily life or during a doctor’s examination. The symptoms and complaints of this disease are as follows:

There is a complaint of recurring back pain throughout the day.
A pulling sensation from the back to the leg is felt. Along with this pulling, severe pain may be experienced.
With the spread of pain to the legs and feet, pain may occur in the legs and toes. The patient experiences difficulty when walking on their heel and may feel tingling.
Weakness in the legs and feet is one of the complaints reported by patients.
Patients may have difficulty controlling their bladder and anal muscles.
In the straight leg raise test, patients are unable to keep their legs straight or experience significant pain when they do.

What Methods are Used in the Treatment of Lumbar Hernia?

Surgical and non-surgical treatment methods have been developed depending on the development history of lumbar hernia and how much the patient is affected. You can follow these methods under the following headings:

Non-surgical methods in the treatment of lumbar hernia

To minimize contact with conditions that may cause lumbar hernia, non-surgical treatment methods such as painkillers, rest, physical therapy methods, hot or cold applications, caudal block, transforaminal injection, radiofrequency, and manual massage are recommended. The goal of these methods is to increase functionality in the patient. In addition, methods such as stretching and pulling can also be applied by a physiotherapist.

Surgical methods in the treatment of lumbar hernia

In cases where non-surgical methods are not sufficient, surgical methods are applied based on the course of the disease. In particular, an increase in pain intensity and the patient’s inability to use many muscles require emergency interventions. These methods can be performed with general or local anesthesia.

Microdiscectomy is a surgical method in which the damaged disk is removed, and it’s damage is repaired. This method can also be applied endoscopically with different devices. Especially, with very small devices and camera, the surgical process can be performed in a closed manner. This surgical operation aims for the full recovery of the patient. After the surgical process, the patient can move after 5-6 hours. Can return to work after 4 weeks under doctor’s control.

Why Choose Us?

At Dr Özgür Akşan – Health Türkiye, we have been providing top-quality neurosurgical treatment options for almost a decade under the guidance and leadership of Op. Dr. Özgür Akşan. Our team is comprised of highly experienced and skilled surgeons, including Dr. Özgür Akşan, Dr. Nail Özdemir, and Dr. Feryal Akşan, all of them having more than 20 years of experience in medicine.

We offer a wide range of treatment options for various neurosurgical conditions, including herniated discs, lumbar spinal stenosis, traumatic brain injury, brain tumors, cervical disc herniation, Chiari malformation, carpal tunnel syndrome, and more. Our team is highly skilled in performing advanced neurosurgical procedures, such as microsurgical discectomy, endoscopic discectomy, spinal fusion instrumentation, craniotomy, craniectomy, gamma-knife radiation therapy, and many more.

At Dr Özgür Akşan – Health Türkiye, we are committed to providing personalized care and tailored treatment plans for each patient based on their unique needs and medical history. Our clinic in Izmir is equipped with the latest technology and we are working with private hospitals with state-of-the-art facilities to ensure the highest level of care for our patients.

Choose Dr Özgür Akşan – Health Türkiye for your neurosurgical needs and experience the expertise and care of our highly trained team of neurosurgeons, led by Dr. Özgür Akşan himself.