What Does a Herniated Disc Diagnosis Mean?

In most cases, if your doctor determines that you have a herniated disc, the diagnosis will be given along with the location of the disc degeneration. For example, if you suffer from chronic neck pain, your doctor may tell you that you have a herniated disc at the C-3/C-4 level, for example. This means that the herniated disc is located between the third and fourth vertebrae in the cervical region of the spine. This information is important because oftentimes herniated disc symptoms are experienced far from the degenerated disc, and knowing the exact location of the herniated disc is essential for effective treatment. To better understand why receiving a precise diagnosis is so important, we need to delve into the anatomy of the spinal canal.

The vertebrae in the spinal column are separated by spongy pads, known as intervertebral discs. These discs act as shock absorbers for the spine and prevent adjacent vertebrae from grinding together. A herniated disc occurs when a tear develops in the thick, fibrous outer wall of the disc (annulus fibrosus), which allows the gel-like nucleus material of the disc (nucleus pulposus) to seep into the spinal canal. This seepage isn't necessarily symptomatic on its own; in fact, many people experience herniated discs without ever knowing it. But when the ruptured disc material comes into contact with the nerve structure in the spinal canal, a wide variety of symptoms may be experienced.

The brain sends and receives sensory and motor signals throughout the body by way of a complicated infrastructure of nerves that enter and exit the spinal column through narrow canals known as foramen. When the normal function of one of these nerves is interfered with, the body can respond with a number of potential symptoms. For example, different muscles can be affected when the nerve that innervates the muscle group becomes compressed. This is why a herniated disc can cause symptoms to appear in far-reaching, seemingly unrelated segments of the body. For instance, a compressed nerve in the cervical spine in the neck can cause numbness in the fingers, which explains the need for an accurate herniated disc diagnosis. All too often a patient will waste weeks or months treating the symptoms of a herniated disc without treating the actual origin of the pain.

If you experience prolonged back or neck pain that doesn't seem to abate on its own after a few days, the first step is to visit your doctor for a physical examination. In most cases, you can expect your doctor to first begin the appointment by reviewing your medical history and asking you questions about your lifestyle to try and ascertain the possible causes for your pain. This is because a number of lifestyle factors can contribute to disc deterioration, such as being overweight, having poor posture, participating in high-impact sports, or having a job that requires frequent bending, twisting and/or lifting. Additionally, previous traumatic injury, genetic predisposition, and the natural aging process can all lead to the rupturing of one or more intervertebral discs.

After the doctor completes the initial assessment, the next step is a physical examination. During this process, the doctor will palpate the back and neck in an attempt to locate the origin and location of the degenerative spine condition. This may cause the patient a small degree of discomfort, but it is essential for achieving an accurate diagnosis.

Finally, the patient will likely be referred to a medical imagery center to receive either an MRI or CT scan. These state-of-the-art diagnostic tools are important because the scan helps the doctor pinpoint the precise location of the disc degeneration and nerve compression and may assist in finding other underlying causes of the patient's pain that need to be addressed.

After receiving a herniated disc diagnosis, the next question that most people have pertains to their long-term diagnosis. The good news when it comes to herniated discs is that most patients respond to a conservative course of noninvasive treatment and meaningful pain relief is not only viable, but can be reasonably expected by most patients. However, it is also equally important to understand that treatment options vary widely from patient to patient depending on their age, cause of the disc rupture, overall health, current medications being used, and a variety of other factors. This is why it is so essential to work with your doctor to develop a treatment plan that gives you the best chance of overcoming your herniated disc symptoms quickly, safely, and effectively.

Usually, treatment will begin with a variety of conservative, noninvasive treatments that can be attempted from the comforts of home. The use of pain medications, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants, and other over-the-counter or prescription medication may be recommended to manage pain in the short-term, while low-impact exercises, stretching techniques, and the application of heat or a cooling element can help the disc pain gradually subside.

Many patients also find relief from their pain by partaking in alternative medicines, although the overall efficacy of such treatments is the subject of some debate in the medical community. Deep tissue massage, chiropractic manipulation, acupuncture, aromatherapy, herbal remedies, and other holistic treatments may be considered.

In the event that conservative treatments fail to offer the patient the pain relief they require after several weeks or months, the subject of spine surgery may be considered. The first thing to understand about spine surgery is that it is almost always considered to be an elective procedure. Unless the patient's pain is debilitating or their condition is rapidly deteriorating, spine surgery should be reserved for patients who have exhausted all of their other treatment options.

If surgery is recommended, the patient may be able to choose between an open spine surgery and an endoscopic procedure, depending on the severity and cause of the ruptured disc. While both techniques seek to physically remove the source of the patient's nerve compression, they are markedly different in style. An open spine surgery, for example, permanently removes the ruptured disc and replaces it with a bone graft. The affected vertebrae are stabilized with hardware, and the bones eventually fuse together to provide lasting relief. Recovery and rehabilitation from this surgery can be an involved process because of the invasiveness of this procedure. During an endoscopic technique, on the other hand, the surgeon carefully excises only the part of the disc that is causing nerve compression, the procedure is completed on an outpatient basis, and the surgery carries far fewer risks and a much shorter recuperation than an open spine procedure.

To learn more about your herniated disc diagnosis, speak with your doctor today to begin a treatment plan that is right for you.