Best way to treat Slip Discs without Surgery

Chronic back pain affects millions globally, with herniated intervertebral discs being a leading cause. While open discectomy has been the gold standard, endoscopic techniques now provide comparable outcomes with fewer risks. This blog explores why endoscopic discectomy is becoming the preferred choice for patients and surgeons.

We offer the latest minimally invasive treatments

Traditional treatment includes bed rest, pain killers and physiotherapy.

The sad truth is that many patients still suffer for a long duration, and it drastically affects their quality of life. It is pertinent to note that aging of spine is irreversible, and healing of aging disc will require blood supply with necessary nutrients to heal the tears.

Misconceptions about slip disc:

1. Physiotherapy heals the slip disc

2. Lumbar traction will cure slip disc

3. long time bed rest will heal the slip disc

4. you should never operate on spine

5. gap in the spine is the cause of slip disc ......... and many more

The truth about the slip disc is that patients may have Slip disc with sciatica complaints. Subtle slip disc patients can have maximum pain.

Then the diagnostic tests namely, X-ray and MRI, are they true reflection of patient suffering? Yes, they do act as guidelines and help in the patient management.

What is the right treatment for slip disc and associated complaints then?

Research indicates that any back pain persistent beyond 3 months despite the best non-surgical treatment needs some intervention to relive the pain.

ENDOSCOPIC DISCECTOMY:

This Minimally invasive procedure is called Endoscopic Discectomy.

Yes, this treatment is not new and is practiced globally in specialized centers. This is professionally researched as a safer alternative to open surgical procedures [which involves long cuts, general anaesthesia and long recovery periods].

Endoscopic disc procedures attend the disease at the level of pain generation and cause release of nerves. Minimal cut (6-7 mm) on the skin heals within days. The procedure is extremely safe as damage to nerves is avoided in an awake patient.

Another big advantage is that endoscopic discectomy can be performed safely in diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, or otherwise surgically unfit persons.

Long term relief of pain is good comparably.

Procedure of ENDOSCOPIC DISCECTOMY involves a small cut on the skin through which a slender tube of 6 MM with a camera and working channel is passed from the patient’s side at the level of the disease and fine instruments are introduced to remove the diseased part of the disc. Tears are identified and pain generators modulated with a high radio-frequency cautery.

There is hardly any bleeding during the procedure, hence no blood transfusion is required. The procedure takes anywhere between a few minutes to 1-2 hrs. It is performed in the operating theatre under x-ray guidance. The patient leaves the hospital the next day and can perform his basic routine.

Recovery is also faster owing to the minimal invasive nature of the procedure. Patients will have to take care of their back and perform core muscle strengthening exercises to prevent recurrent disease of adjacent or same level disease. As with any procedure, the failure rate is minimal, 1-2 % at any given time despite performer’s best abilities.