Minimally Invasive Discectomy: Is It Right for Your Chronic Back Pain?

Over 5% of people deal with bothersome herniated disc symptoms at any given time. Disc herniation happens when one of the cushions in between your vertebrae gets damaged or strained, causing the insides to leak out and put pressure on nearby nerves. 

When symptoms unfold, they often include pain, muscle weakness, and tingling or numbness. If yours are severe or long-lasting, you may be a candidate for a minimally invasive discectomy.

Dr. Nicholas Perenich and his team at Spine Institute of Florida in Dade City and Spring Hill, Florida, specialize in treating back pain, neck pain, and herniated discs.

Disc herniation and chronic back pain

In some cases, herniated discs lead to chronic back pain, or pain that lasts or recurs for several months or longer. This commonly derives from continuous leaking from the affected disc. The fluid, which contains inflammatory chemicals, compresses or keeps spilling onto nerves in your spine

A herniated disc can also fuel chronic pain if you attempt to ignore your symptoms and continue engaging in habits that aggravate or cause disc herniation, such as smoking or poorly lifting objects.

How a minimally invasive discectomy works

A minimally invasive discectomy uses small, specialized tools to remove the problematic part of a herniated disc. Using general anesthesia, your surgeon only needs to make a small incision. Through that opening, they insert a tiny camera to locate the compressed nerve. While a portion of the disc is removed, the rest stays fully intact. 

Often performed on an outpatient basis, nonsurgical discectomies usually take less than an hour. Afterward, you can go home to rest. Recovery tends to be relatively easy, allowing for light activity, and takes about 4-8 weeks.

When to consider a discectomy

Conservative care for back pain often includes spinal injections, physical therapy, and/or oral medication. If these treatments haven’t resolved your chronic herniated disc pain, you could be a strong candidate for a minimally invasive discectomy. 

Our team may also recommend the procedure if your symptoms are severe, even if you haven’t yet reached the 12 weeks-plus mark. If your pain is affecting your quality of life or mobility, a discectomy may be your best bet.

To be considered, your herniation needs to be localized, meaning the nerve damage is distinct and accessible through a small incision. You also need to tolerate general anesthesia well and have no active infections or unmanaged heart or blood vessel conditions.

To learn more about minimally invasive discectomies or get started toward lasting back pain relief, call Spine Institute of Florida or schedule an appointment through our website today.