Your doctor might recommend surgery as an option for your herniated disc if: Your symptoms have lasted at least 6 weeks and make it hard to do your normal activities, and other treatments haven't helped. You need to get better quickly because of your job or to get back to your other activities as soon as possible.

Is surgery necessary for a herniated disc?

Cervical Spine Surgery

A portion of the lamina may be removed through a laminotomy, followed by removal of the disc herniation for the posterior approach. Patients, who are a candidate for posterior surgery, frequently do not need surgical fusion.

What is the success rate of herniated disc surgery?

According to one study, the success rate for a herniated lumbar disc surgery was 78.9% among 39,048 patients. This same study reported a 94% long-term success rate for patients undergoing herniated cervical disc surgery.

Can you avoid surgery with a herniated disc?

The good news is that the vast majority of herniated discs can be treated without surgery using manual therapy and exercise or with IDD Therapy disc treatment. It is only a small percentage of cases which go on to have surgery.

Do you ever fully recover from a herniated disc?

Usually a herniated disc will heal on its own over time. Be patient, and keep following your treatment plan. If your symptoms don't get better in a few months, you may want to talk to your doctor about surgery.

SHOULD I HAVE SURGERY FOR A DISC HERNIATION?

36 related questions found

How bad can a herniated disc get?

An untreated, severe slipped disc can lead to permanent nerve damage. In very rare cases, a slipped disc can cut off nerve impulses to the cauda equina nerves in your lower back and legs. If this occurs, you may lose bowel or bladder control. Another long-term complication is known as saddle anesthesia.

What are the risks of herniated disc surgery?

There is a slight risk of damaging the spine or nerves. All surgery has some risks, including bleeding, infection, risks from anesthesia, and death. There is a chance that the surgery won't relieve your symptoms. And even if you get better with surgery, there is a chance you may get new symptoms in the future.

Is back surgery worth the risk?

Back surgery might be an option if conservative treatments haven't worked and your pain is persistent and disabling. Back surgery often more predictably relieves associated pain or numbness that goes down one or both arms or legs. These symptoms often are caused by compressed nerves in your spine.

Is a discectomy major surgery?

Discectomy is a common but major surgery with significant risks and potential complications. You may have less invasive treatment options.

What happens if you let a herniated disc go untreated?

If you leave a herniated disc untreated, you may experience intense, sharp pains, partial paralysis, or the inability to control bowel movements in relatively dire situations.

Can herniated disc paralyze you?

With a herniated disc, the capsule cracks or breaks, and the nucleus squeezes out. This can irritate the spinal cord or nearby nerves, causing weakness and numbness in the arms or legs. A severely herniated disc can cause paralysis.

Is herniated disc serious?

A herniated disc is a common spinal disorder, and it typically responds well to conservative treatment like gentle exercise or over-the-counter pain medication. But some ruptured disc symptoms warrant a trip to your doctor to prevent serious—and potentially permanent—nerve complications.

Is it worth having a discectomy?

A widely performed surgery, microdiscectomy is considered to have relatively high rates of success, especially in relieving patients' leg pain (sciatica). Patients are usually able to return to a normal level of activity fairly quickly.

Should I have microdiscectomy surgery?

Severe Pain, Tingling, and Weakness

More than the physical symptoms, being unable to do the things that you love and living with intolerable pain can also affect your psyche. For this reason, those whose overall quality of life is greatly reduced due to this condition are recommended to get a microdiscectomy.

Can you live a normal life after Microdiscectomy?

Seven to 12 Weeks

Most patients will be able to resume all normal activities during this period, including physical therapy if ordered by your doctor. While few particularly enjoy this part of the recovery process, it's vitally important for long-term stabilization.

How do you know when it's time to have back surgery?

Sign #2: The Pain Radiates to Your Arms and Legs

When you have a back ache accompanied by arm and leg pain, you are experiencing radiculopathy or simply, radiating pain. This often indicates that a nerve root on your spine is taking pressure. Depending on the cause and severity of the condition, surgery may be advised.

How bad does your back have to be to get surgery?

Most Back Pain Doesn't Require Surgery

Unless you have a serious spinal cord injury, your surgeon will only recommend back surgery if you've tried other treatments first, says Ronald A. Lehman Jr., MD, director of degenerative and minimally invasive spine surgery at Columbia Orthopedics in New York.

Why you should avoid surgery?

There might be several reasons why you want to avoid it; the thought of someone going in and “cutting you” (surgery is really a controlled injury), the risks associated with being put under anesthesia, the long recovery time and disruption to your life routine post surgery, you know someone that had surgery and months ...

Is herniated disc a permanent disability?

Is Herniated Disc a Permanent Disability? A severe herniated disc can be considered a disability and make you eligible for Social Security disability benefits if it meets the requirements in the Social Security Administration's Blue Book.

Can you walk after herniated disc surgery?

You'll be encouraged to walk and move around the day after surgery and it's likely you'll be discharged 1 to 4 days afterwards. It will take about 4 to 6 weeks for you to reach your expected level of mobility and function (this will depend on the severity of your condition and symptoms before the operation).

When should you go to the hospital for a herniated disc?

When to go to the ER for a slipped disk

Progressive loss of sensation in the back of your legs, inner thighs and areas around the rectum (saddle anesthesia) Worsening symptoms to the point where you can't do your normal activities.

How do you know if your herniated disc is getting worse?

Some people's legs or feet feel numb or tingly. The pain from a herniated disc usually is worse when you are active and gets better when you are resting. Coughing, sneezing, sitting, driving, and bending forward may make the pain worse.

Is a herniated disc permanent?

Most of the time, pain associated with a herniated disc goes away on its own over a period of weeks or months and does not cause permanent damage to the spine or nerves. A herniated disc can occur in any part of the spine, but it is most common in the lower back (the lumbar spine) and the neck (the cervical spine).

Is a herniated disc an emergency?

Severe Herniated Disc

The severe case of a herniated disk is a medical emergency because of intolerable pain and discomfort. Some of its symptoms include lower back pain, sharp leg or arm pain, loss of bladder or bowel control and numbness, weakness or tingling sensation in the foot and/or leg.

What happens if a discectomy doesn't work?

Treatment For Failed Microdiscectomy

These may include physical therapy, medications, and other pain management tactics. Even if these conservative treatments did not work in the past, they may be more effective with the current pain. If the issue is structural in nature, a revision surgery may be necessary.