Our spine is composed of 33 vertebrae, 23 intervertebral discs and a set of nerves and ligaments.
The intervertebral disc is composed of a pulpy nucleus and an annulus fibrosus of mucopolysaccharide material that gives it a gelatinous appearance and is located between each intervertebral space. The herniated disc is the exit of this intervertebral disc towards the spinal canal, compressing the nerves and ligaments that are in the area.
Herniated discs are divided in 4 stages, according to the degree of output of the disc material.
Herniated discs are the output of the disc into the spinal canal, causing pain and sensory disturbances such as numbness, cramping and tingling.
In most cases, they are produced by:
It is important to note that every 1 of 3 disc herniation surgeries fail. This means that the patient is left with persistent symptoms, and consequently continues experiencing the same pain.
The risks of herniated disc surgery include:
In addition to medical risks, the high cost that represents a spinal surgery includes:
These factors should make surgery your last resort, after having explored all available non-surgical alternatives.
Before considering herniated disc surgery, it is fundamental to explore conservative treatment options that can be equally effective without the risks associated with surgical intervention.
Herniated disc surgery carries significant risks, including a 33% failure rate. In addition to medical complications such as infections, bleeding, and fibrosis, the high costs and prolonged rehabilitation period must be carefully considered.
It is fundamental to explore all non-surgical alternatives before opting for surgery. At Centro de la Columna Vertebral we offer non-surgical treatments that have demonstrated excellent results in managing herniated discs, avoiding the risks and costs associated with surgical intervention.
The risks include infections, bleeding, fibrosis and, significantly, a 33% failure rate, meaning that 1 out of every 3 surgeries does not resolve the problem and the patient continues with persistent pain.
Surgeries can fail for various reasons, including formation of fibrosis (scar tissue), persistence of nerve compression, or development of new herniations. That's why it's important to consider non-surgical alternatives first.
Yes, there are effective non-surgical treatments that include specialized medications, ozone therapy, physical medicine and rehabilitation. These methods can avoid the risks and costs of surgery.
The cost includes not only the surgical procedure, but also hospital stay, preoperative studies, rehabilitation period and possible work disability. These costs are significantly higher than non-surgical treatments.
Surgery should be considered only after having exhausted conservative treatment options and when there is severe neurological compromise or risk of permanent damage. In most cases, non-surgical treatments are effective.