Mercy Pain Specialists Treat Patients With Disc Herniation

A herniated disc is a medical condition that affects one of the fibrous rings between the individual bones of the spine. When the tougher, outer portion of a fibrous ring tears, the softer central portion of the ring bulges outward. This may result in pain or weakness of an arm or leg.

The lowest two joints of the spine and the base of the neck are typical locations for a herniated disc. A herniated disc is typically the result of gradual wear and tear due to aging. Trauma will rarely result in a herniated disc. Although a herniated disc is most common in older patients, disc degeneration can occur in young adults as well.

Disc herniation usually causes pain in the low back or base of the neck. If the disc herniation occurs near a spinal nerve root, it may irritate the root. The disc material may press upon the nerve causing more severe pain. In this case, the patient typically feels pain down the arm or leg along the course of the affected nerve.
Pain management specialists diagnose a herniated disc by conducting:

• X-rays
• MRI – magnetic resonance imaging
• EMG's or Electromyograms (nerve tests)

Options for treating a herniated disc may include:

• Epidural injections
• Transforaminal injections
• Intervertebral disc therapies
• Selective nerve root blocks

The doctors at The Center for Interventional Pain Medicine at Mercy work with individual patients and examine their symptoms to determine what treatment options best fit their needs.  They may also collaborate with other Centers of Mercy, including The Spine Center of Maryland, to develop treatment plans for patients with herniated discs.