Disc hernia

In the spinal column, the intervertebral discs act as small shock absorbers between the individual vertebrae and act as a buffer by intercepting vibrations. They consist of a soft gelatinous core and an external fiber ring providing the necessary stability. Burdens which are too heavy or carried an inadequate way often cause a protrusion of the intervertebral discs. Moreover, the gelatinous core presses the external fiber ring against the longitudinal disc which shields the intervertebral discs from the spinal marrow canal. The consequence is an increased pressure on the bone marrow nerves.

In the case of a prolapse of the intervertebral disc, the fiber ring and the gelatinous core escape to the outside. In very serious cases, the posterior longitudinal disc can crack and parts of the intervertebral disc core can escape to the bone marrow canal. We then speak of a “sequestered intervertebral disc prolapse”.

Symptoms: In cases of an irritation of the spinal marrow canal, the first signs are usually pricking sensations, numbness or raging pain. Other symptoms that can occur, moreover, are pain emanations into the leg, cramps, sensation of weight in the leg, weakness, tension, limitation of mobility, sleep disorders, urination disorders and erectile dysfunction. Some intervertebral disc prolapses can occur in the neck column and thus cause neck, head pain and/or arm pains with prickling, sensation of numbness and/or loss of strength. Headaches, short attention span, dizziness, tinnitus, balance disorders and/or sight problems can usually occur.

Therapy: Normally we treat protrusions and prolapses of the intervertebral disc with conservative therapies. Only if these therapies produce an insufficient result, other, minimally invasive methods are employed. Epidural Infiltration (EpIn) works both as pain therapy and causal treatment at the same time. To shrink the interfering tissue, we employ either percutaneous laser disc decompression (PLDD) or percutaneous nucleotomy.

Microsurgery is employed in case of nerve compression. To reconstitute the intervertebral disc, an intervertebral disc cultivation from the patient’s own tissue is recommended.