Herniated disc

The most common cause of unbearable back pain is a herniated disc. Statistically, this disease occurs in approximately 1-3% of the entire adult population of the planet, while up to 40% of patients do not feel any discomfort and pain before the destructive process in the cartilage tissues becomes extremely severe. 

Thanks to the implementation of innovative methods of endoscopic surgery and artificial cartilage transplantation, treatment of herniated discs in Israeli clinics has become so minimally invasive and highly effective that patients are discharged the next day after the surgery. 

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Risk factors

Statistics show that men suffer from a herniated intervertebral disk almost twice as often as women, while the age group of patients is 20-50 years old. However, no one is immune from degenerative processes in the intervertebral discs, regardless of age and gender, since other risk factors for the development of a vertebral hernia are also of great importance. 

  • The natural process of aging and wear of cartilage.
  • Previous spinal injuries.
  • Bad habits (alcohol abuse, smoking, etc.).
  • Overweight.
  • Scoliosis.
  • Osteochondrosis.
  • Excessive physical activity (professional sports, violation of safety regulations during exercise, or heavy physical labor).
  • Sedentary lifestyle. Lack of physical activity also leads to degenerative processes in the intervertebral discs and herniation due to poor nutrition of the cartilage tissue.

The last risk factor is one of the most basic. Intervertebral discs are fed not by capillaries, but by diffusion, i.e. from tightly adjacent muscles. The lower the activity in this musculature, the lower the intensity of blood supply in it. This reduces the supply of nutrients and moisture to the intervertebral disc. As a result, the cartilage tissue becomes inelastic and poorly perceives the load, collapsing with the protrusion of the soft core.

Symptoms of a herniated disc

Destruction of cartilage tissue can last for years, while patient does not feel anything unusual or uncomfortable at this time. The formation of a herniated disc with a protrusion of the soft core of a destructively changed intervertebral disc occurs with awkward movement, excessive load on the spine, or even due to sneezing. 

Symptoms depend on the location of the hernia.

  • Cervical region:
  • tightness in the neck;
  • severe throbbing headaches;
  • vertigo;
  • feeling of lack of air and general weakness;
  • high blood pressure.
  • Thoracic region:
  • burning chest pain that can easily be confused with heart pain;
  • pain between the shoulder blades, which worsens with a deep breath; 
  • abdominal discomfort;
  • deterioration of the thyroid gland;
  • loss of skin sensitivity in the area of the shoulder blades.
  • Lumbosacral region:
  • numbness from the lower back to the thighs;
  • acute low back pain when lifting weights;
  • urinary incontinence or difficulty urinating;
  • ‘jelly legs (in advanced stages). 
  • Coccyx. Symptoms of herniated discs in the coccyx are extremely weak and are manifested only by discomfort when sitting on a hard surface, and in women during pregnancy and childbirth. Sometimes there may be sensations similar to hemorrhoids.

Diagnostics

  • Physical examination.
  • Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography (CT, MRI, and PET).
  • Electroneuromyography (EMG) is the study of electrical impulses in nerves to determine the location of damage.
  • X-ray examination.

Treatment of herniated disc in Israel

In Israeli clinics, medical therapy with the latest generation of drugs is often used to relieve inflammation, relieve pain, and improve nutrition of cartilage tissue. This is an alternative to surgery, but an accurate selection of medications is important. Israeli doctors undergo 15 years of training and many years of practice, including in leading clinics around the world.

Minimally invasive surgery:

  • Dynamic spinal column fixation is a unique Israeli development that allows you to fix problematic vertebrae with saving the mobility of the spine. 
  • Artificial intervertebral disc transplantation.
  • Discectomy with microsurgical endoscope through a small incision in the skin.
  • Laser surgery.
  • Percutaneous administration of hydrogel. The duration of this procedure is 10-20 minutes.

Israel is a world leader in the use of high-precision minimally invasive and robotic techniques for performing operations to remove herniated discs and replace them with artificial implants. No less important for recovery is postoperative rehabilitation, for which Israel has created the best conditions in the world.

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