New Ideas in Herniated Disc Treatment
Herniated disc treatment has changed in recent years with the advent of such procedures as microdiskectomy. Medical research continues to provide new answers to old questions and problems. It is no wonder, then, that there are new ideas in herniated disc treatment.
One unusual new herniated disc treatment goes right to the point of pain in the nerve. A fluoroscope is used to position electrodes. A high frequency current if passed through the nerve. This damages the nerve so severely that it no longer sends pain messages to the brain. It is called radiofrequency neurotomy.
A more common herniated disc treatment is laser diskectomy. The laser is used to liquefy the herniated disc. The procedure has been used for years with much anecdotal success. However, no one has studied it enough to get it classified as a universally accepted treatment.
Heat is used to aid in healing of herniated discs by use of intradiscal electrothermal therapy, also known as IDET. The heat is applied through a needle, a catheter, and finally a heating element, to the affected disc. This is thought to reduce swollen tissues and small tears. Ultimately, this herniated disc treatment can lead to less back pain.
TENS, or Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, is another fairly undocumented herniated disc treatment. Many people say that it works, but the studies just haven’t been done to prove it. Pads that conduct a small amount of electricity are placed over the painful areas. If it works the way it should, you will notice the electrical stimulation and the feeling of pain will subside.
Oxygen-ozone therapy is a new herniated disc treatment that is often used with injectable corticosteroids. The two treatments together can cut down on the volume of the disc to make it more comfortable. This can take pressure off the nerve.
One candidate for use as a herniated disc treatment is biological repair. It sounds like science fiction, but in this treatment, biological products are injected into degenerating discs. This is to help them to self repair through the use of the growth factor. So far, the procedure is still in the research and development stages. It hasn’t been tried on people.
Replacing the disc or the nucleus of the disc with prosthetics may change the way surgeons view herniated disc treatment. Rather than doing away with a disc and watching the form of the spine deteriorate, they do something about it. They can restore the spine to its natural functioning.
One new idea in herniated disc treatment is actually a resurgence of an old tradition. Acupuncture is making a comeback and is becoming more accepted in medical circles in the US. Thin wire-like needles are inserted carefully and systematically into your back and left in for as much as half an hour. Sometimes the practitioner will gently run a hand across the tops of the needles and you will feel a wave of relief. This only relieves pain, though, and does nothing to cure a herniated disc.
Experimental herniated disc treatments are not often covered by insurance. A treatment may be considered experimental even if it has been used for years, if there is no solid proof that it works. However, if you have the means, you may want to try one of the new herniated disc treatments.
Source: http://www.positivearticles.com/blog