What is it? A common cause of low back and leg pain is a ruptured or herniated disc. Symptoms may include dull or sharp pain, muscle spasm or cramping, sciatica, and leg weakness or loss of leg function. Disc herniation occurs when the annulus fibrous breaks open or cracks, allowing the nucleus pulposus to escape. This is called a Herniated Nucleus Pulposus (HNP) or herniated disc. Sneezing, coughing, or bending usually intensifies the pain. Usually one side (left or right) is affected. How it causes pain: Nerve roots exit the spinal canal through small passageways between the vertebrae and discs. Pain and other symptoms can develop when the damaged disc pushes into the spinal canal or onto nerve roots. Pressure on one or several nerves that contribute to the sciatic nerve can cause pain, burning, tingling, and numbness that extends from the buttock into the leg and sometimes into the foot. Can it be fixed? The inflammation of tissue and resulting pain associated with a herniated or ruptured disc can be treated without having to endure open back surgery. This is a very common source of pain and many patients with this issue can be treated with a minimally invasive pain management procedure called the AccuraScope Procedure. How herniated or ruptured discs can be treated: With the AccuraScope Discectomy and Neural Decompression, specially trained physicians can visualize these sources of pain using the endoscope, and then shrink the herniation or bulge with the use of a laser and various other tools. The disc is also sealed by the laser, which greatly reduces the risk of a future herniation at the repaired site. Lawrence B. Rothstein is a graduate of Miami University, Oxford, Ohio and The Ohio State University School of Medicine (1987). He completed his internship, residency in Anesthesia, and fellowship in Interventional Pain Management at the Cleveland Clinic where he was named Chief Fellow. He is board certified in Anesthesia and Pain Medicine. Dr. Rothstein of Dayton, Ohio is the Chief Medical Officer of North American Spine, dayton and pioneer of the AccuraScope Procedure for back pain.
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