Treating Chronic Back Pain with Percutaneous Disc Decompression
Sciatic nerve impingement is a common culprit for chronic pain. If a disc bulges or ruptures, it can press on your sciatic nerve which may cause pain in your leg or feet, even though the origin of the pain is in your spine. Percutaneous Decompression (Nucleoplasty) is an option for sciatic nerve pain or spinal stenosis is to remove the disc tissue that is pressing on the nerves. Traditional disc-decompression surgery requires an incision to expose the vertebrae and damaged disc and then trim the disc tissue using surgical instruments. Percutaneous decompression offers a less invasive approach.
This is a procedure to treat a herniated disc. That’s a bulging disc in your spine. Getting rid of the bulge can relieve pressure on your nerves. It can relieve pain in your lower back and in your legs.
In percutaneous disc decompression, instead of an incision, the physician inserts a needle into the disc to remove excess tissue. The needle, which is guided by real-time imaging, can remove the tissue by cutting and aspiration; dissolving the tissue chemically; or by destroying the tissue with a laser or high water pressure.
Many patients, who were the right candidates for this procedure, have reported a positive change in their condition after Percutaneous Decompression and were able to return to their normal daily activities with little pain. Follow-up visits are recommended and by following the doctor’s instructions regarding exercise and activity, the disc(s) are less likely to become herniated.
