Herniated Disc Disease

Are you hoping to avoid neck or back surgery to repair a herniated disc?

What is Herniated Disc Disease?

Sometimes called a “slipped disc,” herniated discs can cause intense pain in the back or neck that also radiates pain or numbness down through the arms or legs. A herniated disc can occur as the result of physical injury, emotional trauma, degeneration caused by disease or simply wear-and-tear over time.

There are shock-absorbing disks in between each of the vertebrae in the spine. If a tear occurs on the outside of one of these discs, the center of the disc protrudes into the spinal canal, subsequently placing pressure on the nerves and, in some cases, leaking fluid. Fortunately, most individuals make a complete recovery and return to regular activities with a short period of rest and physical therapy. In some cases, however, the pain persists for months or years.

While there is unquestionably a time and a place for surgery to address back and neck pain, current medical research indicates that conservative treatment of some back pain is often as effective as or even more effective than surgery. (Weinstein J et al. Surgical vs. Nonoperative Treatment for Lumbar Disk Herniation: the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (SPORT): a Randomized Trial. Journal of American Medicine. 2006 Nov 22; 296(20): 2441.)

What is “conservative treatment”? Depending on the individual patient, it can include a range of medical treatments from osteopathic manual manipulation and acupuncture to physical therapy and regenerative injection therapies, such as prolotherapy.

How We Can Help

At The Kaplan Center, our physicians have years of experience treating patients with chronic pain conditions, and we completely reject the notion that “you just have to live with it.”

Whether you have been having ongoing problems related to a slipped disc or are still uncertain about the cause of your neck or back pain, the Kaplan Center will work with you to help you find relief.

At your first visit, your Kaplan physician will take time exploring the onset of your condition, the specific nature of your symptoms and the overall status of your health. You’ll also be asked about the medications and therapies you’ve tried in the past, and what has and hasn’t worked for you. To gather additional information about your condition specialized diagnostic laboratory testing may be necessary.

After reviewing all of the factors contributing to your condition, your physician will spend time talking with you about your diagnosis and working with you to create a customized and multi-dimensional treatment plan that addresses not only your immediate pain but also any possible underlying or co-existing conditions that may be causing or aggravating your symptoms.

We offer a multitude of effective non-surgical treatment options, including:

• Acupuncture
• Nutritional Counseling
• Physical Therapy
• Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP)
• Prescription Medication
• Prolotherapy
• Sleep Evaluation & Management
• Vitamin & Magnesium IVs
• Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine