Herniated Disk Treatment in La Crosse, Wisconsin

A herniated disk refers to a problem with one of the rubbery cushions (disks) between the individual bones (vertebrae) that stack up to make your spine.

A spinal disk is a little like a jelly donut with a softer center encased within a tougher exterior. Sometimes called a slipped disk or a ruptured disk, a herniated disk occurs when some of the softer "jelly" pushes out through a tear in the tougher exterior.

A herniated disk can irritate nearby nerves and result in pain, numbness or weakness in an arm or leg. However, many people experience no symptoms from a herniated disk. Most people who have a herniated disk don't need surgery to correct the problem.

Diskectomy

Diskectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the damaged portion of a herniated disk in your spine. A herniated disk can irritate or compress nearby nerves. Diskectomy is most effective for treating pain that radiates down your arms or legs. It is performed to relieve the pressure a herniated disk — also called a slipped, ruptured or bulging disk, or disk prolapse — places on a spinal nerve.

Some patients may be candidates for the procedure to be performed through minimally invasive techniques. During a minimally invasive diskectomy, part of the damaged disk is removed using small tools or using a laser to remove part of the disk. Using minimally invasive techniques result in smaller incisions, lower risk of infection, and for many people, a quicker recovery.