Laser Surgery for Bulging Discs

A bulging disc occurs when a disc moves from its place in the spinal column and bulges through a gap in the spine. Although the majority of bulging discs resolve themselves, they have been known to cause severe pain in some cases.

Non-invasive Treatments

• Before pursuing surgery, you may want to try several other methods of relieving the pain caused by a bulging disc. These include rest, pain medication, chiropractic adjustments, physical therapy, and steroid injections.

Description

• If these treatments prove unhelpful, laser surgery to correct the bulging disc may be the best option. The doctors at the Bonati Institute describe this procedure as a minimally invasive surgery during which a portion of the problematic disc is removed with an endoscopic tube. A laser is then used to destroy the surrounding tissue.

The Day of the Surgery

• Patients are usually allowed to return home after 1-2 hours of recovery. They are encouraged to participate in light exercise and may be required to attend a postoperative appointment the next day.

Recovery Time

• Patients are typically able to resume normal activities after five days.

Risks

• Although no surgery is without risks, this treatment for a bulging disk is significantly less dangerous than previous treatments. It has proven to be about 90% effective.