Herniated Disc Treatment: Reclaim a Pain-Free Life

Sharp, piercing back pain that “shoots” into the leg or arm, numbness in the fingers, and inability to straighten up normally — these are typical signs of a herniated disc. This condition can turn every movement into suffering and confine a person to bed for a long time.

Many patients endure pain for years due to fear of spinal surgery. However, modern vertebrology has made tremendous progress! At St. Luke’s Clinic, we offer effective treatment for hernias using both conservative methods (blocks) and minimally invasive microsurgery, which gets patients back on their feet the very next day.

How to tell if you have a hernia? (Symptoms)

A hernia occurs when the fibrous ring of the disc ruptures, and its internal contents protrude outwards, pinching a spinal nerve. It is this pinched nerve that causes unbearable symptoms:

• Pain radiating to a limb: with a lumbar hernia, the pain “shoots” into the buttock, thigh, or lower leg (sciatica). With a cervical hernia, it radiates to the shoulder, arm, or under the shoulder blade.
• Numbness and “pins and needles”: loss of sensation in the toes or fingers.
• Muscle weakness: the leg or arm becomes “cottony,” weak, and it is difficult for the patient to stand on their heel or toes.
• Restricted movement: inability to bend, turn, and sometimes even just stand straight.

Diagnosis: accuracy is the key to success

To choose the right treatment method, vertebrologists at St. Luke’s Clinic always prescribe Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the spine. This is the “gold standard” of diagnosis, which clearly shows the size of the hernia, its location, and the degree of nerve root compression.

How do we treat hernias at St. Luke’s Clinic?

Depending on the stage of the disease, we use two main approaches:

1. Conservative treatment (without surgery)

If the hernia is small and there are no direct indications for surgery, we start with conservative methods to relieve inflammation and pain:

• Epidural and paravertebral blocks: the doctor, under X-ray or ultrasound guidance, injects a powerful anti-inflammatory drug directly into the area of the pinched nerve. The pain disappears almost instantly.
• Medication therapy: IV drips to reduce nerve root swelling.
• Rehabilitation: after acute pain subsides, specialists in physical and rehabilitation medicine (PRM) are involved to strengthen the muscular corset.

2. Microsurgical treatment (Microdiscectomy)

If conservative treatment does not help, pain persists for more than 4-6 weeks, or weakness in the leg (paresis) appears — it is necessary to immediately free the nerve surgically.

Forget about huge incisions on your back! Our vertebrologist-neurosurgeons perform microdiscectomy — the safest modern standard for hernia treatment worldwide.

• Jeweler’s precision: The operation is performed under a high-precision surgical microscope. The surgeon sees nerves and blood vessels with multiple magnification, which eliminates the risk of damage.
• Minimal trauma: The skin incision is only about 2-3 cm. The back muscles are not cut, but carefully moved aside with special tubular retractors.
• Removal of the cause: The doctor precisely removes the exact piece of the disc (hernia) that is pressing on the nerve. Leg pain disappears immediately after waking up from anesthesia!

Rehabilitation: returning to a full life

Thanks to the use of a microscope and the absence of muscle trauma, recovery is very fast.

• Already 3-4 hours (or the next day) after microdiscectomy, the patient is allowed to get up and walk independently.
• Discharge from St. Luke’s Clinic occurs on the 2nd-3rd day.
• The main restriction after surgery is not to sit for 3-4 weeks (standing, walking, and lying down are allowed). It is also forbidden to lift more than 3 kg and make sharp bends and twists.

Fear of surgery should not condemn you to disability. Schedule an expert consultation with the vertebrologists at St. Luke’s Clinic to find a safe and reliable path to a life free from back pain!