The discs are soft "pads" between the bones of the spine, which resemble a truck cushions or the meniscus in the knee. (Fig. 1) The discs in the spine allow you to move the column. The word "hernia" means that the outer layers of this pad have been broken either partial or total and allow some internal disk fragment to move out and compress the nerves that is inside the column, (Fig. 2). Hernias are more disability in people under 45 years of age. Around 1% of the population has chronic disability for this reason.

These protrusions or hernias compress nerve roots coming out of the spine and go to the arms or legs; producing pain, difficulty walking, electricity or muscle weakness; (Fig. 3)

Fig. 1 Anatomy of the lumbar vertebra and disc.

Fig. 2. pain in the lower part of the column by the herniated disk.

Fig. 3. There is a disc herniation (indicated by the arrow, that touches nerves and causes pain that radiates towards the leg.) For animations in direct www.daher.com.ve

Why is a disc hernia?

As the years pass, the discs are flattened and lose elasticity. 20 years and you can see small cracks. The outside can reach tear and the inside of the disc comes out through these small tears and comes to compress the nerve

Onset symptoms

Herniated disc appears symptomatically after making or undergo movements or gestures, sudden, excessive forces to do without taking into account the correct position when you Crouch or put in foot and the onset of pain in general is immediately to these excesses. The most common hernias are the lumbar (appears between the lumbar disks - called L-), as well as also the cervical (that appeared between the cervical discs - called C.

What are the symptoms of a herniated lumbar disc?

When part of the disk pressed a nerve, it leads to back pain in one or both legs. The location of pain depends on the disk that is affection. The intensity of pain depends on the pressure that is receiving the nerve. In many people with a herniated disc, the pain extends towards the buttock and back of the thigh to calf and foot (Fig. 4). Some people have pain in both legs. Occasionally the leg or foot can feel as numbed or acorchadas.

The pain from a herniated disc is usually worse when one carries out a physical activity and improves if it is at rest. Cough, tilt forward, driving a car, or the mere act of sitting can worsen the pain. This is because in these postures he increases the pressure on the nerve.

People with pain due to a herniated disk, often change position to achieve that position in which they feel most comfortable. Sometimes, if they support are the hands, while one is seated, is noticeable relief from pain. Twisting your body to one side is a shows that, unconsciously, it's keep less painful posture.

Fig. 4. What is known as lumbosciatica.

What possibilities does improve, if not operating?

The majority of people who have a herniated disc, lumbar or leg, pain improve within 4 weeks. Sometimes the process takes something more. If after a month and a half, approximately, the symptoms remain equal or any deterioration has occurred, you should consult your doctor. In these circumstances, the surgery can be seen to improve the pain.

If, in addition to pain, note clear decrease of strength in the foot, if you have difficulty to retain urine, if you have lost weight or if the pain is more intense during the night, you must tell it to your doctor, without waiting the 4 or 6 weeks that we talked about before. These could be symptoms or signs of a more serious problem.

What is the surgery?

Discectomy (Fig. 5) is a new method used to remove Herniated discs of the spine both at lumbar and cervical level, without the need for surgery as it towards classically so far. The method consists of performing with the patient awake and under local anesthesia with sedation, a side opening of the intervertebral disc having the hernia with special instruments of maximum thickness of 4 mm and extracting the contents of the hernia with the decrease of the pressure inside the damaged disk and the consequent disappearance of the pain; It is important to note that percutaneous discectomy does not replace the classical surgery-Herniated discs; It is another method which could avoid surgery, and that should be used when a treatment fails medical well-conducted or when rehabilitation fails

Fig. 5. endoscopic disc herniation by percutaneous Disectomy

The Laser light in surgery

In the language medico international "minimally invasive surgery"; which reduces the aggression to the human body, with a decrease also periods of hospitalization, the labor absenteeism and the costs of treatment in general.

Laser (Fig. 6) mean in English: "amplification of light by stimulated emission of radiation", and the beginning of its development was in the Decade of the 60s, in charge of Maiman, based on the theories of the atom developed by Einstein in 1917.

In practice, the laser is a concentrated beam of light; which to be directed on a part of a tissue of the human body has the characteristic of being absorbed by tissue said, causing evaporation or disappearance of the area; This allows the removal of the Herniated discs without open surgery. To date, we have some of the highest statistics worldwide. If you want to expand this information can consult our Web site: www.daher.com.ve

Fig. 6 contact laser