Herniated Disc Treatment in Dallas, TX
Advanced Solutions for Slipped or Ruptured Discs
A herniated disc can cause intense pain, numbness, and weakness. We offer both conservative and minimally invasive surgical options to relieve your symptoms and restore your mobility.
What is a Herniated Disc?
Your spine is made up of bones (vertebrae) separated by rubbery cushions called discs. These discs have a soft, jelly-like center (nucleus) encased in a tougher, rubbery exterior (annulus).
A herniated disc—sometimes called a slipped or ruptured disc—occurs when some of the nucleus pushes out through a tear in the annulus. This can irritate nearby nerves and result in pain, numbness, or weakness in an arm or leg.
Bulging Disc vs. Herniated Disc
A bulging disc and a herniated disc are related but not the same. With a bulging disc, the disc spreads outward evenly, a bit like a hamburger that's too big for its bun. With a herniated disc, the tough outer layer tears and some of the soft center pushes through. Bulging discs are very common and often cause no symptoms, while herniated discs are more likely to irritate a nerve. Both are treated with conservative care first, and both can cause pain if they press on a nerve.
What Causes It?
Disc herniation is most often the result of a gradual, aging-related wear and tear called disc degeneration. As you age, your discs lose some of their water content, making them less flexible and more prone to tearing or rupturing with even a minor strain or twist.
Other causes and risk factors include:
- Weight: Excess body weight causes extra stress on the discs in your lower back.
- Occupation: Jobs that are physically demanding and require repetitive lifting, pulling, bending, or twisting can increase your risk.
- Genetics: Some people inherit a predisposition to developing a herniated disc.
- Smoking: It's thought that smoking lessens the oxygen supply to the disc, causing it to break down more rapidly.
Diagnosis & Evaluation
During the physical exam, your doctor will check your back for tenderness. You may be asked to lie flat and move your legs in various positions to help pinpoint the cause of your pain.
Imaging tests are often required to confirm the diagnosis and determine the exact location of the herniated disc:
- MRI: The most common and accurate imaging test used to confirm a herniated disc and see which nerves are affected.
- CT Scan: A series of X-rays from different directions that creates cross-sectional images of your spinal column.
- Myelogram: Dye is injected into the spinal fluid, and X-rays are taken to show pressure on your spinal cord or nerves.
Treatment Options
Conservative Care
Conservative treatment—mainly modifying activities to avoid movement that causes pain and taking pain medication—relieves symptoms in most people within a few days or weeks.
- Over-the-counter pain medications or prescribed muscle relaxants.
- Cortisone injections administered directly into the area around the spinal nerves to reduce inflammation.
- Physical therapy to show you positions and exercises designed to minimize the pain of a herniated disc.
Surgical & Minimally Invasive Options
If conservative treatments fail to improve your symptoms after six weeks, or if a disc fragment lodges in your spinal canal pressing on a nerve, surgery may be recommended.
Surgical options include:
- Microdiscectomy: A minimally invasive procedure to remove the protruding portion of the disc.
- Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF): For cervical herniated discs, removing the damaged disc and fusing the vertebrae.
Learn more about back surgery and neck surgery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Choose Dr. Bidiwala in Dallas?
- Board-Certified Neurosurgeon
- Minimally Invasive Specialist
- 20+ Years Experience
- Voted by his peers as a best doctor in D Magazine over 15 times
Common Symptoms
- Arm or leg pain (depending on disc location)
- Numbness or tingling in the affected area
- Weakness in the muscles served by the affected nerves
- Pain that worsens with movement or coughing
- Sciatica (shooting pain down the leg)
When to See a Specialist
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- Worsening symptoms that impair your daily activities
- Bowel or bladder dysfunction (incontinence or difficulty urinating)
- Saddle anesthesia (loss of sensation in the inner thighs, back of legs, and around the rectum)
Explore Your Options
Related Treatments
Microdiscectomy
A minimally invasive outpatient procedure that relieves sciatica by removing the herniated disc fragment pressing on a nerve.
Learn MoreAnterior Cervical Discectomy & Fusion (ACDF)
Removes a damaged cervical disc and fuses the neck from the front to relieve nerve compression and restore stability.
Learn MoreNon-Surgical Treatments
Conservative care - activity modification, medication, bracing, physical therapy, and injections - to heal without surgery.
Learn MoreHerniated Disc Treatment Near SMU and the Park Cities
Dr. Bidiwala treats herniated discs at his office at Mockingbird Station, 6080 N Central Expy, Suite 150, across from SMU. Many of his patients come from University Park and Highland Park. Most herniated discs improve without surgery, and we'll tell you honestly if yours is one of them.
Ready to Find Relief?
Don't let spine pain control your life. Schedule a consultation to explore personalized treatment options tailored to your specific condition.