Herniated Disc Disease
This common condition is a major cause of pain in the spine which radiates sometimes down the arms and/or legs. The discs in our spine serve as shock absorbers between the bony vertebrae and withstand a lot of pressure and force from our activities of daily living. Over time, the tough outer layer of the disc can tear or crack, and the soft gel inside the disc can start to leak out and irritate the nearby spinal nerve. This may lead to severe pain. If the herniation is in the lower back, it can lead to sciatica. If it is in the neck, it can lead to pain and numbness and weakness down the arms into the hands. extremities. This pain is typically worse with movement and can be very sudden in onset and lead to severe spasms. Common Risk factors of a herniated disc are similar to other types of spine diseases: age, gender, physically demanding work, smoking, obesity, family history
Dr. Rousseau treats herniated disc using multiple modalities depending on the severity and his findings on examination and imaging. Oftentimes, the symptoms will resolve with conservative options such as ice or anti-inflammatory medicines. Dr. Rousseau commonly performs epidural steroid injections and nerve blocks and spinal cord stimulation. He also provides education on how to manage this pain and collaborates with physical and medical specialists in order to maximize the treatment benefit.