Brain, Nerve and Spinal Cord Surgery Op. Dr. Ömer Nadir Koç talked about the symptoms and treatment options of lumbar and neck hernias. Back and neck pain is one of the most common complaints in the society. When we look at the underlying causes of these complaints, it is seen that lumbar and neck hernias are the most common ones. The spine is made up of vertebrae stacked on top of each other. Between the two vertebrae, there is a structure called a disc that acts as a cushion. The discs are surrounded by a capsule. The rupture of this capsule and the displacement of one or more of the discs into the spinal canal (herniation or herniation) causes compression on the spinal cord-nerves.

Contents
What are the Symptoms of Lumbar Hernia?
What are the Symptoms of Neck Hernia?
How is the Diagnosis of Lumbar and Neck Hernia?
What are the Treatment Methods for Waist and Neck Hernia?

What are the Symptoms of Lumbar Hernia?
Severe pain radiating to the lower back, hips and/or legs
Numbness in legs, feet
Limited mobility, difficulty walking

What are the Symptoms of Neck Hernia?
Severe pain in the neck, neck, and sometimes radiating to the arms and shoulder blades
Numbness in arms, hands
Weakness in the hands and/or arms

How is the Diagnosis of Lumbar and Neck Hernia?

When diagnosing waist and neck hernias; Listening carefully to the patient, questioning the complaints and a detailed physical examination come first. A detailed physical examination prevents the wrong treatment from being administered to the patient.

After listening to the patient’s complaints and a detailed examination, auxiliary diagnostic methods are applied if necessary. The most commonly used auxiliary diagnostic methods today; MRI and EMG.

MR (Magnetic Resonance):
Today, it is the most used method in the diagnosis of waist and neck hernias.
It gives information about the location, level, number, size of the displaced (herniated) disc and which nerve and/or nerves it is compressing.
EMG (Electromyography):
It gives information about the electrical current passing through the nerve. This flow may be impaired in nerves exposed to compression due to hernia, and as a result, the patient
neurological damage occurs.

What are the Treatment Methods for Waist and Neck Hernia?

Surgical and non-surgical methods are used in the treatment of waist and neck hernia.
Most of the patients benefit from non-surgical treatment methods and their complaints decrease significantly. In a smaller group of patients, surgical treatment is mandatory. Listening and questioning the patient’s complaints carefully, detailed examination of the patient and auxiliary diagnostic methods are guiding for determining the right treatment method.
Irreversible nerve damage develops in patients who are in the group requiring surgical treatment and delay their surgery for some reason.
Time is important in the success of surgical treatment.

Non-Surgical Methods:
rest, medication
Physical therapy and rehabilitation
Surgical Methods:
Microdiscectomy
It is the most effective and frequently used method today. Microdiscectomy technique, with a high success rate, is used in most cases, especially in cervical and lumbar hernia.
It can be used in spine surgeries. The hernia is removed under the microscope by entering through a skin incision of approximately 2 cm. Patients only take 45 minutes
He can stand up and walk again on the same day after the operation. The most important advantage is that it can be studied in a small area and the surrounding tissue is damaged.
is not seeing. Therefore, the patient feels less pain. The microscope used in surgery allows for larger, 3-dimensional and very detailed recognition of tissues.
thus reducing the possibility of complications. The operation can be performed with general anesthesia as well as spinal and epidural anesthesia methods.
The operated patient is hospitalized for 1 day and discharged the next day. After 3 weeks of rest, the patients had daily work and social
able to return to their lives. During this period, movements and walking that will not force the body strength are recommended.
Endoscopic discectomy
It is applied in selected patients. The patient’s existing hernia should be suitable for treatment with this method.