The aim is to relieve the pressure on the nerve so it can recover. SummaryĪ slipped disc is where the spongy centre of a disc bulges out and puts pressure on a nerve where it leaves your spine.

Before you start exercising, ask the healthcare team or your GP for advice. Regular exercise should help you to return to normal activities as soon as possible. Your physiotherapist will give you advice about when and how to increase your activity levels. Make sure you keep a good posture when sitting and walking, and regularly change your posture to avoid strain on your back. You should be able to go home on the same day.ĭo not lift anything heavy or twist your body.

A disc herniation can reappear at some point in time after surgery.

tear of the thin membrane that covers the nerves in your spine.

This is a burning pain that may happen once the pressure on the nerves has been released

numbness between your legs, loss of normal bowel and bladder control and, for men, problems having an erection.

allergic reaction to the equipment, materials or medication.

Some complications can be serious and can even cause death. When you come into hospital, practise hand washing and wear a face covering when asked. Speak to the healthcare team about any vaccinations you might need to reduce your risk of serious illness while you recover. Regular exercise should help to prepare you for the operation, help you to recover and improve your long-term health. Being overweight puts unnecessary strain on your back. You have a higher risk of developing complications if you are overweight. Nicotine is known to prevent wounds from healing properly following back surgery, and increases the risk of unsightly scarring and chronic pain. If you smoke, stopping smoking now may reduce your risk of developing complications and will improve your long-term health. How can I prepare myself for the operation? Your surgeon will hold the nerve out of the way and remove the disc. They will use an operating microscope or another magnification tool to make a hole in the ligament between the vertebrae to show the nerve and the disc. Your surgeon will make a cut on the centre of your back between the vertebrae. The operation usually takes between 1 and 2 hours. The operation is usually performed under a general anaesthetic but various anaesthetic techniques are possible.

Numbness or loss of sensation in your genitals or back passage.

New weakness your doctor does not know about.Change in control of your bladder and bowel and difficulty getting an erection.If you develop any of the following symptoms, contact your healthcare team. What will happen if I decide not to have the operation or the operation is delayed? If you have a lot of pain, you can also have a steroid injection near the affected nerve into the epidural space (an area near your spine). Treatment involves painkillers and rest, followed by an exercise programme. Are there any alternatives to lumbar microdiscectomy?įor many people, symptoms get better without surgery. This should improve leg pain (called sciatica) and help you to get back to your normal activities. This is called a slipped disc and it can cause pain, as well as weakness and numbness in the area that the compressed nerve supplies. Related information on Australian websitesĪ slipped disc is where the spongy centre of a disc bulges out and puts pressure on a nerve where it leaves your spine.Įach disc is made up of a tough fibrous outer coat with a soft spongy centre.Įventually the spongy centre can bulge out and press on a nerve, or some of the spongy centre can squeeze out of the fibrous coat and press directly on a nerve.How can I prepare myself for the operation?.What will happen if I decide not to have the operation or the operation is delayed?.Are there any alternatives to lumbar microdiscectomy?.

Bulged disk xray