Lumbar hernia occurs due to the sliding or tearing of the discs between the vertebrae as a result of heavy lifting, falling, forcing. Staying in the same position for a long time, heavy weight, multiple births are among the factors that cause herniated disc. Herniated disc creates very serious pain and makes it difficult for the person to move. Considering that the treatment method is usually surgery creates anxiety in patients. It may be possible to get rid of lumbar hernia without surgery with point-and-shoot treatment.
ONLY ONE IN EVERY 10 DIAGNOSED PEOPLE NEEDS SURGERY
Neurosurgery Specialist Dr. Alper Alabulut states that only one out of every 10 people diagnosed with lumbar hernia needs surgical treatment first, and states that it is possible to get rid of pain with the transforaminal epidural injection method, popularly known as “Point Shot Therapy”. Giving detailed information about this interventional pain treatment method, which is applied to people who do not need surgery but have intense pain, Dr. Alper Alabulut says, “In this method, which is applied to patients who do not require emergency surgery but whose quality of life decreases due to severe pain, most of the patients are relieved of their low back pain and herniated disc complaints immediately after the application.”
SYMPTOMS OF WAIST HERNIA WAIST AND LEG PAIN
The cartilage between the vertebrae that make up the spine; When it slides out of place due to reasons such as heavy lifting, staying in the same position for a long time, straining, falling, overweight and multiple births, it compresses the nerves coming out of the spinal cord. This causes herniated disc, which manifests itself with symptoms such as back and leg pain, numbness in the leg and pain on the hip.
INTERVENTIONAL PAIN TREATMENTS MAY BE PREFERRED
Explaining that lumbar hernia treatment is performed by surgical and non-surgical methods, Dr. Alper Alabulut said, “The majority of the patient group who do not require surgery, their complaints are relieved with rest, exercise and pain relief treatments. However, some patients are resistant to these non-surgical treatments. Interventional pain treatments may be preferred, especially in patients who do not respond to short-term drug therapy or who have severe pain that can impair their quality of life, if the need for surgery can be postponed.
THE PROCESS TAKES 10 MINUTES AND THERE IS NO PAIN
Noting that the Transforaminal Epidural Injection method, popularly known as “Point Shooting Therapy”, is the most commonly used interventional pain treatment method in the treatment of lumbar hernia, Dr. About the application, Alper Alabulut said, “Pharmaceutical combinations prepared specifically for the individual are applied to the area of pain by entering a needle through the hole where the spinal nerve exits the spine. Transforaminal epidural injection is performed under operating room conditions as it requires a sterile environment. The patient does not need to be put to sleep in the application, which takes about 10 minutes under the X-ray devices specific to the procedure. There is no pain in the procedure,” he informs.
TREATMENT GIVES FAST RESULTS
Point shot treatment is also preferred because it gives fast results. Explaining that in most patients all complaints are gone immediately after the procedure, Dr. Alper Alabulut said, “In patients selected for treatment, early-term positive feedback is 97 percent, and long-term (6-12 months) feedback is 85 percent. In addition, when necessary, electrothermal-radiofrequency treatments can be applied to both joints and hernia tissue.
IT IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO PATIENTS WITH PRIOR SURGERY
Lumbar hernia is among the health problems that have a risk of recurrence, even if it has been previously treated with surgery. For this reason, noting that point-and-shoot therapy can be applied in both recurrent and resistant pain situations, Dr. Alper Alabulut said, “In these patients, interventional pain treatment techniques that increase the comfort of life are preferred. We apply the technique called ‘adhesiolysis’ by combining point-and-shoot treatment with special drugs.”