Lumbar Disc Herniation Treatment in India- Get it at world's best price

Lumbar disc herniation treatment in India is available at world’s best price at various state of the art hospitals. In the last few years medical tourism in India has grown considerably. Various Indian hospitals where Lumbar disc herniation treatment in India is available are state of the art and use latest technology. Dheeraj Bojwani group has tied up with various state of the art hospitals so that our international patients can take advantage of the best medical facilities at a reasonable price. India is giving stiff competition to other Asian countries as far as medical tourism is concerned not only because of the cost factor but also because English in widely spoken here. It is very easy to communicate with the doctors / surgeons because most of them have been trained abroad in countries like UK, US and Australia.

Causes of Lumber disc herniations

Injuries are a frequent cause of lumbar disc herniations. Usually there is a history of heavy lifting associated with bending or twisting. Sometimes a fall or near fall with sudden violent motion of the spine can cause a disc herniation. Motor vehicle accidents and falls from a height can also cause disc herniations. It is not unusual for a patient to be unable to recall any specific injury.

Symptoms of Lumber Disc herniations

The most common symptom of a lumbar disc herniation is pain. The pain is usually described as being located in the buttock with radiation down the back of the thigh and sometimes to the outside of the calf. The specific location may vary and depends on which disc is affected (and thus which nerve root is affected). The pain (and other symptoms and signs) come from pressure on the nerve root. The pain frequently starts as simple back pain and progresses to pain in the leg. When the pain moves to the leg, it is not unusual for the back pain to become less severe. Straining such as bowel movement, coughing or sneezing are all things that tend to cause the leg pain to worsen. Very large disc herniations may cause something known as the "cauda equina syndrome". This is a rare syndrome caused by a very large disc herniation putting pressure on many nerve roots. Signs and symptoms include urinary problems (either retention or incontinence), loss of leg or foot strength, "saddle" anesthesia (loss of sensation in the area of the body that would be in contact with a saddle), decreased rectal sphincter tone and variable amounts of pain (ranging from minimal to severe). This is a surgical emergency.

Diagnosis of Lumber disc herniations

As always, a careful history and physical examination are the first steps in diagnosis. A disc herniation at the L4-L5 level may cause decreased ability to bend the foot up at the ankle. There may also be loss of sensation involving the top of the foot, particularly towards the inside. A disc herniation at the L5-S1 level can cause difficulty pressing down with the foot and decreased sensation along the outside of the foot. In both cases, there may be pain when the leg is raised while the patient is laying flat. This is called the straight-leg raising test (also known as Lasègues sign). In the absence of indications for urgent intervention (loss of strength, urinary problems), imaging studies are probably not needed at the onset of pain. After a reasonable period of conservative (non-surgical) management if symptoms persist, an MRI is the best diagnostic test. Of interest is the finding that MRI in normal patients may show disc herniation in up to 36 percent of patients depending on the age of the patient. An MRI of the lumbar (or lumbo-sacral spine) will show most clinically significant disc herniations. In some rare cases MRI might not be diagnostic but points to a possibility. In these cases a myelogram and post-myelogram CT scan may be needed. Occasionally, electromyography and nerve conduction velocity testing (EMG/NCV) may be used to help distinguish between two possible nerve roots.

Lumber Disc herniations treatment

The treatment of lumbar disc herniations can be divided into two categories, conservative (or non-surgical) and surgical. One exception would be in the cases of cauda equina syndrome, sudden loss of foot strength or urinary problems. In these cases, surgery would be considered the conservative approach. In general, conservative management includes maneuvers to reduce pressure on the nerve root. Resting in a position with the hips and knees flexed often helps. Bed rest, however, should not last more than two to four days. During the acute phase of pain, lifting, bending, twisting and prolonged sitting should be avoided. Medication in the form of an anti-inflammatory such as aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, celebrex or vioxx may be taken. As these medications have side effects, patients should carefully read the package material or consult their doctor if taking any medications for longer than a few days. Braces or corsets are of little value and in the long term may cause a loss of muscle tone. If symptoms improve then a gradual resumption of normal activity follows. Other recommended treatments might include a short course of oral steroid medication, stronger pain medication, muscle relaxant medication, possibly steroids injected into the epidural (outside the covering of the nervous system) space. If pain relief is achieved, a course of physical therapy (or back school) can be useful to try to prevent recurrence by teaching proper body mechanics and spine musculature strengthening exercises. Surgical treatment is reserved for patients who exhibit the signs and symptoms that require urgent decompression, patients who can not or do not wish to spend the time to allow conservative approaches to work and patients who have failed conservative management after a reasonable amount of time (six to eight weeks). The most commonly performed procedure for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation is known as lumbar discectomy (or micro-lumbar discectomy). The operation is usually done using a small incision (about an inch). Some form of magnified vision is used by the surgeon, either magnifying loupes (special glasses) or an operating microscope. Some patients may be able to go home the day of surgery. Most, however, stay for 24 to 48 hours. Some surgeons use an endoscope to perform discectomy. This allows for a smaller incision and less muscle dissection. The downside is that visualization and ability to remove some disc fragments may be compromised. Other techniques for treatment of disc herniation include percutaneous disc removal (mechanical or laser). These techniques are used much less frequently than standard discectomy.

Why consider India for your Lumber Disc herniations treatment?

People from foreign countries prefer Lumbar disc herniation treatment in India because Indian hospitals are built in strict accordance with international guidelines. Most of them specialize in latest techniques and treatments such as minimal invasive surgery, cartilage and bone transplantation, spine surgery and limb sparing surgery. We have foreign educated, highly skilled certified medical professionals / surgeons and the medical facilities. Dheeraj Bojwani group facilitates world class, high quality and affordable Lumbar disc herniation treatment in India along with other medical treatments / surgeries. We also help clients experience the rich natural and cultural and historical facets of India.