Neck and back pain due to degenerative disc disease is something many people deal with at some point in their lives. Sometimes, the pain and physical restrictions are severe enough to interfere with a person’s daily life and overall well-being. If problems persist, degenerative disc disease surgery may be necessary.
You can find a spine surgeon for degenerative disc disease in New York here at New York Spine Specialist. Below, we explain what you should know about this condition and how different surgeries can help address it.
What’s Degenerative Disc Disease?
DDD is a spinal condition affecting at least one intervertebral disc, resulting in back or neck pain. Those discs provide cushioning between the vertebrae to help the structure support weight, bend, and twist. Over time, the discs lose their elasticity, affecting their ability to absorb shock, possibly leading to needing degenerative disc disease surgery.
DDD is progressive, which means it will worsen as a person ages. Determining the commonness of the condition is difficult because it encompasses many conditions, such as slipped and bulging discs, and people can be asymptomatic. Physiopedia states that about 30% of adults aged 30 to 50 years old have some form of disc space degeneration with and without pain and a formal diagnosis.
Surgery for Degenerative Disc Disease: Here Are the Options
iData Research claims that about 1.50 million spinal procedures occurred in the United States in 2023 and rose to 1.52 million in 2024. Not everybody needs surgeries, though. Some patients respond well to nonsurgical treatments like rest, pain medication, anti-inflammatory drugs, and physical therapy.
Still, you might need a DDD surgery if you have one or two damaged discs or if other treatments don’t work. Here are the options your spine surgeon in New York may recommend.
Spinal Decompression Surgery
Spinal decompression surgeries refer to any procedure that relieves pressure on nerve roots or the spinal cord, including:
- Facetectomy. A facetectomy takes out the facet joint within the affected area to relieve spinal nerve pressure.
- Laminectomy. This procedure removes all or part of the lamia, the bony structure on the underside of a vertebra. The treatment has a 90% success rate and patient satisfaction rate exceeding 75%, according to StatPearls.
- Foraminotomy. With this procedure, surgeons make the foramen bigger.
Discectomies
A discectomy is a minimally invasive spine surgery that removes a whole damaged disc. A typical version of this degenerative disc disease surgery is a microdiscectomy, which only eliminates a small portion of a herniated disc to stop putting excessive stress on a nerve.
Another kind of discectomy is an artificial disc replacement. In this option, a surgeon would remove most or all of the disc and install a prosthesis that functions like a natural disc.
Spinal Fusion Surgery
Suppose a patient needs to lose entire discs or other spinal structures to improve their pain, inflammation, and quality of life. In that case, surgeons may graft two vertebrae together to improve the spine’s stability.
Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) addresses lower back DDD through a cut on the left side of the abdomen. With posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF), the incision occurs directly on the back.
Need a New Surgery for Degenerative Disc Disease? We Can Help
Treating degenerative disc diseases is one of our specialties at New York Spine Specialist. Our spine surgeon in New York and surgical teams treat various ailments relating to the spine, including sciatica, pinched nerves, and herniated discs, helping improve our patients’ quality of life. As experts, we have a deep understanding of degenerative disc disease surgery and other treatments to reduce chronic pain.
Our doctors accept most insurance plans, including workers’ compensation, no-fault, and PIP (personal injury protection). Contact us today at (516) 355-0111 or request an appointment for a consultation about a new surgery for degenerative disc disease.
FAQs Surgery for Degenerative Disc Disease
Learn more about this condition and its treatments below.
What Should I Avoid If I Have DDD?
With this condition, it’s important to avoid doing anything that could strain your back, including high-impact exercises and heavy lifting. It’s also best to minimize or eliminate drinking alcohol and smoking.
Can Surgery Fix Degenerative Disc Disease?
If nonsurgical methods don’t work for your DDD case, surgery may be the best option to reduce pain and restore function.
How Long Does It Take To Heal and Recover From a Surgery To Treat This Condition?
Healing and recovery timeframes depend on the degenerative disc disease surgery. For instance, you could resume everyday activities within four to six weeks following a discectomy, but artificial disc replacement allows you to walk within 24 hours.