8 Brick Plaza
Brick, NJ 08723
2. East Windsor
East Windsor Town Center Plaza
319 Route 130 North
East Windsor, NJ 08520
Wick Plaza
561 US Hwy 1 South
Edison, NJ 08817
When you have mid-back pain, you can’t walk, lift or sometimes even turn your head without pain. One half of all working Americans suffer back pain every year, and if it happens to you, your life can change in a heartbeat. Sudden chest pains or pain while twisting point to a thoracic disc herniation. But with so many injuries and diseases that can strike your spine, you need a professional diagnosis and appropriate treatment. In northern New Jersey, Dr. Branko Skovrlj at NU-Spine: The Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Institute does it all for you using the latest technology and up-to-date practices. Dr. Skovrlj is a world-renowned neurosurgeon who has devoted his career to helping people like you out of back pain. Call today to schedule an appointment.
Your spine is composed of a column of vertebral bones, and in between each bone is a soft, pliable disc. These discs keep your vertebrae from rubbing against each other, providing flexibility and fluidity to your spine. Discs are also the shock absorbers of the spine. But when a disc in the middle of your back is damaged and the inner gel leaks out, the result is a thoracic disc herniation that can cause back pain and stiffness.
At NU-Spine, spine center in Edison, New Jersey, Dr. Branko Skovrlj, carries out extensive diagnostic testing for spinal problems to determine the source of your pain. An experienced and compassionate neurosurgeon, Dr. Skovrlj relies on state-of-the-art spinal medicine practices. Using the latest technology, he provides effective, results-based thoracic herniated disc treatment.
Your thoracic spine stretches from the bottom of your neck to the bottom of your ribcage. Herniated discs in your mid-back are often caused by:
When compromised, a disc goes through changes. Discs have a tough outer layer that keeps its soft, gel-like material on the inside in place. If outer layer is punctured, ripped or worn away for any reason, several things happen, all of which impact your health, such as:
The herniated disc material protrudes in a lateral or sideways direction, away from the disc that’s in between your vertebrae. Some of the symptoms that point to a herniated thoracic disc include:
Whenever you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, visit NU-Spine for a diagnosis. Thoracic disc herniation can drastically affect your life by causing chronic pain and limiting your range of motion. A herniated disc in your middle back does not heal on its own. In fact, the longer it goes untreated, the more likely your pain increases.
When you come in, Dr. Skovrlj completes a physical exam and takes your medical history. He may need to order some imaging tests as well. His goal is to determine a diagnosis for the underlying cause of your pain. If it is a thoracic disc herniation, he can develop a treatment plan to address it.
Your treatment for a herniated disc in the thoracic spine depends on many factors, including your age and overall health. Many people improve with non-surgical treatment, so the best spinal doctors start with conservative treatments that include:
The problem with non-invasive treatments is that they don’t always deliver long-term results, especially for herniated disc symptoms. It may be that a combination of conservative treatments with minimally-invasive surgical procedures provides the best outcomes. Surgical methods directly address the root causes of the herniation to get you back to a normal pain-free life.
To fight thoracic disc herniation, your spine specialist may recommend one or more surgical treatment procedures, such as:
Dr. Skovrlj uses a multi-disciplinary approach to deliver the best treatment for a herniated disc in the thoracic spine. Contact NU-Spine today to get the help you need to improve the quality of your life.
References:
1. American Chiropractic Association. Back Pain Facts and Statistics.
https://www.acatoday.org/Patients/What-is-Chiropractic/Back-Pain-Facts-and-Statistics
2. BC Medical Journal. John Paul Thompson, MD. Issue: BCMJ, vol. 59 , No. 8 , October 2017. Diagnosis and treatment of thoracic disc herniation.
https://bcmj.org/worksafebc/diagnosis-and-treatment-thoracic-disc-herniation#a1
3. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Delvise T. Fogwe; Brandon Petrone; Fassil B. Mesfin (2020) Thoracic Discogenic Syndrome.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470388/
4. U.S. National Library of Medicine. F.J. Pérez Lara, A. Ferrer Berges, J. Quintero Quesada, J.A. Moreno Ramiro, R. Bustamante Toledo, H. Oliva Muñoz (2012) Thoracic Disk Herniation, a not Infrequent Cause of Chronic Abdominal Pain
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3723187/
8 Brick Plaza
Brick, NJ 08723
East Windsor Town Center Plaza
319 Route 130 North
East Windsor, NJ 08520
Wick Plaza
561 US Hwy 1 South
Edison, NJ 08817
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1376 State Route 36
Hazlet, NJ 07730
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