Herniated Discs Specialist

New Tampa Interventional Pain and Sports Medicine

Pain Management & Sports Medicine located in Wesley Chapel, FL

You can develop a herniated disc at any age, but they’re most common in men between the ages of 20-50. At New Tampa Interventional Pain & Sports Medicine in Wesley Chapel, Florida, Jose De La Torre, MD, offers innovative and comprehensive treatments for a wide range of painful conditions, including herniated discs, to men and women living in or around the North Tampa, Land O' Lakes, Lutz, and Zephyrhills areas. To find relief from your herniated disc pain, call New Tampa Interventional Pain & Sports Medicine or schedule an appointment online today.

813-820-6690

Herniated Discs Q & A

What is a herniated disc?

You have a herniated disc when one of the discs between your vertebrae bulges or breaks open. These rubbery discs, also known as intervertebral discs, function as shock absorbers in your spine and give it flexibility.

You can have a herniated disc anywhere in your spine, but they usually happen in your neck and lower back.

What causes a herniated disc?

You can have a herniated disc for several reasons, but they generally occur due to injury or aging. Physical movements, like twisting and bending, can trigger disc injuries by causing their tough exterior to crack and the soft center to bulge out.

The aging process causes your discs to wear out and lose their flexibility, which leaves them more vulnerable to damage.

What are the symptoms of a herniated disc?

A herniated disc doesn’t always cause symptoms. But when it pushes on surrounding nerve roots, it can lead to a wide range of uncomfortable symptoms, including pain, numbness, and weakness along the affected nerve.

When you have herniated disc symptoms, they vary depending on the location of the damaged disc and the nerve affected. If you have a herniated disc in your neck, for example, you’re most likely to have symptoms in your shoulders, arms, hands, and fingers. Our herniated disc in your lower spine, however, usually leads to radiating pain down your leg into your foot, or sciatica symptoms.

Regardless of which area of your spine is affected, you can expect actions like coughing or sneezing to increase your pain. It’s also common for herniated discs to cause other conditions, like spinal stenosis.

How are herniated discs treated?

Dr. De La Torre develops a personalized pain management and treatment strategy depending on the location of your herniated disc and the severity of your symptoms. Common treatments for herniated discs include:

Medications like pain relievers, anti-inflammatories, and muscle relaxers
Cortisone or epidural steroid injections
Spinal adjustments, massage, and physical therapy

If your herniated disc doesn’t respond to conservative treatments and causes muscle weakness, difficulty walking, or loss of bladder or bowel control, Dr. De La Torre might recommend surgery.

For more information on herniated discs, call New Tampa Interventional Pain & Sports Medicine or schedule an appointment online today.