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Herniated discs can occur in any part of the spine. Most herniated discs affect the lower back (lumbar spine) or occur in the neck (cervical spine). More rarely, herniation can occur in the mid-back (thoracic spine).
Conservative treatment, including bed rest and non-steroidal medication, can often resolve mild cases of disc herniation. When the spinal cord is significantly compressed or when treatment fails to resolve symptoms, minimally invasive discectomy can be performed, depending on the where the herniation is located.
Because surgical procedures for cervical, thoracic and lumbar disc herniation can differ, each Barnes-Jewish & Washington University Spine Center patient is treated by a surgeon who specializes in a specific area, matching them to the precise treatment techniques needed.
Jacob Buchowski, MD, orthopedic surgery
Ian Dorward, MD, neurosurgery
Matthew Goodwin, MD, PhD, FACSM, orthopedic surgery
Jacob Greenberg, MD, neurosurgery
Munish Gupta, MD, orthopedic surgery
Dan Hafez, MD, neurosurgery
Camilo Molina, MD, neurosurgery
Brian Neuman, MD, orthopedic surgery
John Ogunlade, MD, neurosurgery
Brenton Pennicooke, MD, neurosurgery
Wilson Zack Ray, MD, neurosurgery
Kumar Vasudevan, MD, neurosurgery
For a referral to a Washington University orthopedic spine surgeon or neurosurgeon at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, call 888.998.7218.
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