“Sharp pain that shoots down one leg.”
Disc material pushing through the annulus and irritating a nerve root. Frequently accompanied by tears elsewhere in the same disc.
Often treatable without removing the disc or fusing the level.
Whatever the diagnosis on your report says, the treatable question is whether a disc is torn and leaking. An annulogram answers that directly — and a review of the MRI you already own is where it starts.
How the procedure worksA herniated disc is disc material pushing out through a tear in the outer ring, often against a nerve root. It is one of the most common findings on a spine MRI — and one of the most frequently blamed for pain it is not causing.
What a herniated disc is
The terms overlap: protrusion, extrusion, sequestration, “slipped disc”. All describe disc material moving outward through a weakened or torn ring, to different degrees. A protrusion stays contained within the outer fibres; an extrusion breaks through them; a sequestered fragment has separated entirely.
Most occur at the lowest two lumbar levels, L4–L5 and L5–S1, or in the lower neck at C5–C6 and C6–C7 — the levels that move and carry the most.
How it tends to feel
When the herniation presses on or inflames a nerve root, pain travels along that nerve — down the buttock and leg from a lumbar disc, or into the shoulder, arm, and hand from a cervical one — often with tingling or numbness in a specific patch of skin. The back or neck pain itself may be mild.
Weakness in the foot, leg, or hand is a sign to be assessed promptly, not a sign to wait for a call back.
What imaging shows — and misses
An MRI shows a herniation clearly, which is exactly the problem: herniations are common in people with no pain at all, so finding one does not prove it is the source.
What an MRI does not reliably show is the tear the material came through, or tears elsewhere in the same disc that are leaking. The annulogram shows both — and sometimes shows that the disc everyone blamed is not the one leaking.
How the FibraDisc Procedure addresses it
Where the annulogram shows a torn, leaking disc, fibrin sealant is placed into the tear through a needle. Nothing is removed — the disc stays where it is, the material is not cut away, and no level is fused. The intent is to address the tear rather than the shape on the scan.
Fibrin sealant's use inside the disc is off-label; the published evidence is pilot and observational data; outcomes vary and are not guaranteed.
When it is not the answer
A large herniation causing progressive weakness, foot drop, or any change in bladder or bowel control is a surgical question and should be seen urgently. A sequestered fragment pressing hard on a nerve may need a surgeon's opinion first. The annulogram, not the MRI label, decides candidacy.
Questions about herniated disc
No. Many settle over weeks to months with conservative care, and surgery is usually reserved for progressive neurological signs or pain that does not respond. The question worth asking before any irreversible step is whether the disc is torn and leaking — because that is a different problem from the shape on the scan.
It is not right for everyone. We will say so.
Often a good fit
- Chronic low back or neck pain that has not resolved with conservative care
- A recent MRI showing disc degeneration, bulging, or herniation
- Pain after a failed spine surgery, including fusion
- You have been told fusion is the next step and want another option first
- You want to avoid hardware and preserve your own disc
Not a fit, or not yet
- No recent MRI — we cannot assess you without imaging
- Progressive weakness, foot drop, or loss of bladder or bowel control (seek care now)
- Active spinal infection or cancer involving the spine
- Severe spinal instability or high-grade slippage
- Expecting insurance to cover it — the procedure is self-pay
Is your herniated disc actually a torn disc?
A physician screens the MRI you already have and tells you in writing whether you appear to be a candidate — before you spend anything, least of all a flight.