How does a diskectomy treat degenerative spinal diseases?

If conservative treatments do not relieve your pain from degenerative spinal diseases after six weeks, diskectomy may be an effective treatment option. Your spine is made of vertebrae separated by disks, sac-like cushions of cartilage. Over time, these cushions can degenerate and tear, causing the disk to protrude and press against nerves, causing pain. Diskectomy is surgery to remove all or part of the disk that is pressing against the nerve. Microdiskectomy is a type of diskectomy that uses a special microscope, allowing surgeons to make smaller, more precise incisions in the skin, shortening recovery time. Diskectomy is generally successful at relieving pain and improving range of movement for individuals with degenerative spinal diseases.