What Is Indirect Spinal Decompression, and Am I a Candidate?
Problems with your spinal cord and nerves can be painful. Keep reading to learn about a treatment solution that can change everything!
Am I a Candidate for a VIA Disc NP Procedure?
If you’re living with lower-back pain, relief is sometimes hard to find. Treatments like physical therapy, injections, and medications don’t always work, and you might feel there’s no hope left.
If your pain is caused by degeneration in your spinal discs, you may wonder if a new procedure like VIA Disc NP® could work for you.
At ReGen Pain Management in Plano, Texas, Dr. Jonathan Koning is excited to offer this new treatment as an option for our patients. Keep reading to find out exactly what this procedure is, who makes a good candidate, and who doesn’t.
What is VIA Disc NP?
VIA Disc NP treats patients who have experienced tissue loss within the discs between their spinal vertebrae, a condition commonly called degenerative disc disease (DDD).
It’s a non-surgical, minimally invasive procedure in which a specially prepared allograft (biological material from a human donor) is injected into your nucleus pulposus (the inner, gel-like core of the disc) to support the natural cushioning function of your disc. This, in turn, reduces your pain and increases your ability to function normally.
The procedure is usually performed under local anesthesia. Dr. Koning uses fluoroscopy imaging to guide a needle into the center of the intervertebral disc, where the nucleus pulposus is found. The allograft provides hydration and nutrients that restore the function of your disc.
Patients go home the same day and resume normal activities the next day.
Who is a good candidate?
You’re a good candidate for the procedure if you suffer from lower back pain that imaging has confirmed is caused by DDD. You’ve also tried conservative treatments such as physical therapy, but haven’t seen results. You should be in good overall health with good structural stability in your spine.
You may not be a good candidate if your disc degeneration is very advanced, you have severe spinal instability, the pain seems to be coming from nerve compression rather than your disc, or you have a medical condition that makes injections and healing risky.
What should I do next?
If you think you may benefit from VIA Disc NP, our team at ReGen Pain Management is ready to serve you. We start with a physical history and a detailed description and history of your pain, followed by imaging (X-ray, CT scan, etc.) to confirm the diagnosis. We also review previous treatments to see what hasn’t yet worked.
Schedule a consultation with Dr. Koning today by calling ReGen Pain Management or requesting an appointment online.
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