A herniated disc is one of the more common spinal conditions for adults in the US. However, even with this knowledge, many people don’t know very much about herniated discs and what causes them to occur. The neurosurgeons here at Georgia Brain & Spine Center strongly believe that understanding spinal conditions is critically important to help patients who may someday experience them. That’s why we wanted to discuss herniated discs, what may cause them to occur, and potential treatment options.

The bones (or vertebrae) of the spine are cushioned by small, round discs that are located between each individual vertebra. These discs act as shock absorbers for the spinal bones. Each disc consists of a soft inner portion as well as a tough outer ring. A herniated disc (sometimes referred to as a bulged, slipped, or ruptured disc) occurs when the softer inner portion of the disc protrudes through the tougher outer ring. This rupture then causes the disc to put pressure on the spinal nerves, resulting in pain that can be severe. Although a herniated disc can occur in any part of the spine (including the neck), they are most common in the lower back area.

A herniated disc can be caused by several different things. For some people, they may occur naturally as a result of aging. In some cases, a certain motion or physical activity like lifting something too heavy can be the cause. Accidents including falls or motor vehicle accidents can cause a disc to become ruptured. Certain risk factors like being overweight, smoking, and a sedentary lifestyle can also potentially contribute to herniated discs. Additionally, a herniated disc can be a sign of degenerative disc disease in some people.

The first step towards treating a herniated disc is getting a proper diagnosis. This is something our experienced brain and spine experts can do here in our office. Once a diagnosis is made, we will discuss all the available treatment options. This includes non-surgical options including physical therapy, pain-killing injections, or medicines like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for people with more moderate pain or discomfort. In cases where the pain is more severe, may benefit from a spinal surgery procedure to provide relief.

If you or a loved one has experienced a herniated disc, there’s no reason to let debilitating pain disrupt your quality of life. The neurosurgeons here at Georgia Brain & Spine Center have many years of experience in diagnosing and treating spinal conditions like herniated discs and will do everything in our power to ease your discomfort and get you feeling your best again. For more information, or if you would like a second opinion on an initial diagnosis, please contact Georgia Brain & Spine Center at 1 (800) GO-SPINE to schedule a consultation today. And follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news, updates, and much more.

Although this is not always the case, head injuries like concussions can be extremely serious and frightening. Head trauma from playing sports, taking a serious fall, or experiencing an automobile accident can potentially lead to the rupturing of a blood vessel in the brain and result in brain bleeding. This collection of blood within the skull is known as an intracranial hematoma. In some cases, a hematoma may develop and progressively get worse over the course of weeks. In other cases, the hematoma can expand rapidly and present an emergent, life-threatening condition. Our board-certified neurosurgeons wanted to focus on two different kinds of intracranial hematomas, epidural and subdural, to help our readers better understand these conditions.
 
Our brains are covered by 3 layers of membrane (known medically as meninges), which effectively provide coating to the brain. Closest to the brain lies the pia mater. Beyond that lies the arachnoid mater. Lastly there is the dura mater which is a big fibrous material that covers the brain and tightly adheres to the skull. Both epidural and subdural hematomas involve bleeding outside of the brain and either outside or inside of the dura mater.
 
An epidural hematoma occurs when there is bleeding inside the skull but outside the dura membrane. Patients with an epidural hematoma can remain conscious with minimal symptoms, can become drowsy, or can progress to a coma immediately following their injury based on the size of the hematoma. A subdural hematoma occurs when the bleeding exists inside the dura, but still outside the brain. Subdural hematomas can either be acute, occurring and being detected soon after the trauma, subacute (symptoms develop in the days/weeks following injury), or chronic (symptoms occurring weeks to months after the time of injury).

In any case, the bleeding caused by an intracranial hematoma can form a mass that presses on the brain tissue and leads to a wide variety of potentially dangerous symptoms. These symptoms may include headaches, seizures, nausea, vomiting, physical weakness, difficulty with speech, changes in vision, and more.

Hematomas are diagnosed with either a CT scan or MRI of the brain. In the case a hematoma is detected, it is imperative to obtain an urgent evaluation with a neurosurgeon immediately to prevent worsening symptoms or even death. In some cases, a small epidural or subdural hematoma may resolve itself naturally over time. However, many patients require brain surgery to remove the hematoma.


The neurosurgeons here at Georgia Brain & Spine Center have considerable experience diagnosing, treating, and caring for patients who experience an intracranial hematoma or any other serious brain condition. If you would like more information on the brain conditions that we treat, or if you would like a second opinion on a previous diagnosis, please contact Georgia Brain & Spine at 1 (800) GO-SPINE to schedule a consultation today with Dr. Elias Dagnew or Dr. Michael Hartman. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news, practice updates, blog posts, and more.