The Minimally Invasive Discseel® Procedure
Repairs Degenerative Discs Without Surgery.
All Adults Have Degenerative Discs
Degenerative disc disease is simply the appearance of torn discs. It’s only the leaking of the nucleus pulposus as a result of a torn disc that causes pain.
Surgery cannot heal these tears and instead worsens them.
Only the Discseel® Procedure seals and heals leaky discs that cause degenerative disc disease.
what is degenerative disc disease?
As we age, spinal discs obtain wear and tear that can lead to annular tears. These tears may cause disc desiccation (dehydration), leaving the spinal discs thin and unable to cushion the vertebrae. Degenerative disc disease can lead to other spine conditions as well, but annular tears are the underlying cause of degenerative disc disease and its symptoms.
causes
- The daily activities you participate in, including sports.
- Back injuries stemming from sports, vehicle collisions, etc.
- Disc desiccation (dehydration).
Degenerative disc disease pain occurs only when annular tears allow the nucleus pulposus to leak out from the center of the spinal disc. Even though it is a natural part of the spinal disc, it is perceived as a foreign substance by the body when it leaks out, leading to inflammation of surrounding nerves. This causes the pain associated with degenerative disc disease.
diagnosis
A diagnosis for degenerative disc disease can be obtained from your doctor by discussing your medical history, undergoing a physical exam, and some form of imaging test, usually MRI. To begin the process of diagnosis, your doctor will discuss your symptoms with you and ask questions about your medical history. After this initial consultation, imaging tests such as MRI or a CT scan may be ordered. Unfortunately, while these tests can detect the appearance of degenerative disc disease, they may not be able to pinpoint the exact cause of your pain.
more on degenerative disc disease
Degenerative disc disease is not actually a disease, it’s simply the MRI appearance of a disc with multiple annular tears. These tears cause discs to dry out (desiccate), flatten, bulge, and herniate. Every adult that lives past their teenage years will develop annular tears in their spinal discs. The difference is that some adults will develop pain as a result of these tears, and some will not. Degenerative disc disease exists in adults regardless of whether or not pain is felt, but treatment becomes necessary when debilitating and painful symptoms set in.
Conservative options, such as
Medication
Spinal Fusion
Spinal Mobilization
Artificial Disc Replacement
Nerve Stimulation
Are often prescribed to treat symptoms of degenerative disc disease
But these options only focus on easing pain
rather than treating the underlying cause
only the discseel® prOcedure is known to heal degenerative disc disease caused by annular tears
THE DISCSEEL® PROCEDURE uses Fibrin, an FDA-approved substance that is used off-label, to seal and regenerate tissue. Fibrin is injected into disc tears, typically taking less than an hour. You’ll be walking the same day. The disc continues healing over 3-12 months as you increase your activity.
find out if you are a discseel® candidate
patient success
After being told his only cure was spinal fusion surgery, Jim searched for an alternative and found the Discseel® Procedure. He is now back to his active lifestyle and has been pain free since his procedure.
Sean wanted to find a solution to his back pain that didn’t involve putting hardware in his spine, so he chose the Discseel® Procedure. Now he’s living pain-free and has been able to return to the lifestyle he loves.
When Erica began developing spine pain, she felt that the activities she loved were taken away from her. Erica now says that the Discseel® Procedure has “100% turned her life around” and allowed her to get back to the things she loves, like running.
ARTICLES ON DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE
News articles and blog posts by Dr. Pauza & Team
What Causes Degenerative Disc Disease Pain?
By Dr. Kevin Pauza
It is a normal part of our aging process to develop degenerative spinal discs. However, this condition goes unnoticed in some people, it causes painful and debilitating symptoms in others that can affect their quality of life. There are also a variety of symptoms associated with this condition because the spine is surrounded by nerves that serve various parts of the body. This is why degenerative disc pain is not only felt in the back but can also cause headaches, arm, and leg pain, depending on where the damaged discs are located. READ MORE
MRI and Degenerative Disc Disease
By Dr. Kevin Pauza
Although MRI reports may show degenerative disc disease these words only describe the appearance of the MRI, not a person’s pain. Think of an MRI’s appearance as you would think of a photo’s appearance of a starry-filled sky. The photo may reveal the milky-way or even planets, but it can’t reveal if it’s a warm summer or frigid winter night. Likewise, the MRI appearance of this condition reveals nothing more than appearance. This is because degenerative disc pain only occurs when annular tears allow nucleus pulposus liquid gel to leak, and this condition cannot be seen in MRI. READ MORE
Genetic Links as Causes of Back Pain Degenerative Disc Disease
Genetics are the reason that each person looks the way they do, and your genes are responsible for keeping your body healthy and strong by producing the proteins that it needs. Mutations in your genes can directly affect your chances of being diagnosed with certain diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, asthma, and even degenerative disc disease.
One type of protein that your genes are responsible for making is called collagen. These proteins are responsible for supporting and strengthening your bones, skin, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons, and collagen fibers intertwine with one another, which results in strength and stability. Certain differences in some collagen genes have been tied to an increased risk of developing degenerative spinal discs, as these variations cause the collagen to function less effectively, resulting in decreased stability in the discs. READ MORE
Is My Sciatica Pain the Result of Degenerative Disc Disease?
Degenerative disc disease is increasingly common with age, and it can come in many forms. The spine is composed of 26 vertebrae, and each one, along with the surrounding ligaments, tendons, and muscles, can be damaged, leading to this condition. One of the most common areas of the spine for injury is the discs that sit between each of the vertebrae. They act as cushions to absorb compression and allow for movement of the spine, and they can become degenerated with overuse or age.
This is known as degenerative disc disease, and it can cause movements to become painful and may result in the spinal nerves becoming compressed. If the sciatic nerve in the lower back is compressed, it can result in pain and numbness that runs down the hip and leg known as sciatica. This condition is a common source of back pain, and it may lead to sciatic nerve irritation in certain situations. READ MORE
Is it Possible to Have Asymptomatic Degenerative Disc Disease?
For those who don’t know, degenerative disc disease (DDD) isn’t actually a disease and asymptomatic DDD seen in patients confirms this. In fact, DDD as seen in MRI scans isn’t a painful condition. The appearance of this condition is frequently found in imaging scans of the spine in individuals with no back pain, and the frequency of finding degenerative discs increases with age.
So if this isn’t actually a disease and many people with degenerated discs have no back pain, what causes symptomatic DDD? READ MORE
Does Alcohol Affect Degenerative Disc Disease?
Many things can cause or worsen degenerative disc disease pain, and if you’re living with this condition, doing whatever you can to limit your exposure to anything that could worsen your pain is of the utmost importance. Because of this, many people worry that alcohol consumption may worsen their degenerative disc pain. If you believe that this may be the case for you, continue reading to learn more about how alcohol may be affecting your back or neck pain. READ MORE
Degenerative Disc Disease in Young People
While this condition is usually associated with the older population, it is possible for DDD to develop and cause chronic back or neck pain in young people as well. Although annular tears, for the most part, develop once we leave our teen years and usually don’t cause pain until we are much older, for some, these annular tears can cause pain even in teens or twenty-year-olds. READ MORE
See if you are a candidate for the Discseel® Procedure
