Lower back pain can disrupt every part of your life. When it’s chronic and persistent, finding the root cause is crucial to getting relief. At Trinity Surgical Center in San Jose, we use advanced diagnostic tools to identify the exact source of your pain. One of these tools is discography, a specialized procedure that helps pinpoint which spinal disc is causing discomfort.
Understanding Spinal Disc Problems
The spine is made up of bones (vertebrae) and soft cushions between them called discs. These discs act as shock absorbers, providing flexibility and reducing impact as you move. Over time, however, these discs can become damaged or deteriorate. When they do, they can become a significant source of lower back pain.
Common disc-related conditions include:
- Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD): As discs lose hydration and wear down with age, they may not cushion the spine effectively. This can lead to pain, inflammation, and reduced mobility.
- Herniated Disc: When the soft inner core of a disc pushes through its tough outer layer, it can press on nearby nerves, causing pain that radiates down the legs (sciatica) or localized discomfort.
- Bulging Disc: A disc that protrudes outward but hasn’t ruptured can also press on nerves or spinal structures, causing similar pain.
- Internal Disc Disruption (IDD): Tiny tears in the disc can result in chronic, localized lower back pain without nerve compression.
Often, imaging tests like MRIs or CT scans show disc abnormalities, but they don’t always confirm whether those discs are responsible for your pain. That’s where discography becomes important.
What Is Discography?
Discography is a diagnostic test used to identify painful discs in your spine. It’s not a treatment but a way to gather valuable information. During discography, your physician injects a contrast dye directly into the center of one or more spinal discs using a thin needle. This process is done under X-ray guidance to ensure precision.
Once the dye is injected, your doctor will monitor:
- Pain Response: If the injection reproduces your usual lower back pain, it suggests the disc may be the source of your symptoms.
- Disc Appearance: The dye spreads inside the disc, highlighting any cracks or tears on X-ray images.
By combining the pain response with the imaging results, discography helps clarify whether a damaged disc is causing your lower back pain.
How Discography Helps Your Diagnosis and Treatment Plan
Discography is often recommended when you have chronic back pain that hasn’t responded to conservative treatments like physical therapy, medications, or injections. It’s usually performed when surgery is being considered, to ensure the surgeon addresses the correct problem area.
After discography, your physician will use the results to create a personalized treatment plan. This could include:
- Surgical intervention, such as spinal fusion or disc replacement
- Targeted injections
- Physical therapy designed to strengthen surrounding muscles and improve spinal support
Is Discography Right for You?
If you’ve been struggling with lower back pain and need clear answers, discography might be the next step. At Trinity Surgical Center in San Jose, we have extensive experience performing discograms as part of our comprehensive spine care approach. Our goal is to identify the exact cause of your pain so you can move forward with confidence toward lasting relief.