Established in 2000, Intrinsic Therapeutics develops medical devices and therapies to alleviate and treat disc herniation. The services Intrinsic Therapeutics produces mainly target people who experience sciatica and back pain, and discectomy patients.

Discectomy is the surgical removal of a damaged section of a disc in the spine where the center part pushes out through the outer membrane, thus irritating or pinching nearby nerves. Depending on the compressed nerve, people with herniated discs typically experience pain down the arm or leg. However, doctors opt for medication and therapy for pain along the back or neck rather than surgery. However, doctors will only resort to discectomy if alternative remedies that fail to alleviate or eliminate the pain.

Due to the sensitive location and nature of the surgery, doctors opt for minimally invasive approaches. They typically use a microscope, a tiny camera, and small incising instruments to minimize the surgery area. During the procedure, under general anesthesia, the surgeon removes the herniated disc and, if necessary, small pieces of bone and flesh around the hernia to relieve pressure on the compressed nerve.

The duration of after-surgery stay depends on the hernia severity. Most cases allow for same day discharge from the hospital. However, for severe compression, you might need to keep it for several days for observation. Healing depends on the level of exertion but typically takes two to six weeks or longer if you engage in strenuous activity such as heavy lifting.