Innovative New Procedure Treats Lower Back Pain Without Major Spine Surgery

Outpatient Treatment Offers Immediate Results, No Downtime and No Post-Surgery Rehab.

Woodland Hills, CA (PRWEB) November 8, 2006 -- A new pioneering procedure, called Epiduroscopic Laser Discectomy or ELD, delivers nearly immediate relief to patients ranging in age between 18 to 59, suffering from lower back pain stemming from disc herniations, bulging discs, sciatica and degenerative disc disease. Offered by Advanced Spine Care Specialists of Woodland Hills, California, ELD has a high success rate and presents a more beneficial treatment option to patients than open back surgery. The procedure generally takes less than an hour under local anesthesia, requires about an hour of recovery time and the patient can often return to normal activities the next day, and more strenuous activities within a week.

More people go to their doctor for back pain than any other medical condition and nearly 90 percent of adults experience lower back pain at some point in their lives. For millions of adults, back pain results in missed work, inability to perform normal physical activities and even complete immobility. Back pain can also diminish the quality of life and, for many adults, cause emotional and psychological distress and even depression.

Until now, the only treatment options available for the tens of millions of people suffering from back pain due to herniated discs or sciatica were invasive surgery or micro procedures. Invasive surgery presents a variety of downsides and complications including long recovery periods, an inability to return to work and normal activities for extended periods of time, weakening of the back due to inactivity, trauma to the spine and supporting structures, improper healing requiring additional surgeries and a host of other economic, family and work-related problems. Micro procedures such as MRIs and X-rays do not treat the overlying cause of the condition and can be less reliable in showing all affected areas. In addition, the lack of visibility during the micro procedure may lead to missed opportunities to treat other affected areas.

With ELD, patients endure few if any of the side-affects and complications of surgery or the shortcomings of micro procedures and experience virtually no downtime, quicker rehab and immediate results. Performed exclusively at the prestigious Temple Community Hospital in Los Angeles, California by physicians with specialized training in this ground-breaking procedure, ELD is an outpatient procedure which requires local anesthesia and a small incision at the base of the spine. A thin fiber optic scope is then inserted into the epidural space and laser energy is used to address the affected area and relieve pressure on the nerves. The fiber optic scope is removed, leaving only a skin nick that is covered with a small bandage. Shortly after the procedure, patients normally feel little, if any, pain or discomfort. ELD frequently allows diagnosis and treatment of disc disease and is the only proven remedy for herniated discs without major spine surgery.

"We're extremely pleased with the results of this new minimally-invasive treatment option," says Herb Neidman, CEO at Temple Community Hospital, one of the few Advanced Spine Care Specialists Centers performing the procedure. "We've seen patients who were completely immobile due to the severity of pain associated with a herniated disc and within an hour after undergoing the procedure, walked out of the building on their own."

ELD consultation appointments and physician referrals are processed and managed through Advanced Spine Care Specialists. ELD is covered by most health insurance plans.

As with any medical procedure, ELD may pose health risks. Consult a physician if you think you, your employee or someone you know may be a candidate for ELD. Please visit www.jeginc.com or call 888-624-BACK (2225) for more information about ELD.

About Advanced Spine Care Specialists
Specializing in pain management programs for back pain, Advanced Spine Care Specialists (ASCS) was established by JEG Diversified Healthcare of Woodland Hills, California to offer effective, innovative treatment options and personalized solutions, referrals and consultations. ASCS's flagship program is located at Temple Community Hospital, Los Angeles, California with additional programs rolling out nation-wide throughout the year. For more information about ASCS (www.ascsonline.com) or JEG Diversified Healthcare (www.jeginc.com) please contact David Pollack at 818-594-8103.

About Temple Community Hospital
For more than 70 years, Temple Community Hospital has provided the highest quality healthcare to the diverse people of Central Los Angeles and the surrounding areas. Temple Community's team of caring professionals is dedicated to meeting the community's medical needs and to using the newest technologies and procedures in the treatment of its patients.

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