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It is not surgery in the sense of open surgery; no skin incision is made, the disc is entered with a needle-thin cannula. Even so, it is still an interventional procedure with its own risks. More importantly, it is not suitable for everyone: it may be meaningful in selected patients with a suitable disc type, but it falls short in large or extruded herniations.

Usually no. In herniations that cause advanced nerve compression, are extruded (free-fragment) or large, nucleoplasty is often not enough. In these situations surgical methods that directly remove the pressure on the nerve, such as microdiscectomy, may be more appropriate. The decision is made by evaluating MRI findings and examination together.

It is not correct to say 'definite cure' for any method. Nucleoplasty does not repair the disc and does not directly remove the herniated fragment; it aims for indirect relief by reducing intradiscal pressure. Success depends largely on correct patient selection; in an unsuitable patient the benefit may remain limited and a different treatment comes onto the agenda.

You can share your current lumbar MRI via our phone and WhatsApp line (+90 533 075 72 94), and after a preliminary assessment you can plan a face-to-face examination or an online consultation. To determine the right method, imaging and examination must be evaluated together.

In many patients, yes — a significant proportion of those with a herniated disc find relief with medication, the right exercise, physical therapy and, where needed, interventional methods; the protruding disc fragment can shrink over time. But not in every patient: if there is progressive weakness, a large extruded herniation or urgent findings, non-surgical treatment is not enough and surgery is needed.

They are generally less invasive, but it is not correct to say they are 'always better'. In the right patient they can prevent unnecessary surgery; in the wrong patient they bring no benefit and can lead to loss of time and eventually to surgery anyway. Safety depends on the method being applied to the right patient.

Inability to control urine/stool (cauda equina), progressive or serious loss of muscle strength (for example the foot not lifting) and rapidly spreading numbness are situations requiring emergency surgery. In addition, surgery comes to the fore in cases that do not respond to 6-8 weeks of conservative treatment, that have clear nerve compression on MRI, and in large extruded herniations.

If there is no emergency, this stepwise approach is sensible in most patients: first conservative and, if suitable, interventional methods, and surgery if no response is obtained. However, in the presence of urgent findings, waiting can cause harm. The right sequence is determined individually with imaging and examination. You can reach us by phone/WhatsApp (+90 533 075 72 94) for an evaluation.

No. RF targets facet-joint-related mechanical pain; it does not remove disc material and does not correct a disc herniation. If the source of the pain is disc compression, RF does not resolve the actual problem. That is why the true source of the pain must first be correctly determined.

The effect may not be permanent. Because the targeted nerve branches can regenerate over time, the pain may recur after a while; the duration of effect varies according to the patient and the source of the pain. The procedure can be repeated when needed. It is not correct to say 'definite and permanent cure'.

Because for RF to be able to work, it must be confirmed that the pain truly arises from the facet joint. In the diagnostic block a temporary anaesthetic is given to the pain-carrying nerve branch; if the pain is significantly reduced, the facet source is supported and the chance of RF success increases. This step prevents a wrong indication.

You can share your current imaging (MRI/X-ray) via our phone and WhatsApp line (+90 533 075 72 94), and after a preliminary assessment you can plan an examination or an online consultation. Whether RF is appropriate or a different method is needed is determined by evaluating imaging and examination together.

Yes, it is not surgery in the open sense; no skin incision is made, and medication is delivered into the epidural space with a thin needle under imaging guidance. It is still an interventional procedure with its own rare risks. More importantly, it is not suitable for everyone; correct patient selection is essential.

This varies per person. A single session provides enough relief for some patients, while others may need repetition at certain intervals. The effect may begin within days and last for weeks, but it may not be permanent. The number of sessions is decided by assessing clinical response; unlimited repetition is not appropriate.

It is not correct to say 'definitely cured' for any method. An epidural injection does not remove the herniation or widen a narrowed canal; it aims for indirect relief by reducing inflammation around the nerve root. Success largely depends on correct patient selection; in an unsuitable patient the benefit may be limited.

You can share your current lumbar MRI via our phone and WhatsApp line (+90 533 075 72 94), and after a preliminary assessment we can plan an in-person examination or online consultation in İzmir/Konak. Determining the right method requires evaluating imaging and examination together.

Yes, it is not surgery in the open sense; no skin incision is made, and it is applied with a fine needle under imaging guidance. It is still an interventional procedure with its own, albeit rare, risks. More importantly, it is meaningful only in patients whose pain has been confirmed to truly arise from the facet.

Usually not. RF suppresses the transmission of the nerve branch carrying the pain for a time; because nerve branches can regenerate over time, the pain may recur and the procedure can be repeated when needed. The duration of the effect varies from patient to patient and cannot be stated with certainty in advance.

No. Facet injection and RF target pain arising from the facet joint; they do not fix a disc herniation or remove disc material. If the source of your pain is disc and nerve-root compression, different methods (epidural injection or, if needed, surgery) come into play. That is why the source of pain must be correctly identified first.

You can share your current lumbar MRI via our phone and WhatsApp line (+90 533 075 72 94), and after a preliminary assessment we can plan an in-person examination or online consultation. Determining the right method requires evaluating imaging and examination together.

Most neck herniations, if there is no emergency finding, can regress markedly with well-planned non-surgical treatment (medication, physiotherapy, posture adjustment, and a cervical injection when needed). However, this is not a guarantee for every patient; if there are signs of progressive weakness or spinal cord compression, the non-surgical method is insufficient and surgery is needed.

The neck is a sensitive region close to the spinal cord; therefore a cervical epidural injection requires experience and care and is performed under imaging guidance. Like any procedure it has rare risks, which are discussed during informed consent. The decision is made by evaluating the patient's findings and imaging together.

If there is progressive muscle weakness, loss of hand dexterity, balance/gait disturbance, signs of spinal cord compression (myelopathy), or resistant pain that seriously impairs quality of life, surgery comes to the fore and should not be delayed. In these situations, losing time with non-surgical methods may lead to permanent damage.

You can share your current cervical MRI via our phone and WhatsApp line (+90 533 075 72 94), and after a preliminary assessment we can plan an in-person examination or online consultation. Determining the right method requires evaluating imaging and neurological examination together.

Canal narrowing is a degenerative, mechanical constriction; non-surgical methods do not anatomically 'open' the narrowing. However, in many patients, with correct exercise, physiotherapy, and an epidural injection when needed, symptoms can be kept at a manageable level for years and surgery can be delayed or rendered unnecessary. If there is progressive weakness, surgery is needed.

Bending forward (flexion) relatively widens the lumbar spinal canal and makes a little more room for the nerves; that is why patients with canal narrowing find relief on sitting, bending forward, or leaning on a shopping trolley, and complaints increase on standing or leaning back. Physiotherapy programmes also make use of this mechanism.

No. The injection does not widen the narrowed canal; it aims to provide temporary relief and a window for physiotherapy by reducing inflammation and swelling around the nerve. Its effect may be temporary and does not work in every patient. It does not replace surgery in progressive neurological loss.

You can share your current lumbar MRI via our phone and WhatsApp line (+90 533 075 72 94), and after a preliminary assessment we can plan an in-person examination or online consultation. Determining the right method requires evaluating imaging and examination together.

Interventional pain treatment (algology) is a set of methods that reach the source of pain under imaging guidance with a fine needle/cannula, without open surgery (such as epidural injection, facet/RF, nucleoplasty). It is not open surgery, but these are interventional procedures with their own risks. It is not suitable for every patient; choosing the right patient and the right source of pain is essential.

No. Interventional methods do not 'repair' the disc, do not directly remove the herniated fragment, and do not widen a narrowed canal; they aim for indirect relief by targeting the pain-carrying mechanism. So success largely depends on choosing the right patient and the right method; the effect may not be permanent.

If there is progressive muscle weakness, foot drop, signs of spinal cord/cauda equina compression, loss of bladder/bowel control, or resistant pain that does not respond to interventional methods and seriously impairs quality of life, surgery comes to the fore and should not be delayed. In these situations, insisting on interventional methods may lead to permanent damage.

You can share your current lumbar/cervical MRI via our phone and WhatsApp line (+90 533 075 72 94), and after a preliminary assessment we can plan an in-person examination or online consultation. Determining the right method requires evaluating imaging and examination together.

Pure facet joint syndrome generally does not require open surgery. The main treatment is conservative methods and, when these are insufficient, interventional, non-surgical applications such as a diagnostic facet block and radiofrequency (RF). Surgery only arises when additional problems such as significant canal stenosis, instability or progressive nerve compression accompany it.

The facet block serves both diagnosis and treatment. It confirms whether the pain truly arises from that facet joint: if there is marked temporary relief after the block, the likelihood of benefiting from RF rises. If the block produces no response, the pain most likely comes from another structure, and applying RF directly would be wrong.

No, it is not correct to say 'permanent definite cure'. RF suppresses pain transmission but does not repair the facet joint. The effect may last from several months to a few years; because the medial branch nerves can regenerate over time, the pain may recur and the procedure can be repeated when needed.

You can share your current lumbar or cervical MRI via our phone and WhatsApp line (+90 533 075 72 94), and after a preliminary assessment we can plan an in-person examination or an online consultation. Determining the right method requires evaluating imaging and examination together.

The two can be confused, because both can spread to the buttock and leg. However, SI joint pain is usually one-sided, localised beside the tailbone, does not go below the knee, and does not cause marked loss of muscle strength. For a definite distinction, examination tests and, where needed, a diagnostic SI joint block are used.

In the great majority of cases, no. Treatment is predominantly non-surgical: exercise and physical therapy, and where needed injection and radiofrequency (RF). Surgery (SI fusion) is considered only in very selected patients who are correctly diagnosed and whose pain persists despite all non-surgical steps.

The SI joint block serves both diagnosis and treatment. Under fluoroscopy, a local anaesthetic is delivered into the joint; if there is marked temporary reduction in pain, it confirms that the pain truly arises from the SI joint and clarifies the direction of further treatment. If there is no response, the source is another structure.

You can share your current lumbar and pelvic MRI via our phone and WhatsApp line (+90 533 075 72 94), and after a preliminary assessment we can plan an in-person examination or an online consultation. A correct diagnosis requires evaluating examination and imaging together.

No. After a certain age almost everyone has signs of wear on imaging, and many people are pain-free despite it. The treatment decision is based not on imaging but on your real complaints, examination findings and the limitation in your quality of life.

Wear itself is not a 'reversible' condition, and most patients are managed without any surgery, with exercise and, where needed, interventional methods. Surgery is considered only for specific and serious problems the wear causes, such as significant canal stenosis or progressive loss of strength.

No. An epidural injection does not reverse wear and does not widen a narrowed canal; it aims for temporary relief of pain by reducing the inflammation around the nerve root. In the right patient it can be a useful intermediate step, but its effect is time-limited and is re-evaluated when needed.

You can share your current lumbar MRI via our phone and WhatsApp line (+90 533 075 72 94), and after a preliminary assessment we can plan an in-person examination or an online consultation. Determining the right approach requires evaluating imaging and examination together.

Most cervical spondylosis is not dangerous and is managed with non-surgical methods. However, if the wear leads to compression of the spinal cord (myelopathy), the picture becomes urgent. Warning signs such as clumsiness of the hands, balance problems, stumbling while walking, or changes in bladder-bowel control should be evaluated without delay.

Wear itself cannot be reversed, but most of the related pain and complaints can be managed with exercise, posture adjustment and, where needed, interventional methods such as epidural injection / facet RF. Surgery is considered only for marked problems such as spinal cord or nerve-root compression.

Pain, numbness or weakness radiating into the arm may be related to the wear compressing a nerve root (cervical radiculopathy). To correctly determine the source, examination and imaging must be evaluated together, and treatment is planned accordingly.

You can share your current cervical MRI via our phone and WhatsApp line (+90 533 075 72 94), and after a preliminary assessment we can plan an in-person examination or an online consultation. Determining the right approach requires evaluating imaging and examination together.

Most often, no. A vertebral hemangioma is a benign (non-cancerous) finding, and the great majority cause no symptoms, are found incidentally and require no treatment. It is regarded as an ordinary imaging finding; in most cases observation alone is sufficient.

No. An asymptomatic, typical-appearance hemangioma needs no medication, no injection and no surgery — the right approach is most often not to treat it and, if necessary, intermittent observation. Treatment is considered only for the rare cases that cause pain, weaken the vertebra, or compress a nerve / the spinal cord.

Vertebroplasty is a non-surgical intervention in which bone cement is injected into the vertebral body via a closed route, aiming to support the vertebra and reduce pain. It is not done for every hemangioma — it is meaningful only in selected, symptomatic cases that genuinely cause pain or weaken the vertebra. Vertebroplasty on a painless hemangioma is unnecessary.

You can share your current spine MRI (and CT if needed) via our phone and WhatsApp line (+90 533 075 72 94), and after a preliminary assessment we can plan an in-person examination or an online consultation. Whether a hemangioma requires observation or intervention is determined by evaluating imaging and examination together.