5 Benefits of the VIA Disc Procedure

Do you struggle with lower back pain caused by degenerative disc disease? Has medical care failed to improve your pain? If so, it’s time to learn about VIA Disc NP®.

VIA Disc NP is an innovative, nonsurgical treatment proven to heal degenerated discs. There’s even better news beyond its ability to restore the disc. After a VIA Disc NP procedure, most patients experience long-lasting pain relief.

As pain management specialists, our Alliance Spine and Pain Centers team stays current with new technology and treatments, bringing proven, safe, and effective treatments to our patients.

VIA Disc NP is one of the latest advances in treating degenerated discs in the lower back.

Let’s learn about disc degeneration

VIA Disc NP specifically targets degenerative disc disease. Learning how discs deteriorate helps you understand the immense value of VIA Disc NP.

The discs between spinal vertebrae serve as shock-absorbing cushions. They’re made of a strong outer cover that encloses a gelatinous substance called the nucleus pulposus (the “NP” in VIA Disc NP).

The nucleus pulposus contains collagen and glycoproteins, but it’s mostly water. It gradually dehydrates as you age, resulting in progressive disc degeneration.

Without enough water, the disc can’t function. Instead, it dries and flattens, making the outer cover vulnerable to cracks. The damaged disc also triggers a cascade of spinal changes.

The vertebrae rub together, bone spurs develop, nerves become pinched and inflamed, and the spine loses stability. It’s no wonder degenerative disc disease causes increasing pain, limited mobility, and, in severe cases, muscle weakness and disability.

Disc degeneration can occur anywhere in the spine but usually affects the lower back (lumbar spine) — the area targeted by the VIA Disc NP procedure.

Now, let’s learn more about VIA Disc NP.

Five benefits of the VIA Disc NP procedure

The following five benefits provide the information you need to know about what VIA Disc NP is and how it works:

Benefit 1: This is a nonsurgical procedure

VIA Disc NP is an injectable outpatient treatment. After applying a local anesthetic to the injection site (and giving you sedation if needed), we use real-time imaging to guide the needle through your skin and into the nucleus pulposus of the damaged disc.

Once the needle is in place, we inject a specially prepared mixture containing nucleus pulposus cells from a human donor.

Benefit 2: VIA Disc NP promotes natural healing

Like your original, healthy nucleus pulposus, the VIA Disc NP tissues injected into the disc can absorb water, rebuilding the cushion your spine needs. They also activate healing that regenerates new tissues and repairs the disc.

Unlike medications that mask your pain, VIA Disc NP relieves your pain by renewing the tissues, healing the disc, and restoring function.

Benefit 3: Patients experience long-lasting pain relief

You won’t notice the improvement for several weeks, but as the injected cells start working, you can expect substantial and long-lasting pain relief.

In clinical trials, most patients experienced a 70% improvement in pain and function that lasted a year. Sixty percent of patients still had a greater than 50% improvement three years after the injection.

Benefit 4: The VIA Disc NP procedure causes minimal side effects

Most people have temporary pain and soreness at the injection site. Though it’s usually mild, we recommend self-care steps to ease any discomfort.

You go home shortly after the injection and can return to your daily life. However, you should avoid strenuous activities for several days.

Benefit 5: VIA Disc NP improves your quality of life

Treatment for degenerative disc disease begins with conservative care, such as anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, and steroid injections. If your pain persists, we can evaluate your back and determine if VIA Disc NP is the next best step.

Because of how VIA Disc NP works — healing the disc and restoring function — it offers the hope of significantly improving your quality of life by reducing your pain and maintaining the results for an extended time.

Ready to learn if VIA Disc NP can help you?

Don’t put up with ongoing low back pain. Call our caring Alliance Spine and Pain Centers team or request an appointment online to learn if VIA Disc NP can improve your health and well-being.