Feedback from Foraminal probing of the exiting nerve and disc

 

This is a clip of gentle left sided foraminal probing conducted with the patient in the aware state and circulating analgesia (pain killers) after some scarring around the nerve has been removed.  Contrary to conventional concepts, surface probing of the irritated nerve results in the reproduction of Back Pain.  Referred pain is only caused by more sustained and deeper pressure.  The clip shows the nerve bound to the degenerate blue stained billowing disc wall causing distortion of the nerve.  Palpation of the disc wall itself did not reproduce any Back Pain contrary to expectation.  To the top left of the images, the residuum of the Superior Foraminal Ligament can be seen indenting the surface of the nerve. This impingement effect becomes greater as the disc looses height. The above feedback supports the rationale for Foraminoplasty as an alternative to Fusion, Total Disc replacement, Posterior Decompression or Microdiscectomy