What is Discography?
Discography is a diagnostic procedure in which x-ray dye is injected under gentle pressure into the discs of the spine. Based on the presence or absence of pain during the injection of dye, your doctor may be able to determine if the disc is responsible for your pain symptoms. After the x-ray dye is injected, an x-ray picture is taken of the discs. This image, called a “discogram” may be normal or may show tears (fissures) in the lining of the disc. Typically, a surgeon will request discography to determine which specific disc is the pain generator and to plan subsequent treatment. How do I know if my pain is from a damaged disc? During the procedure, your doctor will place a needle in the disk and under gentle pressure, inject x-ray contrast into the disc. This may cause pain and if the pain is the same as your baseline pain (called “concordant pain”), this will determine if the disc is responsible for your pain. How is discography performed? The procedure is done with you lying on yo
