Doctors at NEIGRIHMS associate smoking with injury to spinal discs

Physicians from the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) in Shillong cautioned that smoking greatly raises the risk of lumbar disc herniation, also known as a slipped disc. The caution was given following a successful operation on a patient who had been referred due to a persistent lumbar disc herniation. Ateam under the direction of surgeon Dr. Bhaskar Borgohain successfully performed a tubular microdiscectomy on a hospitalized patient to relieve pressure on the S1 nerve root.

According to him, the minimally invasive treatment involved the removal of four big disc fragments. Research indicates that smoking is a risk factor for slipped discs, possibly due to damage to collagen fibers in the outer ring caused by toxic hydrocarbons in cigarette smoke. This weakens the spinal disc’s structure, making them more susceptible to rupture or herniation, especially in the lower back. Physicians at NEIGRIHMS have advised people to abstain from smoking in order to enhance general musculoskeletal health and lower the likelihood of spinal issues.