A new laser treatment is available to help some of the millions of Americans who suffer with persistent back pain. When traditional solutions like exercise or a new mattress fail, surgery begins to look like the only way out. However, a new treatment uses lasers and helps some patients avoid the operating room.

Pain specialist Dr. Ken Reed talks to The Doctors today about the AccuraScope procedure that enables physicians to treat back pain endoscopically. Dr. Reed says the AccuraScope is especially useful in patients with slipped disc or herniated disc problems.

The physician inserts a small endoscopic tube that has a camera on the end of it to guide the doctor through the spinal canal to the area of the slipped disc or hernia. A fiber optic laser then disintegrates the bone, relieving pain and helping the patient avoid major surgery.