Treatment FAQ

what kind of treatment is used for herniated disc

by Brandi Renner I Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Lumbar herniated disc treatments
Ice and heat therapy for pain relief. Manipulation (such as chiropractic manipulation) Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, naproxen or COX-2 inhibitors for pain relief.

Medication

While there are surgical treatment options for herniated discs, most cases respond to less-invasive forms of treatment such as medication, chiropractic care, and physical therapy. There are a variety of surgeries that can remove the portion of the nucleus that is protruding into the spinal canal, or in severe cases, the entire disc, but this costs the spine in terms of functional …

Procedures

Nov 10, 2021 · Back surgery for a herniated disc is usually seen as a last-resort treatment option. Many patients are able to find the relief they need by pursuing conservative treatment options including rest, over-the-counter medication, physical therapy, and epidural steroid injections.

Therapy

Stretching, massage therapy, and heat and ice therapies can all contribute to a comprehensive treatment plan. Corticosteroid Injections Corticosteroid injections are an alternative to oral corticosteroids for herniated disc pain. Most of the time, an injection is recommended only after other nonsurgical treatments have failed to bring relief.

Self-care

What will happen during the treatment? medication and limited activity spinal rehabilitation interventional pain management spinal manipulation spinal surgery non …

Nutrition

The type of surgery used to treat herniated discs is called spine surgery and traditionally included microdiscectomy and spine fusions until various more advanced techniques were developed, like deuk laser disc repair, to expedite recovery and operation time and improve pain relief capability.

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A herniated disc is a disc with a ruptured cartilage and protruding inner substance. This article describes herniated discs: symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Symptoms of Herniated Disc A herniated disc causes symptoms if its …

How to heal a herniated disc naturally?

The level of treatment intervention will depend on the type of herniated disc and how well the individual responds to treatment. Treatment can be separated into three categories: conservative treatments, noninvasive surgical options, and surgery. Conservative treatments. Rest. The first step in treating a herniated disc is to stop doing anything strenuous until you have seen a doctor.

How long for herniated disc to heal without surgery?

Can herniated discs heal by themselves without surgery?

How does physical therapy help herniated disc?

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What is the most common treatment for herniated discs?

Herniated Disc Treatment OptionsOral medications and/or steroid injections to reduce pain and inflammation.Physical therapy to reduce stiffness and pressure on the nerves in the spine.Hot or cold packs for pain relief.Manual manipulation, such as massage or chiropractic care.

How do doctors treat a herniated disc?

Injections. If rest, pain relievers, and physical therapy don't help with your pain, your doctor can inject a steroid medicine into the space around your spinal nerve. This is called an epidural injection. The steroid can help bring down the swelling, help you move more easily, and ease pain from a herniated disk.Jan 20, 2021

What is the fastest way to heal a herniated disc?

How to heal a herniated disc quicklyAlternate applying heat and cold.Stay as active as you can. Take walks to avoid becoming too stiff from resting too often.Try alternative treatments like acupuncture, massage, or chiropractic.Jan 27, 2022

What is the best medication for herniated disc pain?

What is the best medication for a herniated disc?Best medications for a herniated discMotrin, Advil (ibuprofen)Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugsOralOxyContin (oxycodone)OpioidOralPercocet (oxycodone and acetaminophen)OpioidOralVicodin (hydrocodone and acetaminophen)OpioidOral4 more rows•Oct 5, 2020

What happens if a herniated disc goes untreated?

Untreated herniated discs with symptoms can become more painful and debilitating as time goes on. You may also experience bladder and bowel dysfunction and saddle anesthesia, so-called because it affects the areas on your body that would touch a saddle if you were sitting on a horse.

Is walking good for herniated disc?

Absolutely. Walking is an excellent choice for patients with herniated discs, as it stimulates blood flow and oxygen to the cells. It also helps keep your discs hydrated, which is important for healing. Other low-impact aerobic activities to try are swimming and cycling.Jan 14, 2019

Is laying down good for herniated disc?

The preferred sleep position depends in part on the position of the disc. For a paracentral disc herniation (most common), people tend to do better lying on the stomach. For a foraminal herniated disc, sleeping on the side in a fetal position often brings relief.

Can a chiropractor fix a herniated disc?

Nine out of ten individuals with a herniated disc can heal their condition through non-invasive procedures. If you want to explore conservative options for recovery, chiropractic care is an excellent place to start. A chiropractor can help you heal naturally and relieve your pain.Sep 10, 2021

How painful is a herniated disc?

This pain might shoot into your arm or leg when you cough, sneeze or move into certain positions. Pain is often described as sharp or burning. Numbness or tingling. People who have a herniated disk often have radiating numbness or tingling in the body part served by the affected nerves.Feb 8, 2022

Is Tramadol good for herniated disc?

These findings suggest that the combination of acetaminophen and tramadol might be a potential therapeutic modality for patients with lumbar disc herniation.

Can cortisone shots cure herniated disc?

Corticosteroid injections can reduce inflammation and can be effective when delivered directly into the painful area. Unfortunately, the injection does not make a herniated disc smaller; it only works on the spinal nerves by flushing away the proteins that cause swelling.

What kind of doctor treats herniated disc in back?

Herniated discs are quite common and do not always need treatment. Most of the time they can be healed by rest; however, if symptoms persist, you may need to see an orthopedic surgeon near you specializing in spine surgery.

What is the most common cause of back pain?

Last Updated: 10/5/2020. Herniated discs are one of the most common causes of back and leg pain. Up to 2% of the adult population in the United States experiences pain from a herniated disc in any given year. It affects men more than women—it is most common in men between the ages of 35 and 55 years old. It can affect the lower, mid-back, ...

How many bones are there in the spine?

Your spine has 33 bones, called vertebrae. There are soft discs between them that act as shock absorbers and allow you to bend and stretch. Damage to these discs is called lumbar disc disease, which encompasses two conditions: a herniated disc and a bulging disc.

Can a herniated disc cause numbness in the back?

Thoracic herniated disc. Damage to discs in the mid-back is rare but can occur. When it does happen, the pain can travel around the rib cage, including in your chest and upper abdomen. You might have numbness, stiffness, and muscle weakness in your legs.

What causes a bulging disc?

The fluid in the center of the disc, called nucleus pulposus, dries, and the disc flattens, which can cause the outer ring to weaken. As it does, the nucleus pulposus leaks out, creating a bulge in the disc, which is often the cause of decreasing height as ...

How old is too old to have a disc herniation?

Acute disc herniation is more common in people between the ages of 20 and 40, according to Justin Park, MD, a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon with The Maryland Spine Center at Mercy Medical Center.

What is the pain in the lower back called?

It is a painful condition. In the lower back, it can cause lumbar radiculopathy, which is also known as sciatica . When it is in the neck area, sometimes referred to as cervical radiculopathy, you might have radiating pain down your arms. It rarely occurs in the mid-back or thoracic section of the spine.

How to tell if you have a herniated disc?

Sitting or standing in the same position for long hours. Smoking. According to Mount Sinai Medical Center, symptoms of a herniated disc vary depending on where the injured disc is: in the low back, upper back, or mid-back.

How long does it take for a herniated disk to heal?

Most people with a herniated disk don't need surgery. Rest and other treatments should start to improve your symptoms within 4 to 6 weeks. But if your pain doesn’t improve, surgery might be an option. Talk to your doctor about surgery if: You’re not getting relief from pain relievers, injections, and physical therapy.

How to remove a disc?

Diskectomy. During this procedure, your surgeon removes your damaged disk to relieve pressure on your nerves. They can perform the surgery in a couple of ways: 1 Your surgeon performs open diskectomy via a cut in your back or neck. 2 Microdiscectomy is done through a much smaller incision. Your surgeon inserts a thin tube with a camera on one end to see and remove the damaged disk.

What is the procedure to fuse two vertebrae?

After a diskectomy or laminotomy, your surgeon may fuse together the two vertebrae on either side of the disk to stabilize your spine. This is called spinal fusion. Fusing the two disks will stop the bones from moving and prevent you from having any more pain. Artificial disk surgery.

What is the best medicine for back spasms?

And nerve pain medicines, such as amitriptyline ( Elavil, Vanatrip ), duloxetine ( Cymbalta ), ...

How to help a back that hurts?

Rest can relieve swelling and give your back time to heal. While your back hurts, avoid exercise and other activities where you have to bend or lift.

Can you control your bladder?

You can't control your bowels or bladder. Diskectomy. During this procedure, your surgeon removes your damaged disk to relieve pressure on your nerves. They can perform the surgery in a couple of ways: Your surgeon performs open diskectomy via a cut in your back or neck.

How to stop back pain from a sprain?

You need to keep moving so your joints and muscles don't stiffen up. You can also use ice and heat to help relieve your pain. Just place an ice pack or warm wet towel on the area of your back that is sore. You can alternate hot and cold, or use whichever feels best.

How to heal a herniated disc?

Acupuncture. Acupuncture is a therapeutic technique in which doctors insert very thin needles into various points on the surface of the body. By targeting specific points along “meridians” that correspond to the nerve pathways affected by a herniated disc, acupuncture may stimulate healing by increasing blood flow.

What kind of doctor can help a herniated disc?

Your orthopedic doctor may work closely with a physiatrist, or physical medicine doctor, to recommend physical therapy. Often, physical therapy relieves pain and prevents further damage to a herniated disc. Our physical therapists at Rusk Rehabilitation and the Spine Center at the NYU Langone Orthopedic Center can recommend a treatment plan based on your daily routine, the location of your pain, and your overall health.

Why does my disc hurt when I slipped it?

Some of the pain associated with a herniated disc may be due to inflammation in the nerves and soft tissue surrounding the affected disc. When an inflamed nerve swells, it may push up against the slipped disc. By treating the inflammation with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, swelling and the resulting pain may go away.

What is the best medication for a swollen thigh?

The most common nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications are ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin. All are available without a prescription, and your doctor can recommend how best to use them.

How long does muscle relaxer last?

Muscle relaxant medications can calm spasms and ease pain, letting you move more easily. Your doctor may prescribe these medications for a week or two. After that, pain caused by muscle spasms often goes away on its own.

How long should I take pain relievers?

These medications are to be used for a week, at most; they are intended to help you feel better until a muscle relaxant or anti-inflammatory medication starts to work.

Can being overweight cause nerve damage?

If you’re overweight and have a herniated disc, this added pull on the spine may lead to nerve damage and increased pain.

A gentle conservative treatment for herniated disc: non-surgical spinal decompression therapy

Once diagnosed by a competent health professional, the treatment of herniated disc can be done, in some cases, with conservative treatment, without resorting to surgery. Our method is scientifically recognized: it is a distraction with a high-tech device that enables safe treatment.

What will happen during the treatment?

Lumbar treatment : after a comprehensive exam, allowing the clinician to determine the nature of the vertebral infringement, the patient is laid down on the table and a traction force on the lumbar spine is applied, mobilizing the segment of the spine causing the problem.

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Diagnosis

Treatment

Clinical Trials

Lifestyle and Home Remedies

Your provider will work with you to develop a care plan that may include one or more of these treatment options.
Not all herniated discs require intervention. Treatment may include medication, physiotherapy and surgery.
Medication

Analgesics: To relieve pain.

Ibuprofen


Narcotics: To relieve severe pain.

Codeine


Anticonvulsants: Treats radiating nerve pain.

Gabapentin


Muscle relaxants: To manage muscle spasms.

Metaxalone

Procedures

Spinal surgery: To correct abnormalities.

Therapeutic ultrasound: Uses heat and vibrations from sound waves to treat injuries.

Epidural steroid injection: Injection of cortisone reduces back, neck, arm and leg pain.

Therapy

Physical therapy:Minimizes pain through exercises. Stretching improves flexibility and physical function

Self-care

Always talk to your provider before starting anything.

  • Physical exercise - improves cardiovascular health
  • Heating pad - soothes painful muscles
  • Avoid bed rest and continue low impact activities

Nutrition

Foods to eat:

  • Calcium rich foods such as milk, vegetables, nuts
  • Antioxidants such as oranges
  • Omega 3 fatty acids rich foods such as salmon, fish
  • Sulphur rich foods such as onions, garlic, cabbage
  • Fiber rich foods such as whole grains, nuts, vegetables

Foods to avoid:

  • Processed foods high in nitrites such as Processed meat
  • High sugar, saturated fats, trans fat foods
  • Foods containing corn syrup

Specialist to consult

Neurologist
Specializes in treating diseases of the nervous system, which includes the brain, the spinal cord, and the nerves.
Neurosurgeon
Specializes in surgery on the nervous system, especially the brain and spinal cord.
Emergency medicine specialist
Specializes in identifying and managing illnesses or injuries requiring immediate medical attention.
Orthopedic surgeon
Specializes in the surgery of bone and joint disorders.
Primary care physician
Specializes in the acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health.

Preparing For Your Appointment

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During the physical exam, your doctor will check your back for tenderness. You might be asked to lie flat and move your legs into various positions to help determine the cause of your pain. Your doctor may also perform a neurological exam to check your: 1. Reflexes 2. Muscle strength 3. Walking ability 4. Ability to f…
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