If you have ever had to deal with lower back pain or weakness and pain in your legs, then you know how difficult it can be to get treatment that eases all of your pain. This condition is often caused by a herniated disc and because of the fragility of the spinal disc, it is difficult to treat without having to resort to surgery for a lasting cure. Today however, it has been shown that implementing a regimen of conservative care for disc herniation has had more beneficial results in restoring the patient's mobility and resolving the herniation as compared to any other treatment method, including surgery.
How Does a Disc Become Herniated?
A spinal disc is a flexible cushion that lies between each of the vertebrae that make up the spine and acts as a natural shock absorber to protect the spine from injury. Over time, as we age, that disc goes from being soft and pliable to a harder version, as the natural lubricant our bodies make slows and is not replaced. The outer shell of the disc will begin to degrade and if we suffer any falls or other accidents that could knock the disc about, it will shift out of place and become herniated and begin pressing on the spinal nerve.
Symptoms of a Herniated Disc
Because the disc pressing on the nerve is disrupting normal neural messaging, it can cause a host of different symptoms that may go beyond lower back pain or discomfort in the area of the spine where the pressure occurs.
Some of the more distinctive symptoms include:
Electric Shocks: Continued pressure on the spinal nerve may result in you experiencing sudden shocks of pain, similar to the jolt of touching a live wire, in areas of the body that correspond to the section of nerve that is under pressure. If the herniated disc is pressing on the nerve in the cervical area around the neck and shoulders, then you might feel the pain in your arms, running down from the shoulders to the wrist. If it is pressing on the nerve nearer the lower back or lumbar region, then the pain will shoot down the legs instead.
Numbness or Weakness: Because normal activity of the spinal nerve has been disrupted from the pressure caused by the herniated disc, it can result in the arms or legs going numb or tingling during movement. It can also cause muscle groups to lose their strength temporarily, leaving an arm or leg feeling weaker than normal.
The Conservative Care for Disc Herniation Method
Repairing the damage to the disc is a delicate matter and surgery should only be done if no other method will get the disc back into its normal place. Because it is so delicate, an alternative treatment path will often be used from the start, in hopes of shifting the disc back into place, relieving the pain, and allowing the disc to heal on its own. This treatment path will often consist of physical therapy, lifestyle adjustments, traction and medications, all designed to aid the natural healing process, and get the patient back into a life without pain.
The first step is implement simple changes to the patient's activity, incorporating periods of rest between activities, as well as avoiding any motion that will aggravate the disc further. During physical therapy, the caregiver will give the patient ice and heat treatments to relieve pain, and relax the muscles to avoid spasms. You will also be given instruction in certain exercises that you can also do at home that will strengthen and stabilize the lumbar muscles in your back, so that they can help stabilize the aggravated nerve and reduce further irritation.
Traction and Medication
As part of the conservative care for disc herniation method, the use of traction is implemented to help separate the vertebrae where the disc is located, so that it can be manipulated back into place and begin healing. It will also stretch the tissues gently to reduce pain and improve blood flow. Medications may also be used, intended to relieve short-term pain, relax the muscles, and reduce the inflammation around the disc, making it easier to shift back into place.
Want to know more about the conservative care for disc herniation treatment plan? The caring professionals at Lakeland Spine Center can get you started on the gentle path to full health, so call them today for a consultation. Also check out our new page on Conservative Care For Disc Herniation.
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