A herniated disc is also referred to as a ruptured or slipped part of the nucleus disc pushed outwards from the annulus area and sets in the spinal cord due to any type of rupture, tear or crack. Discs that ended up herniated more often than others are at an early degeneration stage.
Herniated Causes and Symptoms
Causes are;
- A single over-the-top strain or harm can lead to a herniated circle. In some cases, the material of the disc naturally degenerates with age. Due to this, the ligaments’ holdings start to get weak, and as the degeneration advances. A minor twist or strain can also develop into a disc rupture. Apart from this people may experience more vulnerability in cases of disc issues.
- Along with the spine, they may also encounter herniated disc problems in more areas. Various researches and studies brought up the fact that an inclination of the herniated plates may exist within families with some affected individuals.
The general symptoms of which are;
- Lumbar spine pain is lower back pain.
- Cervical spine pain is a pain in the neck.
Home remedies and Lifestyle Changes
Before taking into proper herniated disc treatment doctors recommend trying certain home remedies and Lifestyle changes such as;
- Applying hot or cold packs.
Firstly, generally, cold packs are a better option to go with. Later with pain reduction, one may switch to mild heat packs based on comfort and calmness.
- Avoiding extensive bed rest
Extensive bed rest can cause stiffness in joints weakening the muscles leading to recovery complications worsening the pain. Thus, instead of full bed rest, a comfort position of 30 minutes along with short walks should be tried.
- Resuming basic activities slowly and with one’s comfort level.
One should ensure that all the movements are resumes and started again slowly and comfortably, especially including bending and lifting.
Treatment and Surgeries
- Non-Surgical Treatments
After opting for a treatment, the first step is mainly about modifying the patient’s postures and activities, helping to avoid pain-causing movements, relieving the patients from the symptoms between some days to weeks. Initially, both doctors and patients prefer to go with Non-Surgical herniated disc treatment, with the help of Medications and Therapies.
- Pain medications and therapies
If the pain revolves around the low to moderate range, doctors generally prefer pain medication, such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or naproxen sodium. Physical therapy including, relief positions and relaxing exercises are also designed for the patient’s sake.
- Cortisone injections.
In case the pain doesn’t get any relief with oral pain medications, in that case, the second recommendation comes of corticosteroid injections. It is injected around the nerves in the targeted area.
- Muscle relaxations
Muscle relaxing treatments and exercises are prescribed in case the patient goes through muscle spasms. With muscle relaxers, dizziness and sedation are often experienced.
- Opioids
As opioids are potentially addictive and have many side effects, doctors generally hesitate to recommend them in the herniated disc treatment process. But if no other medications work, then the doctor considers the use of opioids for pain-relieving shortly. That’s because this drug can let the patient deal with extra nausea, constipation, confusion, and sedation as its side effects.
- Surgical Treatment
In cases, conservative treatments do not make any difference, doctors suggest surgery. The patient is considered for surgery if;
- The pain restricts normal activities and movements, impacting the lifestyle.
- Increment of neurological deficits like weakening of joints and legs, leading to difficulty in walking or standing.
- Loss of bladder functions affecting the normal bowel flow.
- Ineffective medication or physical therapy affecting the patient’s health
To overcome all these situations and allow the bone fusion processes a metal hardware disc is placed, providing spinal stability and a better life crossing all odds.
