Herinated Disc » treatment http://www.herniated-disc.net Dedicated to herniated disc information. Wed, 09 Mar 2011 16:59:17 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Herniated Disc – Overview http://www.herniated-disc.net/herniated-disc-%e2%80%93-overview/ http://www.herniated-disc.net/herniated-disc-%e2%80%93-overview/#comments Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:28:08 +0000 admin http://www.herniated-disc.net/?p=54

A person suffering from lower back, arm, neck, or leg pain may be diagnosed with a herniated disc.  In order to truly understand what this means, it is important to know what a disc is made up of and what the functions are of a healthy disc.   A disc is made up of a tough outer core and a gel-like inner material.   A disc functions as a spacer, shock absorber, and motion unit.

Functions of a Healthy Disc

When it performs its duty as a spacer, this helps the intervertebral foramen maintain a height that allows room for the nerve roots to rest without compression.  They act as a shock absorber when a person decides to jump or run, allowing the spine to compress or rebound.  They act as a motion unit, so they allow a person to flex, bend, or rotate.

Brief Description of a Herniated Disc

A herniated disc occurs when the gel-like inner material breaks through the tough outer core and compresses on the nerves that are located outside of the disc.

Causes of a Herniated Disc

There are two main causes of a herniated disc.  Wear and tear due to age is common in older patients.   A traumatic injury is another cause that could also be found in younger patients.

Symptoms of a Herniated Disc

A person suffering from a herniated disc will feel symptoms in different areas of the spine.  The spine is divided into three sections.  These are:

  • Cervical
  • Thoracic
  • Lumbar

When the nerves outside of the discs are pressed on, symptoms will occur, such as: pain, numbness, and weakness.  A common symptom is sciatica, which is most commonly found in the lower back.

Diagnosis of a Herniated Disc

Tests to be run for a herniated disc are a MRI or CT scan.  They can confirm a herniated disc or rule out any other problems.

Treatment of a Herniated Disc

Most people who are diagnosed with a herniated disc will not need surgery.   The first course of treatment will be a set of nonsurgical treatments that will be done for a period of four to six weeks.  Most herniated discs will begin to heal within this time period.

If they do not heal, surgical options may be discussed.  The traditional back surgery is not as common these days.  There are a couple of surgical options that will allow a person to have outpatient surgery without the risks of a traditional open back surgery.

Disc replacement surgery is also an option that requires a longer recovery period and has risks similar to the open back surgery.

Good Candidates for Herniated Disc Surgery

A doctor will take into consideration a number of factors that will help him/her determine if a patient will benefit from herniated disc surgery.

A herniated disc can be a painful and disabling health issue.  The good news is that most people can heal over a period of one to six months without needing surgery.  Even better news is that because of advanced technology, there are less invasive surgical treatments that allow a patient to feel relief on the same day of the procedure, as well as return to normal daily activities without pain in minimal time.

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Once a person has been diagnosed with a herniated disc, there are several options for treatment.  The doctor will begin with nonsurgical methods to treat the herniated disc.   If these treatments do not work, further discussion will be addressed for the different surgical treatment options.

The goal for treating a herniated disc is to relieve pain, weakness or numbness that occurs in the leg and lower back.  This pain is caused by pressure on a spinal nerve root or the spinal cord.  Treating a herniated disc will hopefully allow a person to return to a normal work, recreation, and activities schedule.   Treatment is also intended to help prevent another injury to the back and to reduce disability from intense back pain.

Herniated Disc Recovery Time after Treatment

Nearly 50% of people diagnosed with a herniated disc in the lower back will recover within a month.  This is because inflammation fades over time.  Most people diagnosed with a herniated disc will recover within six months.   Generally, only about 10% of people with a herniated disc have to move forward to a surgical option.

How Nonsurgical Options can Work

Doctors choose to wait for at least four weeks because many herniated discs can heal themselves. This is a process called resorption.   It occurs after the gel-like substance inside the disc breaks through the outer shell and is exposed to the other tissues.  The tissues produce chemicals that can break down the gel-like material and other disc fragments.  The body will then absorb the material and fragments over time.  This will relieve pressure on the nerve roots to eliminate the pain.

Herniated Disc Nonsurgical Treatments

  • Knowledge – Learning how to take care of the back is the key to nonsurgical success.   A doctor may recommend physical therapy, which can provide with physical or mechanical means.  An example of this would be heat or exercises that would support the lower back.
  • Rest – Rest is essential to allow the herniated disc to heal without further aggravation.  While rest is important, a doctor will likely recommend an increase in activity gradually.
  • Exercise – Keeping active with exercise is important.  Exercises to strengthen the core can help to improve the muscles of your trunk, which will help to protect the back.
  • Medication – If needed, a doctor will recommend specific medications that can help with the pain.  Medication can help to control pain, as well as inflammation.  Start off with nonprescription pain medication or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.  If these do not work, a doctor can order muscle relaxants, corticosteroids, opiods, or antidepressants.

Herniated Disc Surgical Options

For people who have severe nerve damage, severe weakness or numbness, or continuous prolonged pain, surgery is a good option that is available.  The most common surgery for a herniated disc is Discectomy.  This surgery will remove disc material through an incision.  It is mainly performed for people that have pain in the leg.  It is not generally performed for people that only have back pain.  Laser Spine Surgery is another surgical option.  It only requires a skin deep incision and is becoming more popular.

Nonsurgical is the best option.  Most people will heal over time without surgery.  For those that must have surgery, there are effective options available.

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