What do y ou do for a herniated disc in your back?

Answer 1

Herniated Disk
Also known as: ruptured disk, herniated nucleus pulposus, prolapsed disk, ruptured intervertebral disk, or slipped disk.

What is it?
A herniated disk is a common cause of lower back pain. Disks are round, flat, plate-like structures between the vertebrae (back bones) in the spinal column. They have a tough covering over a soft, gelatinous inside (nucleus pulposus), and their purpose is to cushion the back bones and allow the back to flex. A hernia is a tear in the covering of the disk that allows the soft interior to bulge out.

Who gets it?
A herniated disk is more likely to occur in people between the ages of 20 and 50, with a higher occurrence in men. People whose professions require a great deal of heavy lifting and people who are obese are at greater risk.

What causes it?
A herniated disk can be caused by any type of intense pressure on the disk by the vertebrae above and below it. This could be caused by lifting a heavy object improperly, by sudden twisting, by a weakening of the disk covering that occurs with age, or by traumatic injury to the back area. Obesity can also put pressure on the disks, and smoking can contribute to degeneration of the disk material. When the soft interior of the disk bulges out, it places pressure on the nearby nerves of the spinal cord.

What are the symptoms?
The most common symptom of a herniated disk is lower back pain following a fall, injury to the back, or after lifting a heavy object. The path the pain follows depends upon which disk is herniated and which spinal nerve is inflamed or damaged. Pain that radiates from the lower back area, through the hip or buttocks, and down the back of the thigh to the knee or the whole way to the foot is a sign of sciatica. Sciatica is caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve, which follows this path on either side of the body. Other symptoms of a herniated disk can include a tingling or numb sensation in a leg or loss of bladder or bowel control.

How is it diagnosed?
To diagnose a herniated disk, your doctor will study your medical history, ask about what you were doing at the time the pain developed, and ask you to describe the location of the pain. He or she will perform a thorough physical examination. You may also have x-rays of the spinal area, or your doctor may order:

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or Computed Tomography (CT) scans to determine where and how badly the disk is damaged.
Myelography, in which dye or air is injected into the spinal canal before x-rays are taken.
An electromyogram (EMG), which measures the muscle’s electrical activity of and reveals nerve damage.
What is the treatment?
In most cases, a herniated disk will heal on its own with around two days of bed rest, over-the-counter pain relievers to help with the discomfort, and anti-inflammatory medications. Your doctor will recommend how and when to treat the condition with cold or heat packs, and when you can gradually resume activity. You will need to avoid any type of lifting until the injury has healed. It is extremely important to learn to lift objects properly to avoid re-injury. Some patients who do not recover with this treatment require injections of an anti-inflammatory medication into the spinal area. If the disk has fragmented, your doctor may recommend surgery to remove the pieces of the disk that are compressing the nerve. There are many types of surgical techniques for repairing a herniated disk. With a laminectomy, the surgeon removes any fragments of the disk that are pressing on the nerve, as well as a part of the vertebra called the lamina. Microsurgical techniques require smaller incisions and only a local anesthetic. Some types of herniated disk surgeries can be performed on an outpatient basis. The extent of your injury, as well as your age and overall health, will help determine the type of surgery that is best for you. Surgery is followed by physical therapy to strengthen the back and help you resume normal activities.

Self-care tips
You can help prevent a herniated disk by avoiding sudden twisting motions, learning to lift heavy objects properly, or avoiding heavy lifting. If your job requires frequent heavy lifting, make sure you wear a protective back supporting device while on the job. A strong and flexible lower back, strong abdominal muscles, and good posture go a long way in preventing back injuries. Your doctor can recommend an exercise program that is right for you. If you are overweight, ask your doctor to recommend a healthy weight loss program. Avoid smoking to preserve your overall health.

Self-Care at Home
Minor cases can be handled at home in consultation with your doctor. Treatment will likely include application of hot or cold packs, limited activity (although strict bed rest is not generally advised), and basic pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). As your condition improves, specific back stretching or strengthening exercises may be suggested.

Answer 2

Lay down, try to keep the pressure of gravity to work with you, not against you.

Turn over and lay on your belly for half an hour. This will sometimes allow some of the gelatenous fluid make it's way back into your discs (thus separating them and not causing undue pressure (i.e., herniation)).

Answer 3

Well, in fact you can get rid of the problem.

Go for a manual one-time treatment called Atlasprofilax. The spine is set straight, and the pressure on the discs is distributed much better so they can recover in some time.

And it's really worth travelling far - at present, the treatment is available in California and Europe, costing around 200 Dollars. Good luck!

Answer 4

Chiropractor and a firm bed helped my hubby not to mention sitting in firm chair and never putting wallet in back pocket. Depends on how bad surgery if real bad. Good luck

Answer 5

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Answer 6

Depending on how far along it is you can try physical therapy. I went through surgery for my back and would only recommend that for the extreme case....it was a long recovery process for me.

Answer 7

Depends on how bad it is. Sometimes physical therapy helps, and sometimes surgery is the only option.

Answer 8

Have surgery or learn to live with a lot of pain.