Content

• Steps
• Warning

Disc herniation can be very painful. This occurs when the soft adhesive in the disc of the vertebrae escapes. Not everyone with a herniated disc will hurt, but it will hurt if the gel in the disc escapes to touch the nerves in your back. Although it may take a while, many people with disc herniations recover without surgery.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Determination of disc herniation

1. 

   Recognize the symptoms. Lumbar vertebrae and cervical vertebrae are the most common areas with disc herniation. If a disc herniation is in the lumbar region, you will experience leg pain; if you have a cervical disc herniation, you may experience pain in your shoulder and arm. Symptoms include:
   • Pain in the extremities. Pain will increase when you cough, sneeze, or move in some way.
   • Numbness or feeling like a pinch or pin. This phenomenon occurs when the nerves running to the extremities are affected by a herniated disc.
   • Muscle weakness. If your lower back area is damaged, you may be more likely to slip and fall. If the neck area is damaged, it will be difficult to carry heavy objects.

2. 

   
   
   See your doctor if you think you have a herniated disc. Your doctor will check to determine exactly where pain is coming from. You may be asked about your medical history, including recent injuries. Your doctor can check for:
   • The reflections
   • Muscle strength
   • The ability to combine, balance and walk
   • Tactile. Your doctor may try to see if you are feeling light touch or vibrations in different areas of your body.
   • Ability to raise feet or move head. These movements relax the spinal nerves. If pain, numbness, or an increase in the sensation of pinching and pinching, it may be a sign of disc herniation.

3. 

   
   
   Do imaging tests if ordered by your doctor. These tests can be used to rule out other possibilities of pain and help the doctor know the exact condition of the disc. You need to let your doctor know if you are or suspect you might be pregnant, as this may interfere with the tests your doctor will order.
   • X-ray. Your doctor may order an X-ray to determine if the pain in you is not caused by an infection, a tumor, a fracture, or if the spine is out of position. Your doctor may also order a marrow chart while taking an X-ray, where the dye is injected into the spinal fluid and displayed on an X-ray image. Your doctor will rely on that to locate the disc that can compress the nerve.
   • Computer tomography (CT scan). During the CT scan, you will lie on a table and move into the scanner. The machine will use X-rays to continuously scan the affected area. Your doctor may ask you to hold your breath for a short time to ensure a clear picture is taken. The scan is painless, but you may be asked to fast for several hours before the scan or before a contrast injection. Shooting may take approximately 20 minutes or less. The CT scan results can help your doctor determine exactly which disc is damaged.
   • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Magnetic resonance scanners use magnetic fields and radio waves to take pictures of the body. Magnetic resonance techniques are especially useful in determining exactly which disc has a herniation and which nerves could be pinched. Magnetic resonance imaging is painless, but you need to lie on a table that slides into the camera. The device makes a loud sound, so you may need to wear a headset or earplugs. Shooting may take an hour and a half.
   • It is the most sensitive but also the most expensive imaging test.

4. 

   
   
   Nerve tests. If your doctor suspects damage to the nerves, you may be asked to have a nerve conduction survey and electromyogram (electromyogram) tested.
   • During nerve conduction testing, your doctor may use a small electrical pulse to see if the signal is going to certain muscles well.
   • With electromyography, your doctor will use a thin needle inserted into the muscle to measure the incoming electrical impulses.
   • Both of the tips above can be annoying.
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Method 2 of 3: Using home remedies and making lifestyle changes

1. 

   Apply ice or a hot compress if needed. The Mayo Clinic recommends the following methods, such as home remedies for pain from disc herniation. The treatment you choose may depend on the stage of the disease.
   • During the first few days, a cold pack can help reduce inflammation and swelling. You can use an ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel and apply it to the sore area. Apply for 10 minutes, then remove to warm skin. Do not place the ice pack directly on the skin.
   • A few days later, you can use the heat to relax tense muscles. Use a hot water bottle wrapped in a hot towel or hot pack. Do not place heat source directly on skin to avoid burns.

2. 

   Be active. You may need to rest for the first few days after you have had a herniated disc, but then you need to be physically active to stop stiffness and recover faster. Talk to your doctor or a physiotherapist to find out what type of exercise is right for you.
   • Avoid activities that may make the condition worse. These activities can include carrying heavy loads, weight training or stretching.
   • Your doctor may recommend swimming, as the water will lift your body and reduce the pressure on your spine. Other options might be cycling or walking.
   • Try pelvic tilt exercises if your doctor allows it. Lie on your back with your knees up and your hands under your waist. Move your pelvis so that your back is pressed against your hand. Hold for five seconds. Repeat 10 times. If it hurts, stop and talk to your doctor.
   • Practice buttock squeezes. Lie on your back with knees up on your back, squeeze glutes and hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times. This movement is painless. Stop exercising and talk to your doctor if it hurts.

3. 

   Adjust your sleeping position. You may feel better lying down in a position where your spine and nerves are not under pressure. The doctor or physiotherapist may recommend the following patients:
   • Lie on your stomach with pillows under your stomach so your back arches. This pose can reduce the pressure on the nerves.
   • Lie in fetal position, clamping pillows between knees. Part with herniated disc above.
   • Lie on your back with a stack of pillows under the knees so that the hips and knees are bent, the shins are parallel to the bed surface. During the day you can lie on the floor and rest your feet on a chair.

4. 

   Find social support. Chronic pain can lead to depression and anxiety. Maintaining a social network will help you cope and reduce loneliness.You can find social support by:
   • Chat with friends and family. If there are physical activities that you can no longer do alone, let others help.
   • See a consultant. A counselor can help you learn coping techniques and determine if you have unrealistic expectations of your recovery. Your doctor can recommend an expert to help people deal with pain.
   • Join a support group. Support groups can help you reduce loneliness and learn coping mechanisms.

5. 

   Manage stress. Stress makes you more sensitive to pain. You can manage pain better by learning stress coping techniques. Some people find the following techniques to be effective:
   • Meditate
   • Deep breath
   • Music or art therapy
   • Imagine serene images
   • Gradually tense and relax each muscle group in your body

6. 

   Talk to a physical therapist about alternative therapies. You can change the way you move or sit to avoid worsening the condition. There are also alternatives to managing pain, but you should always talk to your doctor to make sure they are safe for you. Possible methods include:
   • Wear the brace for a short time to protect and stabilize the neck or back.
   • Stretch the spine
   • Ultrasonic treatments
   • Electrical stimulation
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Method 3 of 3: Take medications

1. 

   Treat moderate pain with an over-the-counter pain reliever. This may be the first treatment I recommend if the pain is too severe.
   • Possible medications include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) or naproxen (Aleve).
   • Although nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be very effective, they are not suitable if you have high blood pressure, asthma, heart or lung problems. Check with your doctor before taking it as these can interfere with the absorption of other medications, including herbal therapies or supplements. NSAIDs in particular are known to cause stomach ulcers. Check with your doctor if prescription medications have not worked for 7 days.

2. 

   Treat severe pain with prescription medications. Depending on your symptoms and medical history, your doctor may recommend:
   • Neurotropic drugs. This drug is increasingly used because the side effects are usually less serious than the pain reliever narcotics (anesthetic analgesic). Commonly used drugs include gabapentin (Neurotin, Gralise, Horizant), pregabalin (Lyrica), duloxetine (Cymbalta), and tramadol (Ultram).
   • Narcotics pain reliever. This medication may be prescribed by your doctor when over-the-counter medications are not strong enough and the psychoactive drug is also ineffective. The narcotics have side effects such as drowsiness, nausea, confusion, and constipation. These drugs usually contain codeine or a mixture of oxycodone and acetaminophen (Percocet, Oxycontin).
   • Muscle relaxants. Some people experience pain due to constriction of the muscles, and muscle relaxants can help in this. A common drug is diazepam. Muscle relaxants can cause drowsiness and dizziness, so it's best taken at night, before bedtime. Read the directions carefully to find out if you need to avoid driving or operating machinery while taking the medicine.

3. 

   Get a cortisone injection for pain relief. Cortisone can prevent inflammation and swelling. If necessary, the doctor can inject it directly into the pain.
   • Your doctor may also give you steroid medication to reduce swelling.
   • Corticosteroids are often used to delay or possibly eliminate surgical options. The hope is that once the inflammation has subsided, in the long run the body will naturally heal.
   • When taken in high doses for long periods of time, cortisone can cause weight gain, depression, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, bruising, acne, and infections easily.

4. 

   Discuss surgical options with your doctor. Your doctor may recommend surgery if other options aren't able to improve your symptoms, or your nerves are severely pinched. Some of the surgeries your doctor may recommend are:
   • Open discectomy. With this procedure, the surgeon makes an incision into the spine and removes the damaged portion of the disc. If the lesion is too large, the doctor may remove the entire disc. In this case, it may be necessary to reattach the vertebrae around the removed disc to stabilize the spine. This is called fusion.
   • Prosthetic intervertebral disk replacement. With this procedure, an artificial disc is replaced for the damaged disc that was removed.
   • Endoscopic laser discectomy. During the surgery, the doctor will make an incision into the spine, which is then inserted into a small tube with a lamp and camera (endoscopic device). The damaged disc is then removed by laser.

5. 

   Follow your doctor's instructions while recovering from surgery. Surgery works for most patients after surgery but requires several weeks to recover. You should be able to return to work about two weeks to a month and a half after your surgery.
   • Contact your doctor as soon as you notice any signs of complications after surgery. While rare, possible complications include infection, damage to the nerves, paralysis, bleeding, or temporary loss of touch.
   • Surgical methods worked for a while. But if the patient fuses two vertebrae, the weight is put on the adjacent vertebra, so you may need to operate again. An important question you should ask your doctor is whether you will need surgery in the future.
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Warning

• If you cannot walk or stand, muscles are too weak, or have bladder problems, you should seek immediate medical attention. This is an emergency.