Content

• Steps
• Warnings

A herniated disc is a very painful phenomenon. It can happen quite suddenly, for example, in an accident or overload. The hernia develops slowly, you may not even immediately realize that you have earned it. Learn how to get rid of a herniated disc at home without surgery, and what to expect if your doctor insists on surgery.

Steps

1. 1 The first step towards recovery is consulting a doctor. Regardless of the effort you are going to make to recover from a hernia, you should consult your doctor for an accurate diagnosis and plan of action.
   • A herniated disc is usually diagnosed in the later stages, when a person feels terrible pain and therefore immediately rushes to the doctor. Or the patient comes to consult a doctor on another issue, and he suddenly has a hernia. The sooner you see your doctor, the fewer problems you will have with this in the future, even if the doctor recommends bed rest for you.
2. 2 Ask your doctor about anti-inflammatory and / or pain relievers that can help reduce pain during your recovery. This applies to any drugs, up to codeine (depending on the degree of pain) and local injections of steroids (near the spinal nerves), which will help relieve inflammation.
3. 3 Next, you need to consult a physiotherapist. He will select exercises that will help you recover from a hernia. For example, a physical therapist may suggest thermotherapy and / or massage, or may recommend that you wear a corset to support your back during recovery.
   • Walk for 20-30 minutes every 2 hours indoors or outdoors to improve blood flow and oxygenation of the intervertebral disc.
   • After completing this exercise, do stretching and other exercises that your physical therapist advises. This usually takes 15-20 minutes.
   • After completing cardio and stretching, you may need to apply ice to the intervertebral disc area (or use an electroconvulsive device).
4. 4 Refrain from exertion and vigorous exercise for a while. That is, you can just walk for a long time, but at the same time do not lift anything heavy (in the event that the doctor has not recommended you to bed rest). The duration of exercise and rest is best discussed with a physiotherapist.
   • In fact, prolonged bed rest for more than 1–2 days can hinder recovery and lead to loss of muscle tone.
5. 5 Maintain a healthy weight. If you are overweight, make changes to your diet and find an exercise program that works best for you.The more weight, the stronger the load on the intervertebral discs, respectively, the higher the likelihood of a hernia.
6. 6 You can talk to your doctor who practices alternative medicine to learn more about herbal remedies or other natural remedies that can help you heal from a herniated disc. This unconventional treatment may include chiropractic care, acupuncture, and biologically active agents.
   • Some therapists believe that strong pain relievers (such as steroids) put too much stress on organs (especially the kidneys and liver), and besides, these drugs are aimed specifically at eliminating pain, and not at general recovery of the body.
7. 7 Consider surgery (microdiscectomy, i.e. removal of an intervertebral disc). But this is in case the situation is completely hopeless. Depending on where the hernia is located, the surgeon can reach it through an incision in the abdominal wall or through an incision in the back.
   • Talk to your doctor about the risks of surgery, because it happens that the surgery has to be done again over several years. The doctor should talk about your condition and give his opinion about how long it will take for you to recover.
8. 8 Be patient. Regardless of which type of treatment your doctor recommends, you must understand that recovery takes a lot of time and effort.

Warnings

• If your doctor prescribes strong medications for you, ask him about possible side effects (eg, nausea, constipation) and how to deal with them.