Blunt trauma to the spine or heavy lifting may result in displacement (herniation) of one or more intervertebral discs. The condition affects men and women by an almost equal proportion. A displaced disc usually compresses adjacent structures such as nerves. This causes pain that is experienced on the back and on one or both lower limbs. If they intend to get herniated disc pain relief Conroe residents need to understand a number of important things beforehand.
Pharmacological agents are quite effective if carefully selected. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, NSAIDs are among those that are used on a day to day basis. The benefits of these drugs are two fold; they relieve the pain and reduce any associated inflammation. Some of the drugs include diclofenac, naproxen and ibuprofen. If these prove ineffective then stronger agents such as opioids can be considered. Steroids injected directly to the site are another possible option.
Physical manipulation includes chiropractic and massage. Exercises to the back can either be done by a trained professional or by the subject. Commonly, the two are combined. It is important to discuss with your doctor whether this method will be effective in your specific case. Even when other modes of management are chosen, physical therapy remains an important component that should be included whenever possible.
Traction is another effective non-invasive method. The method involves the application of a steady pulling force along the axis of the spine. The force increases the space between vertebral bodies. This may help the displaced disc to slip back to its position. Several sessions are usually required before the pain can be relieved. This procedure is usually conducted in an outpatient facility and takes between 30 minutes and one hour. There are very few side effects if any.
Surgery is only considered as a last resort when all the non-invasive modalities have been tried with no success. The types of surgeries that are done here are also known as decompression procedures. This is because they are mainly performed to relieve the compression exerted by the disc to other structures in the spine. The operation that is performed is named depending on the part of the spine that is removed. Common examples include laminectomy, osteophyte removal and corpectomy.
Surgery is associated with a number of complications. These may either be immediate or may be seen in the long term. Some of the immediate surgical complications include excessive bleeding and injury to vital structures such as nerves. Infections may also set in. Long term complications include spinal instability particularly when an important component has been removed from the spine. Spinal fusion surgery becomes a necessity to restore stability.
There is inter-individual variability in the duration of time needed for recovery. Hospitalization may be needed for the first two to six weeks. Full recovery usually occurs in weeks to months depending on the extent of the operation. The pain may seem to worsen in the initial days but this changes in subsequent weeks and months. There are a significant number of patients who become symptom free for the rest of their lives.
There are many options of relieving back pain caused by a herniated disc. Having the diagnosis made accurately by the doctor is the first step towards getting a solution to the problem. The doctor and the patient should discuss all the possible options before settling down on one of them. What works for one patient may not necessarily be as good for another.
Pharmacological agents are quite effective if carefully selected. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, NSAIDs are among those that are used on a day to day basis. The benefits of these drugs are two fold; they relieve the pain and reduce any associated inflammation. Some of the drugs include diclofenac, naproxen and ibuprofen. If these prove ineffective then stronger agents such as opioids can be considered. Steroids injected directly to the site are another possible option.
Physical manipulation includes chiropractic and massage. Exercises to the back can either be done by a trained professional or by the subject. Commonly, the two are combined. It is important to discuss with your doctor whether this method will be effective in your specific case. Even when other modes of management are chosen, physical therapy remains an important component that should be included whenever possible.
Traction is another effective non-invasive method. The method involves the application of a steady pulling force along the axis of the spine. The force increases the space between vertebral bodies. This may help the displaced disc to slip back to its position. Several sessions are usually required before the pain can be relieved. This procedure is usually conducted in an outpatient facility and takes between 30 minutes and one hour. There are very few side effects if any.
Surgery is only considered as a last resort when all the non-invasive modalities have been tried with no success. The types of surgeries that are done here are also known as decompression procedures. This is because they are mainly performed to relieve the compression exerted by the disc to other structures in the spine. The operation that is performed is named depending on the part of the spine that is removed. Common examples include laminectomy, osteophyte removal and corpectomy.
Surgery is associated with a number of complications. These may either be immediate or may be seen in the long term. Some of the immediate surgical complications include excessive bleeding and injury to vital structures such as nerves. Infections may also set in. Long term complications include spinal instability particularly when an important component has been removed from the spine. Spinal fusion surgery becomes a necessity to restore stability.
There is inter-individual variability in the duration of time needed for recovery. Hospitalization may be needed for the first two to six weeks. Full recovery usually occurs in weeks to months depending on the extent of the operation. The pain may seem to worsen in the initial days but this changes in subsequent weeks and months. There are a significant number of patients who become symptom free for the rest of their lives.
There are many options of relieving back pain caused by a herniated disc. Having the diagnosis made accurately by the doctor is the first step towards getting a solution to the problem. The doctor and the patient should discuss all the possible options before settling down on one of them. What works for one patient may not necessarily be as good for another.
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