A herniated disk is a condition that causes one of the disks (rubbery cushions) between the individual bones (vertebrae) that forms spine.
A spinal disk can be considered as a jelly donut. The softer center of this donut is encased inside a tougher exterior. When a part of softer jelly pushes out of the case through crack formed on the exterior, a herniated disk occurs.
A herniated disk causes irritation to nearby nerves and numbness, pain, or weakness in leg and arm. Many may not experience any symptoms from a herniated disk. In most cases, people with herniated disk do not require surgery.
Risk Factors
There are several factors contributing to the risk for disc herniation:
Poor lifestyle choices such as lack of physical activity, no exercise, use of tobacco, inadequate nutrition etc. All of these contribute to poor and deterioration of disc health.
Aging process brings in biochemical changes in the body making discs to dry out gradually, affecting strength of disc and resiliency. Aging interferes with capacity of intervertebral discs to absorb shock from movements.
Poor posture and incorrect body mechanics tends to stress lumbar spine; affecting its natural ability to carry body weight.
Diagnosis
Many individuals discover a bulging disc or herniated disc after an x-ray as they did not experience any symptoms. A visit to a doctor for pain will lead to physical exam and neurological exam. The doctor will review medical history, and enquire about symptoms experienced.
An x-ray, CT or MRI scan and myelogram are some of the processes adopted for diagnosing herniated disc.
Non-surgical Treatment
Cold Therapy - Initially, the doctor may recommend cold therapy. The therapy reduces pain, muscle spasm, and swelling during the first 24 to 48 hours.
Medications – Doctors suggest anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce swelling. A muscle relaxant is also prescribed to calm spasm. Pain-killers alleviate intense pain.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) – These are prescribed for mild to moderate pain.
Spinal Injection – This is used for severe leg pain or leg weakness. It is an epidural steroid injection with anti-inflammatory medication.
Physical Therapy - Doctors recommend physical therapy to help relieve the symptoms.
A majority of patients are relieved in 4 to 6 weeks without surgery.
Surgical Treatment
When non-surgical treatment does not work well or help with providing relief in symptoms, spine surgery becomes a necessary option. Doctors further evaluate the reason and treatment options for constant pain, weakness in leg, or loss of function. Lumbar herniated disc may lead to groin/genital numbness or bowel/bladder incontinence. However, this occurs only in rare cases. These symptoms should be attended on an immediate basis.
The specialist will explain you the purpose of the operation and results to be expected. It is wise to get a second opinion from another spine surgeon. The surgery for herniated disc usually involves a discectomy to ensure complete relief from nerve pressure and leg pain. This means the surgeon will remove all or a part (s) of the intervertebral disc.
The surgeon may conduct laminotomy to access the herniated disc via removal of a portion of the bone covering the nerve. These days, most of these procedures can be conducted with minimally invasive techniques which do not need large incisions. Only tiny cuts are required using very small specialized instruments and devices such as endoscope, microscope etc.
Prevention
Taking good care of spine will help you prevent this condition. So make sure you follow these tips to prevent possibility of developing herniated disc as far as possible:
Following the above listed prevention tips is not a guarantee that you will never develop lumbar herniated disc. However, these healthy practises are important to prevent lower back pain and complications caused by a herniated disc.
This post is written for Herniated Disc in Back – Retirning Back to Normal Life is Easy For more info visit here : premierbrainandspine.com
A spinal disk can be considered as a jelly donut. The softer center of this donut is encased inside a tougher exterior. When a part of softer jelly pushes out of the case through crack formed on the exterior, a herniated disk occurs.
A herniated disk causes irritation to nearby nerves and numbness, pain, or weakness in leg and arm. Many may not experience any symptoms from a herniated disk. In most cases, people with herniated disk do not require surgery.
Risk Factors
There are several factors contributing to the risk for disc herniation:
Poor lifestyle choices such as lack of physical activity, no exercise, use of tobacco, inadequate nutrition etc. All of these contribute to poor and deterioration of disc health.
Aging process brings in biochemical changes in the body making discs to dry out gradually, affecting strength of disc and resiliency. Aging interferes with capacity of intervertebral discs to absorb shock from movements.
Poor posture and incorrect body mechanics tends to stress lumbar spine; affecting its natural ability to carry body weight.
Diagnosis
Many individuals discover a bulging disc or herniated disc after an x-ray as they did not experience any symptoms. A visit to a doctor for pain will lead to physical exam and neurological exam. The doctor will review medical history, and enquire about symptoms experienced.
An x-ray, CT or MRI scan and myelogram are some of the processes adopted for diagnosing herniated disc.
Non-surgical Treatment
Cold Therapy - Initially, the doctor may recommend cold therapy. The therapy reduces pain, muscle spasm, and swelling during the first 24 to 48 hours.
Medications – Doctors suggest anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce swelling. A muscle relaxant is also prescribed to calm spasm. Pain-killers alleviate intense pain.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) – These are prescribed for mild to moderate pain.
Spinal Injection – This is used for severe leg pain or leg weakness. It is an epidural steroid injection with anti-inflammatory medication.
Physical Therapy - Doctors recommend physical therapy to help relieve the symptoms.
A majority of patients are relieved in 4 to 6 weeks without surgery.
Surgical Treatment
When non-surgical treatment does not work well or help with providing relief in symptoms, spine surgery becomes a necessary option. Doctors further evaluate the reason and treatment options for constant pain, weakness in leg, or loss of function. Lumbar herniated disc may lead to groin/genital numbness or bowel/bladder incontinence. However, this occurs only in rare cases. These symptoms should be attended on an immediate basis.
The specialist will explain you the purpose of the operation and results to be expected. It is wise to get a second opinion from another spine surgeon. The surgery for herniated disc usually involves a discectomy to ensure complete relief from nerve pressure and leg pain. This means the surgeon will remove all or a part (s) of the intervertebral disc.
The surgeon may conduct laminotomy to access the herniated disc via removal of a portion of the bone covering the nerve. These days, most of these procedures can be conducted with minimally invasive techniques which do not need large incisions. Only tiny cuts are required using very small specialized instruments and devices such as endoscope, microscope etc.
Prevention
Taking good care of spine will help you prevent this condition. So make sure you follow these tips to prevent possibility of developing herniated disc as far as possible:
- Take care of your posture
- Avoid smoking
- Exercise regularly
- Make healthy food choices
- Follow good body mechanics
- Take care when you're lifting something
Following the above listed prevention tips is not a guarantee that you will never develop lumbar herniated disc. However, these healthy practises are important to prevent lower back pain and complications caused by a herniated disc.
This post is written for Herniated Disc in Back – Retirning Back to Normal Life is Easy For more info visit here : premierbrainandspine.com
No comments:
Post a Comment