A herniated disc is a painful and debilitating condition. In addition to pain at the point of point of herniation—usually in the lower back but it can also be in the upper back as well—pain can radiate down to the legs, feet and toes when herniated material from the center of a disc puts pressure on the nerves of the spinal column. Back surgery is one way of helping to relieve the pain and pressure, but it is not the only way.
Rest and Relaxation
Depending on the cause of the herniation and the severity of the injury, as well as the age of the individual, rest can help the patient feel much better. Pain can be debilitating and fatiguing, and resting will help the patient regain strength. As painful as a disc herniation can be, rest will help resolve the problem at times.
Physical Therapy
Treatments like massage and exercise can help alleviate the pain caused by a herniated disc. However, the idea of the exercises is to promote muscle growth around the herniated disc. By making those areas stronger and building those muscles, the spine has better support so pressure can be relieved and pain can be reduced.
Anti-Inflammatory Medications
There can be significant swelling when there is a herniated disc, and that causes significant pressure. When that pressure impacts the nerves around the spinal cord, the patient can have significant radiated pain. This is particularly true of lower back injuries where the pain radiates down the legs. An anti-inflammatory medication can reduce the swelling and reduce the pressure on the nerves and spinal cord.
Muscle Relaxers
The tension caused by back pain and pressure on the spinal cord can force the patient into a chair, couch or bed and make every movement a major task. The tension created by the pain can be just as debilitating as the pain itself. The patient may have several periods where the pain is bearable, but he may be left wondering when the next spasm will hit. In those cases, muscle relaxers will help to ease the tension. The side effect of the muscle relaxer is that it will likely make the patient very tired and sleepy.
Epidural Steroid Injection
When pain and discomfort are severe, the physician may opt for an epidural steroid in a spot that is next to the herniation. This is a much more direct way of delivering medication to the area, and it can have dramatic results in 50 percent of herniated disc cases, according to author Dr. Peter F. Ullrich Jr. of the NeuroSpine Center of Wisconsin. It takes less than 10 minutes to complete the procedure, and the effects of the injection can last two weeks to four months.
