Symptoms
What to do if you’re experiencing bulging disc pain
- Rest. Be sure to adequately rest your neck and back to prevent further inflammation and damage. ...
- Cold pack therapy. Applying an ice pack to the affected area several times a day, 10 to 20 minutes at a time, may help reduce nerve and muscle inflammation, muscle ...
- Medications. ...
- See a chiropractor. ...
- Electric therapy. ...
- Physical therapy. ...
Causes
What are the treatments for a slipped disc?
- Keep going. If you have a 'slipped' (prolapsed) disc, you should carry on as normal as far as possible. ...
- Exercise. General exercise is very important if you have a prolapsed disc. ...
- Physical treatments. Some people visit a chiropractor or osteopath for manipulation and/or other physical treatments. ...
- Medication. ...
- Epidural. ...
- Surgery. ...
Prevention
Nonsurgical Treatments for L4-L5
- Medication. Both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications are used to help relieve pain from L4-L5. ...
- Physical therapy. Exercise and physical therapy can be modified to specifically target pain stemming from L4-L5 and the lower back.
- Chiropractic manipulation. ...
- Self-care. ...
Complications
Typically a disc will not heal itself. If a disc herniates and the patient does not take action to correct the herniation, the symptoms will likely become worse as time goes on. That being said, disc herniations come in various forms. Some cause little to no pain at all. Ultimately, treating a herniated disc boils down to controlling pain in ...
How to treat a prolapsed disc?
What is the best treatment for a slipped disc?
What is the treatment of L4-L5 disc prolapse?
Can a protruding disc heal itself?
Is prolapsed disc serious?
An untreated, severe slipped disc can lead to permanent nerve damage. In very rare cases, a slipped disc can cut off nerve impulses to the cauda equina nerves in your lower back and legs. If this occurs, you may lose bowel or bladder control. Another long-term complication is known as saddle anesthesia.
Do prolapsed discs heal themselves?
Herniated disks get better on their own over time or with nonsurgical treatment for 9 out of 10 people. If other treatments don't relieve your symptoms, your healthcare provider may recommend surgery.
Do you need surgery for a prolapsed disc?
Fortunately, the majority of herniated discs do not require surgery. With time, the symptoms of sciatica/radiculopathy improve in approximately 9 out of 10 people. The time to improve varies, ranging from a few days to a few weeks. Limit activities for 2 to 3 days.
What is the most common cause of a prolapsed disc?
In most cases, a slipped disk happens because of wear and tear, something known as disk degeneration as you age. Your disks become less flexible and are more prone to tears and ruptures. Most people cannot identify the cause of their herniated disk.
How long can a prolapsed disc last?
Most people recover from a slipped disc within six weeks without treatment. Until then there are a number of treatment options that aim to help relieve the pain and improve mobility.
Can you make a prolapsed disc worse?
Can you make a herniated disc worse? The pain from a herniated disc usually is worse when you are active and gets better when you are resting. Coughing, sneezing, sitting, driving, and bending forward may make the pain worse.
How long does it take to recover from prolapsed disc surgery?
It will take about 4 to 6 weeks for you to reach your expected level of mobility and function (this will depend on the severity of your condition and symptoms before the operation). When you wake up after lumbar decompression surgery, your back may feel sore and you'll probably be attached to 1 or more tubes.
Is L4 L5 disc bulge serious?
Most importantly, an L4-L5 disc bulge can lead to prolonged pain and other, more serious conditions like spondylolisthesis if you delay treatment. Spondylolisthesis is a condition in which a vertebra shifts or slips, and can cause significant pain that may require surgery to fix.
How long does prolapsed disc surgery take?
It may take about 1 hour. Here is an example of what you might expect: You will receive a local anesthetic so that you won't feel any pain or discomfort during the procedure.
What is the difference between a prolapsed and herniated disc?
Unlike a herniated disc, when the nucleus breaks through the annulus, a bulging disc protrudes outward but the outer layers of the annulus remains intact. However, because the disc protrudes into the spinal canal, it can still compress a nerve root. Disc bulge is also called disc prolapse.
How painful is prolapsed disc?
A 'slipped' (prolapsed) disc often causes sudden, severe lower back pain. The disc often presses on a nerve root which can cause pain and other symptoms in a leg. In most cases, the symptoms ease off gradually over several weeks. The usual advice is to carry on as normal as much as possible.
How does a disc prolapse feel?
A slipped disc (also called a prolapsed or herniated disc) can cause: lower back pain. numbness or tingling in your shoulders, back, arms, hands, legs or feet. neck pain.
Can a disc bulge heal completely?
People who have been diagnosed with a bulging disc can experience anything from a mild amount of pain to severe and debilitating symptoms. While this condition can eventually heal or be managed, it can also progress without proper treatment, leading to the need for invasive options like surgery.
How long does it take for a herniated disc to reabsorb?
How long does a herniated disc take to heal without surgery? How long a herniated disc takes to heal often ranges between six and eight weeks. Additionally, patients with this condition often heal just fine without surgery.
How do I know if my herniated disc is healing?
4:3210:43Top 7 Signs You Can Heal Your Own Sciatica/Herniated Disc - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipRight that's a good sign I was you know and and you should try some walking to see if it does getMoreRight that's a good sign I was you know and and you should try some walking to see if it does get better because sometimes it's like oh no it hurts it hurts it hurts but then once they walk a few.
How long does it take for a bulging disc to heal without surgery?
For most people who develop back pain — whether it is because of a herniated disk or due to another problem — symptoms often go away within six to eight weeks. During that time, you can take steps to ease discomfort.
The Anatomy of a Prolapsed Disc
Prolapsed discs can happen for many reasons, including injury or just due to the natural aging process. It’s not always clear what has precipitated a disc injury, but the results are often the same — pain and discomfort.
Prolapsed Disc Treatment Options
If you suspect or know you have a prolapsed disc, you should seek medical attention. Your primary care doctor can refer you to a specialist if he or she feels that your condition requires further care beyond what he or she can provide.
Non-Surgical Prolapsed Disc Treatment Options
In most cases, prolapsed disc treatment and recovery don’t require surgery. There are many treatment options available to address the pain and discomfort that often accompany a prolapsed disc.
What are the treatments for a slipped disc?
If you have a 'slipped' (prolapsed) disc, you should carry on as normal as far as possible. This may not be possible at first if the pain is very bad. However, move around as soon as possible and get back into normal activities as soon as you are able. As a rule, don't do anything that causes a lot of pain. However, you will have to accept some discomfort when you are trying to keep active, but this is not harmful. Setting a new goal each day may be a good idea - for example, walking around the house on one day, a walk to the shops the next, etc.
Where do discs prolapse?
Any disc in the spine can prolapse. However, most prolapsed discs occur in the lower back (the lumbar spine). The size of the prolapse can vary. As a rule, the larger the prolapse, the more severe the symptoms are likely to be.
What is a slipped disc?
When you have a 'slipped' (prolapsed) disc, a disc does not actually slip. What happens is that part of the inner softer part of the disc (the nucleus pulposus) bulges out (herniates) through a weakness in the outer part of the disc. A prolapsed disc is sometimes called a herniated disc. The bulging disc may press on nearby structures such as a nerve coming from the spinal cord. Some inflammation also develops around the prolapsed part of the disc. Inflammation may irritate a nerve and also causes swelling, which may put pressure on a nerve.
How old is too old to have a prolapsed disc?
The most common age to develop a prolapsed disc is between 30 and 50 years. Twice as many men as women are affected. A prolapsed disc is rare in anyone under 20 years of age. For information and advice on back pain in young people, see the separate leaflet called Back Pain in Children.
What causes a bulging disc to prolapse?
The bulging disc may press on nearby structures such as a nerve coming from the spinal cord. Some inflammation also develops around the prolapsed part of the disc. Inflammation may irritate a nerve and also causes swelling, which may put pressure on a nerve. Any disc in the spine can prolapse. However, most prolapsed discs occur in ...
How long does it take for a disc to go away?
The disc often presses on a nerve root which can cause pain and other symptoms in a leg. In most cases, the symptoms ease off gradually over several weeks. The usual advice is to carry on as normal as much as possible. Painkillers may help. Physical treatments such as spinal manipulation may also help.
Can a weakness in the disc cause a prolapse?
In people with a weakness in a disc, this may be sufficient to cause a prolapse. Factors that may increase the risk of developing a prolapsed disc include: A job involving lots of lifting. A job involving lots of sitting (especially driving). Weight-bearing sports (weightlifting, etc).
What is a prolapsed disc?
A prolapsed or herniated disc refers to the displacement of disc material beyond the intervertebral disc space. Both conditions can provoke similar symptoms, however a prolapsed disc occurs when the nucleus of the spinal disc bulges or prolapses outwards but remains contained within the annulus fibrosis. A herniated disc, occurs when the disc ...
How long does it take for a prolapsed disc to heal?
In the majority of cases a prolapsed disc will repair itself within two to three months, therefore conservative treatment methods are usually recommended to help manage painful symptoms – this typically consists of a combination of treatment methods such as pain relief medication, physiotherapy and bed rest if required.
How does a prolapsed disc feel?
Painful symptoms occur when the prolapsed or herniated disc presses on nearby soft tissue structure such as nerve roots exiting the spinal cord. The irritation or compression of any nerve root causes painful symptoms felt locally or in some cases, radiating to other areas of the body depending on the location and function of the nerve affected. Compression of the sciatic nerve in the lumbar spine for example, may cause painful symptoms felt through the buttocks and legs, sometimes as far as the feet. However, some individuals may be completely unaware of the fact that they have a prolapsed disc as it does not always cause painful symptoms.
What is the function of the intervertebral disc?
The function of the discs is to prevent the vertebrae from grinding against one another and to absorb the impact ...
Which spine is most likely to have a prolapsed disc?
A prolapsed disc can occur at any point along the spinal column but is most common in the lumbar spine – this region supports the weight of the upper body and is therefore more susceptible to the wear and tear effects of the ageing process. The cervical spine (neck) is also prone to degenerative conditions due to the greater range of motion of the neck, whereas the thoracic spine is least likely to suffer from disc related issues as it is the most stable region of the spine.
Why do discs weaken?
The effects of nicotine and other toxins found in cigarettes can prevent the discs from getting sufficient oxygen and nutrients, causing the disc tissue to weaken.
How to prevent disc problems?
Healthy living can help to prevent disc related issues. Regular exercise is beneficial for overall health as well as helping the back remain strong and supple. When lifting any heavy objects using correct technique is extremely important.
Understanding a prolapsed disc
To understand why and when certain forms of prolapsed disc treatment are prescribed, it is important to understand the nature of the condition itself.
When prolapsed disc surgery becomes an option
If neck or back pain persists even after several weeks or months of conservative and alternative prolapsed disc treatment, surgery might become an option.
How is a Prolapsed Disc Treated?
Previously, patients were instructed to rest in order to ease the pain. We now know that was wrong. Patients are likely to recover more quickly and are less likely to develop persistent (chronic) back pain by remaining active. Doctors also once told patients to sleep on a firm mattress. There is no evidence that a firm mattress is better than any other type of bed for people with back pain. Doctors now tell patients to sleep in the most natural and comfortable position, on whatever surface feels the most comfortable.
How to help a prolapsed disc?
The physical therapists can help the patient find positions and exercises that minimize the pain of a prolapsed disc. Exercise not only reduces the pain of a prolapsed disc by strengthening the muscles that support the spine, but it may also help reduce the chance of it happening again.
What Causes a Prolapsed Disc?
As we age, spinal discs lose some of their fluid content. This reduction in fluid weakens the discs and makes them less supple and more prone to splitting. Furthermore, the disc is also weakened as a result of normal wear and tear over time and by repeated movement, a part of the normal aging process.
Can you have surgery for a prolapsed disc?
A very small number of patients will need surgery. When conservative treatments fail to improve symptoms of a prolapsed disc, surgery may be the only alternative. This is especially true if the patient continues to experience:
Is It Possible to Prevent a Prolapsed Disc?
The best way to prevent a prolapsed disc is by avoiding injury to the spine. Some simple steps for doing this include:
How to treat prolapsed disc?
This is done by removing the disc material that is pressuring the nerve in the spinal column and dramatically reduces a patient’s level of pain and discomfort. Some have even reported results and noticeable pain relief in the first week of their recovery.
What are the three regions of the spine that can be affected by a prolapsed disc?
There are three different regions of the spine that can be impacted by a prolapsed disc: the cervical (neck), the thoracic (center/core), as well as the lumbar (lower).
What happens when a disc is dehydrated?
Deteriorating at an imperceivable rate, the disc becomes dehydrated and a result it loses its flexibility and becomes less durable, brittle even. When this happens the disc is unable to hold up to normal pressures exerted by vertebrae sitting above and below the affected disc. Due to this pressure, small cracks can form in the annulus fibrosus or the discs outer wall releasing the nucleus pulposus leading to a prolapsed disc.
What is the treatment for spinal injury?
In some instances a medical provider can just prescribe some medication to help with inflammation, or physical therapy to help adjust the back.
Is spinal surgery invasive?
While surgery can be frightening, the operation is minimally invasive and is performed by a spine surgeon. While surgery is usually considered a last resort, after weeks of discomfort, it is a very effective in terms of relieving patient pain and discomfort.
Is a prolapsed disc a collateral condition?
Like most degenerative spine conditions, a prolapsed disc is also life’s collateral- live responsibly. This condition is associated with the wear and tear on the spine is a part of the natural aging process. The discs of the spine contain a water content that slowly diminishes throughout life.
What happens if your lumbar disc prolapses?
If the disc has a prolapse then what happens is that the inner part of the disc, which is a jelly like substance, starts to leak and you feel pain.
What Is Conservative Treatment?
Conservative treatment is a term that is often used by healthcare professionals to describe a process of treatment that does not involve surgery. Conservative treatment is not radical in the sense that surgery is, it is about trying to treat the patient without an invasive procedure, which surgery always is.
What is the Initial Treatment?
When first diagnosed, you will probably be referred to a physiotherapist to ensure that you can be given exercise to help. However, you will probably also be given some analgesic painkillers just to ease the pain that you are experiencing in the short term.
How does a physio help with arthritis?
In the longer term, a physio will also work with patients to reduce any stiffness in the joints and patients will also be given some exercises to do at home, to keep their joints flexible, which will greatly help with the healing process.
Is it painful to have a prolapsed disc?
Anyone who has ever experienced a prolapsed disc will tell you that it is an exceptionally painful condition. Indeed, if you have ever seen anyone with a prolapsed disc, then you will also know that it is indeed very painful. But help is at hand and this articles looks at the conservative management and treatment of a ‘disc prolapsed’.
Does disc prolapse get better?
The good news is that most people who have a disc prolapse will actually get better and just because someone has had it once, they will not automatically have a recurrent bout. This is particularly true if they continue to adhere to the advice given by the physiotherapist and continue to carry out the exercises advised when the disc prolapse happened.
What is the treatment for a prolapsed disc?
The first treatment for a prolapsed herniated disc is a short rest period with analgesic medications, and for quicker recovery should be followed by physical therapy . People are seen to have a faster recovery by simply following these treatments and going back to their normal activities.
What are the prolapsed disc symptoms?
You may have a prolapsed herniated disc anywhere in your spine, from the neck to your lower back. The commonly affected area is the lower back for slipped discs.
How painful is a prolapsed disc?
When lumber disc prolapsed or slipped disc, it causes severe lower back pain. The disc frequently presses on a nerve root which can cause pain and other symptoms in a leg. In most cases, the symptoms ease off progressively over several weeks.
How long does it take to recover from a prolapsed disc?
Sometimes it’s the vice versa of the case. The agony from a prolapsed herniated disc will get progressive in a couple of days or maybe weeks.
How long does it take for a prolapsed disc to heal?
Approximately half of all patients experience a prolapsed disc will improve within 10 days, but the majority of the patients take up 4-6 weeks to recover. However, less than 10% of people will not recover even by the 12th week, where they need to consider intensive physiotherapy or surgery to improve the symptoms.
Why do intervertebral discs rupture?
Intervertebral discs may also rupture as a result of a weakening of the disc’s outer fibers. This usually occurs due to repetitive minor injuries that accumulate over time. This damage can occur with aging, hereditary factors, work-related or recreational activities. Well, there’s no such reason for the occurring of this process. But in some cases, a simple lift, twist or bend in a way can cause enough pressure on the disc which results in rupture its weakened outer fibers.
How to help back pain in overweight patients?
Diet and exercise are crucial for improving back pain in overweight patients.
