Did you know that numbness, pain, and weakness in your legs, back, neck and arms can be caused by a herniated disc? The answer is yes because herniated disc Houston usually exert pressure that compresses the nerves in your spine, causing the above symptoms. For this reason, most people seek various treatment options to help alleviate pain because, at times, the pain may fail to go away even after using painkillers. Suppose you have been experiencing pain, weakness, or numbness in your neck or extremities and seek relief, you should be on the lookout for ways of treating herniated discs. Discussed below are a few ways of treating a herniated disc.
- Rest
In most cases, rest is recommended by most health care specialists because it reduces swelling and gives your back enough time to heal. If your back is hurt, you should also avoid activities and exercises that require you to bend. In such cases, you may be required to rest in bed for a while but avoid staying out of your feet for one or two days because you need to keep moving your joints and muscles so that they do not stiffen up. Heat and ice can help alleviate pain by placing them over your back.
- Medications
Over-the-counter medications like naproxen and ibuprofen can be used to alleviate pain and reduce swelling. Of importance to note is that you should not use over-the-counter medications for more than ten days without consulting a physician because when used for a long time, they may increase your risk of bleeding or heart problems, especially NSAIDs. An example of short-term medications that your care provider may prescribe is oxycodone-acetaminophen or codeine when over-the-counter medications are ineffective. You might also be given muscle relaxants to relieve muscle spasms around your back. Nerve pain meds such as amitriptyline can also be given to alleviate pain caused by damaged nerves.
- Physical therapy
Generally, some exercises can help improve the symptoms of a herniated disc. Therefore, a physical therapist teaches you the type of exercises to engage in to help strengthen muscles responsible for supporting your back. A physical therapy program may include massage, electrical muscle stimulation, strengthening exercises to make your back muscles flexible, ice and heat, aerobic exercises, and ultrasound therapy.
- Injections
Injections are usually prescribed when other forms of treatment like rest, physical therapy, and painkillers are no longer effective in alleviating your pain. For this reason, steroid injections are given directly into the spinal nerves’ epidural space. The purpose of the injection is to help reduce swelling and pain caused by a herniated disc, thus allowing you to move easily. A CT scan or x-ray is usually used to help place the injected medicine in the right spot on your spine.
- Surgery
People with herniated discs do not need surgery because other forms of treatment like rest and injection provide symptomatic relief within four to six weeks. However, if the pain fails to go away, surgery is recommended.
The continuous advancement in technology has also enabled the field of medicine to develop various ways of dealing with pain caused by herniated discs. Therefore, if you have been experiencing pain and weakness in your neck, extremities, and back and seek relief, Yancy Pain & Spine offers various treatment options to provide symptomatic relief. You can call their offices today and schedule an appointment.
