If you have lower back pain or numbness, you may have a herniated disc. Before deciding what is the best treatment for you, you should schedule an appointment with one of our back doctors at the Center for Spine Care in Dallas to help identity what is the cause of your pain.
What is a Herniated Disc?
A herniated disc is a fairly common spinal injury that results from excessive strain or some other type of trauma. It is essentially where the discs that protect your vertebrae begin to slip, bulge, or rupture — which is often an early sign of degeneration. It is important to get it checked out early not only so we can do the most to help relieve your back pain, but also to ultimately help treat the problem.
When to Seek Medical Care
You should schedule a meeting with your spine doctor if you are experiencing the following symptoms:
- Limited mobility lasting for more than two or three days
- You have been experiencing back pain that does not go away
- You have difficulty walking
- Your reflexes feel dulled
- You have lost control of your bowel movements (evaluation is urgent if such symptoms occur)
Treating A Herniated Disc
You have three options for treating a herniated disc, depending on the severity and recovery outlook:
- Medications
- Therapy
- Surgery
Medication
Tylenol is a very reliable pain relieving medicine that can be used to treat pain from a herniated disc. Other medicinal solutions for treating herniated disc pain are muscle relaxers, cortisone injections for back pain, and opioids. Talk to one of our medical professionals to figure out if prescription medication is right for relieving your herniated disc induced back pain.
Therapy
Physical therapy is one of the most effective ways to treat lower back pain from a herniated disc. Ask your spine doctor if therapy is right for you. They will be able to show you which exercises are going to be safe to do and help treat your herniated disc.
Surgery
Most people are able to treat a herniated disc with medication and therapy, however, some people need surgery if conservative treatment has already proven ineffective. The Center for Spine Care offers a number of different surgical procedures, both fusion and non-fusion, to treat your herniated disc. We use minimally invasive procedures to help eliminate pain and improve your back health.
Expectations Going Forward
It takes time for a herniated disc to heal, but with proper treatment it’s possible to treat your back pain and improve the condition of your spine. Before you come in for your appointment, take a minute to think about the following questions:
- How long have you had your symptoms?
- What do you think caused your symptoms? Were you doing any heavy lifting or pushing that could have caused a herniated disc?
- How severe is your pain? How has it impacted your ability to do the things you normally do?
- Are the symptoms improving or getting worse over time?
- Are you taking anything currently to treat your symptoms?
The most important thing to do when you suspect you may have a herniated disc is to get it checked out. From there, your spine doctor can determine what is the best treatment for you going forward. Email or call us now to schedule an appointment to find out how you can treat your herniated disc.
