A Lawrenceburg herniated disc may incapacitate you, affecting your life quality. The herniation may result in pain, weakness, or numbness in your legs or arms. Various non-surgical treatment options like physiotherapy might help resolve the pain. Though a surgical process might be your best option when the debilitating pain fails to settle over time, the non-invasive approaches will be your doctor’s first recommendation to shrink the disc, minimizing the nerve compression.
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What causes you to have a disc herniation?
Disc herniation rarely affects children. However, the condition is common in middle-aged individuals, especially when exerting too much force on your intervertebral disc. For instance, an accident with significant force on your spinal column may cause your spinal discs to rupture or break. Thus, excess pressure on your lower back or neck can be too much for your vertebral discs to absorb. Additionally, bending also exerts pressure on your discs. As a result, bending to pick up a heavy load may also rupture your disc.
The natural aging process weakens your vertebral discs through degeneration, leaving the bones susceptible to breakage. You may also rupture your discs after repeated wear and tear that weakens your discs over time. However, not everyone with a herniation has issues with disc degeneration.
Additionally, a herniation may also result from poor posture. When your postural muscles tire, your shoulders tend to curve forward, forcing your head to drift along. Eventually, the excess tension may result in disc weakness, muscle tightness, and ligament inflammation.
What are the possible symptoms you might have with a herniated disc?
The primary symptom you are likely to have when you have a herniation is radiating pain that may travel into either of your arms or legs or both. You might also have feel muscle weakness, loss of reflex, or a numbness or tingling sensation in your extremities. Your symptoms will occur in the specific place you have the herniation and the nearby structures affected by the herniation. The location of your symptoms may be beneficial in helping your healthcare have a proper diagnosis and treatment.
How can you minimize your chances of having a disc herniation?
Like any other joint in your body, there are various preventive measures your doctor may recommend to enhance your spinal joints’ health. The medical expert may suggest a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D and exercises likely to strengthen your back. You might also need to maintain a healthy body weight to prevent exerting excess pressure on your vertebral discs.
Can a herniated disc resolve without a surgical procedure?
Yes. Most disc herniations do not need surgical treatments. Your doctor can help you manage the condition with various other therapies, including massage, medications, regular exercises, and physiotherapy. The approaches may help the herniated disc shrink in size, causing it to minimize the pressure on your nerves. Though movement might be strenuous with a herniated disc, the medical professional will discourage you from taking extensive rests because being inactive may weaken your muscles, worsening the situation.
A severe disc herniation may result in permanent nerve damage when you fail to contact a professional for medical attention. Contact your Elite Physical Medicine doctor when you start noticing symptoms like numbness or tingling sensations in your arms or legs.