Bulging disc surgery, or hernia surgery, is a treatment option often presented to people who have a severely herniated disc or have lived with pain from their bulging disc for as long as they can endure it and now need more relief. This is not an option to be taken lightly and in fact there are many back specialists who won’t perform this surgery unless it is the last medical option available. The reasons are many and the information here is presented to help educated people with bulging discs on back surgery and what they can expect.

Understand the Results

There have been many studies on the results of back surgery and whether or not the end result justifies the invasiveness of the surgery. The answer is not a simple yes or no. Even with less invasive surgical options, back surgery is still a guessing game. No surgeon can, with 100% accuracy, guarantee that disc surgery, no matter what type, is going to solve the problem.

There are many different surgery options for bulging discs that doctors can offer their patients. In the past these surgeries were all very invasive and involved completely opening the back in order to reach the damaged disc. Today, there are less invasive options that use lasers and minimal cutting. While this has made back surgery less complicated, it does not mean that it has made the surgery neither a permanent answer nor even a completely successful answer.

Types of Bulging Disc Surgery

There are various types of bulging disc surgery and the most common ones are explained here:

• Discectomy: This is one of the most common types of surgery for bulging discs and essentially involves removing the bulge from the disc. Removing the bulge relieves the pressure from the spinal nerve and thus relieves the pain and neurological symptoms. The negative aspect of this surgery is the weakening of the disc after the bulge is removed. This can lead to further disc damage and more pain than before the surgery. The spine can become more unstable after the surgery than it was before the surgery.
• Laminectomy: This is basically a decompression of the spine which is performed to relieve pressure. In the case of bulging discs, it is often done in conjunction with a discectomy.
• Nucleoplasty and IDET: These are two of the less invasive surgeries used for herniated discs. Heat or radio waves are used to shrink the bulging or herniated disc and thus relieve the pressure against the spinal nerve. The procedure is far less invasive, using a micro-sized catheter to facilitate moving the heat and radio waves to the disc. This surgery requires less healing time and is preferred by many doctors. The end result leaves the disc less impacted than surgically removing the bulge.
• Disc Replacement: This is the most advanced and newest option in the area of bulging disc surgery. Back surgeons are using this to keep the spine as close to its natural shape and design and thus retain the form and function that nature builds into it from birth. This also allows the back to remain more flexible than it would with fusion and other back surgeries. Technology has spurred the design of artificial discs that can be placed between the bones once the herniated disc is removed. These discs are flexible, cushiony and perform much the same way as the natural disc did.
• Fusion: This procedure has not been the most popular among patients and yet at one time was considered the best option for bulging discs. During a fusion, the herniated disc is completely removed. The remaining bones that were once supported by disc both above and below are fused together to prevent them from abrasively rubbing together.

In theory, this is good; however, the reality is that the remaining bones in the spine must work harder with less flexibility. The end result is more herniated discs and back pain and for some patients, a never-ending chain of fusion surgeries. Additionally, the spine is drastically weakened and degeneration is practically inevitable.

These are some of the most common surgeries for bulging discs that are available today. People with back pain that have been diagnosed with herniated discs should discuss every possible option with their back specialist.

Many back doctors won’t consider surgery until all other treatment options have been explored. They know that no herniated disc surgery is perfect and that they can’t offer a guarantee that one surgery will be the only surgery necessary. In fact, the first surgery could literally be the fuse that starts a lifelong surgery chain.

Bulging disc surgery is not a split-decision surgery; it is one that should be made after careful consideration of all other options and only after understanding the risks that are involved with the surgery.

You may have heard of a herniated disk from friends, relatives, magazines, or even medical pamphlets. You may already know that they cause severe lower back pain, neck pain, and neck and shoulder pain. You could want to know if your pain comes from a herniated disk. However, you may have a few questions like:

• What is a herniated disk?
• How do I know if I have a herniated disk?
• How do I get rid of the intense pain?
• How do you treat it?
• And even how do I know what doctor I need to go to?

Although all of this may seem like a very confusing topic, it can all be simplified so that anyone can understand.

What Is A Herniated Disk?

A herniated disk in itself is very easy to understand. Between the vertebrae in your spine there are small cushion like disks (spinal disks) that sit and protect the vertebrae from rubbing against each other. As you age, or do certain types of work, the disk can start to wear away. Eventually the disk can break open, slip out of place, or bulge out. Your spinal vertebrae can then begin to rub together and put you in some pretty intense pain. This is also called a “Spinal Disk Herniation” or a “Ruptured Disk.”

Another way you can describe what a herniated disk is when a soft spinal disk ruptures or break from years of damage and wear. This can put you in intense pain, because when the disk slips, breaks, or ruptures the nerves in your spinal vertebrae rub together and become stressed and agitated.

What is a Spinal Disk?

In short, a spinal disk is the soft cushion-like disk in between your spinal vertebrae. These disks provide comfort, relaxation, relief from pressure, and nerve protection. If one is to break or rupture than all of these things are lost between two vertebrae and therefore put you in pain.

What Is A Spinal Vertebrae?

A spinal vertebrae is small circular bones that stack on top of each other to create your spine. Nerves run through these spinal vertebrae and the vertebrae protect the nerves. An adult human spine is made up of 24 of these spinal vertebrae. These vertebrae are also fragile and can cause intense pain if moved or rubbed together.

What Causes A Herniated Disk?

Inside your body a herniated disk is caused by vertebrae from your spine pressing or rubbing on the nerves in other spinal vertebrae. This can cause extreme pain in you lower back, neck, shoulders, legs, and some joints such as your knees, and elbows. If the pain is not in those places there is a good chance that the spinal vertebrae could be pushing on your bladder. If you have a hard time peeing or having a bowel movement the cause may be a herniated disk causing the disease cauda equine syndrome (Note: This is a medical emergency, and if you believe that you have this disease you need to see your doctor or local hospital staff immediately).

The things that you do that can cause a herniated disk can be pretty simple. As you age pressure is put on the spinal disks which allow it to herniate. If you sit at a desk job and have poor posture than these disks have a better chance of becoming herniated earlier in your life. You diet can also wear at your spinal disks, and even activities such as Field Hockey, running, soccer, tennis, and other back stretching exercises can wear at your spinal disks, and cause a herniated disk.

How Do I Know If I Have A Herniated Disk?

A herniated disk can put you in extreme pain, but how do you know if your back pain is truly caused by a herniated disk?  Severe back and neck pain that doesn’t go away throughout the day can mean you have a herniated disk. If you have pain in only one leg throughout the day, or pain in only one shoulder you could have a herniated disk. A pain in your legs, and neck that feels like being shocked at different points throughout the day, or pins and needles feeling in your arms, or back could also be another clue that you have a herniated disk. If you lose control of your bladder you could have a herniated disk that is causing cauda equine syndrome, and you should see your doctor or go to the hospital immediately.

How Do I Get Rid Of The Pain?

The pain that comes with a herniated disk can be intense, severe, and life hurting. One way to get rid of your pain is proscription or over the counter pain medication. These medications target the source of your pain and can dull it, but often times a severe or intense pain can still be felt with these medications. If you haven’t seen your doctor for a herniated disk you can also use yoga to help get rid of the pain. Different yoga positions can relieve the pain, and even help pop a herniated disk back into its place if it has just shifted. You can also try homemade remedies and herbal teas. These things calm you and can relax the nerves within your body, and that will also relieve the pain in your back and neck. If your neck hurts you can also use heated neck pillows to ease the pain in your neck and shoulders.

How Does A Doctor Treat and Diagnose a Herniated Disk?

When you go to a doctor saying that you may have a herniated disk a doctor will probably order an MRI or a CT Scan of the area that is causing you pain. When it is determined that you have a herniated disk the doctor can take a few options. He can either provide you with a prescription for yoga, physical therapy, massage therapy, or intense pain killers. There are also surgical procedures that can replace your disk or reposition it. If you don’t want any surgical procedure ask your doctor if there is anything else he recommends.

In the end a herniated disk may seem confusing to understand, but it is actually very simple. However, if you eat right, stay active, drink milk, and maintain good posture you can dramatically decrease your chances of getting a herniated disk. Just remember a doctor can always help you with different medical procedures not mentioned in this article. Remember to always consult your doctor before taking certain medications or doing tasks that he may deem unhelpful to your herniated disk.

Herniated discs are painful conditions that can lead to complete disability and loss of quality of life. There are many treatment options available to help with the pain associated with sciatica, a broad term covering lower back from many different sources. One of these treatment options is exercising; however it is important to know what the best herniated disc exercises are and which exercises should be avoided to prevent more pain. The information included here is provided to give a general overview of how exercise can help with the pain.

Starting Out

Before starting any exercise program to help with herniated discs, it is important to speak with or work with a physical therapist. The therapist will explain the best way to exercise and demonstrate the proper techniques for performing the exercises.

Strengthening the core muscles and the muscles in the lower back will help reduce pain and improve posture which will help with the pain reduction and at the same time help prevent further damage to the disc. The most important part of exercising is to understand how to perform the exercises so that further damage is not done to the disc. It is just as important to know what to avoid when exercising and a therapist can also help pinpoint what should not be done.

The patient should ask questions of the therapist about what exercises can be done safely from home. This should be in addition to a set of exercises that are only preformed with the therapist. The therapist will have in-depth knowledge of exercises that are safe and helpful as well as how many set and repetitions should be done and how often. The goal of the exercises is to remove the intense pressure that is pressing on the nerves and thus causing the pain.

Exercises

Many of the exercises that are recommended for herniated discs are simple, such as those described below.

• Single Knee to the Chest: Lie on a flat surface with the back firmly on the floor. Place hands behind one thigh and pull that knee toward the chest while keeping the opposite leg flat of the floor. Hold knee to chest for 30 seconds, switch to the other leg and repeat.
• Prayer Stretch: Utilizing a flat surface, lean back and place the buttocks on the heels of the feet. Lower the upper torso to the ground with the arms raised out in front, as if in prayer. Hold this position for 30 seconds and then return to the starting position. Repeat this focusing first on the right side and then the left.
• Pelvic Tilt: Lie down on a flat surface on the back. Place feet flat on the floor with the knees bent and legs pulled together. Push the lower back into the floor while tilting the pelvis, while doing this, lift the buttocks off the floor as far as possible without straining. Hold this for at least 5 seconds then lower and repeat. During this exercise is important to breathe and keep the back flat on the floor.
• Trunk Rotation: Lie flat on the back on a firm, flat surface with the feet flat and the knees bent. Rotate the trunk of the body from the right side of the body to the left and back again while keeping the feet flat on the floor. This should be a slow, concentrated movement that does not use swinging or jerking.

These exercises will help strengthen the core muscles and muscles in the back while relieving some of the pressure on the spinal column. They can be repeated as often as desired as long as pain is not being encountered.

Exercises to Avoid

In addition to exercises that are excellent for helping with herniated discs, there are also exercises that should be avoided as they will cause further damage to the disc. These exercises include:

• Twisting Exercises: Any sport or exercises that cause twisting of the torso should be avoided as most herniated discs occur in the lumbar portion of the spine. Exercises and sports of this nature include football, golf, bowling, or ballet.
• Weightlifting: Weightlifting has many sudden movements that are jerky in nature and require bending and lifting at the same time. These movements can cause shock to the spine and ultimately damage to the spine.
• High Impact Exercises: These are exercises in which the foot is forced against the ground with sudden force which causes pain to travel up the leg and into the back, including running, jogging, jumping rope, aerobics and more.

Any exercise that causes pain to the back should be avoided in order to prevent further damage to the spine and discs.

Herniated discs can be helped or harmed by exercises, the key is knowing which ones are good for the back and which ones will cause further damage.

A herniated disc can result in unending pain and even numbness and weakness in your leg, back, buttocks, arms and neck.  Without treatment, the condition can worsen, often debilitating its victim.

When too much pressure is placed on the spine’s vertebrae, it can actually push the jelly-like substance that cushions those vertebrae out of place, leaving those nerves open to inflammation. It is this inflammation that causes the spinal nerves to send pain messages to the brain.

So, what can a person experiencing this condition do to relieve their agony and fix their spinal problems?

There are many different approaches to treating herniated disc pain, but what are the best herniated disc treatment options? Here are just a few of the most common – and the most effective cures:

Medication

The first thing that most doctors will do when treating a herniated disc is put the patient on a variety of over-the-counter and prescription medications.  If the herniation is not severe, drugs like Tylenol, Motrin and Advil may help to ease your suffering by reducing inflammation and masking pain signals.  More severe cases of herniation may require prescription medications including:

NSAIDS: Non steroidal pain killers like NSAIDS can often alleviate many symptoms.  Codeine too ahs been used successfully in treating herniated disc pain.

Anti-Inflammatories are good at reducing inflammation around the spinal column, thus keeping nerves from being stimulated.

 Muscle relaxers too, such as Cymbalta can help reduce the instances of back spasms, keeping pain levels lower.

Oftentimes, doctors will prescribe a combination of all three drugs to help give the area a rest, relieve the patient’s most painful symptoms and give other treatment methods a chance to work.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy has traditionally been tone of the most popular treatments for dealing with herniated discs for decades.  By using soothing positions that help to reduce inflammation, the patient’s pain levels can be decreased significantly. In addition, the positions and exercises used during therapy treatments help to strengthen the muscles surrounding the spine, thus making it more difficult for discs to protrude outward and becoming herniated in the future.

Even after formal physical therapy treatments are finished, patients are urged to continue with their prescribed maintenance program, doing many of the same exercises which helped to repair their damaged spine to keep it remaining healthy and strong.

Chiropractics

Chiropractic manipulation is a must-do for many herniated disc patients. By systematically manipulating the spine into a more normal position, mild herniation can actually be reversed.  More severe cases may take more time for healing and additional, more gentle manipulations in order to reduce inflammation around the spine and pull the disc back into place.

Again, periodic manipulations are necessary in many cases to keep future herniations at bay.

Surgery

Treating a herniated disc with invasive surgery is not usually the optimal method of reversing symptoms; unless, of course, the condition has become so severe that it is causing prolonged numbness, tingling or weakness of the extremities.  For patients who have tried other methods of treating their herniated disc for several months and have experienced minimal benefits, surgery may be an option. Keep in mind though, that the vast majority of herniations treated in this matter recur within five years, with les than 20% of surgical patients experiencing complete and permanent relief form their symptoms.

Still, if you and your doctor believe that you are a good candidate for herniated disc surgery, then you will want to understand your options. Here are some of the most common procedures performed on herniated discs:

• Microdiscectomy – the most common and less invasive back surgery used today, miscrodisectomy allows the surgeon to repair the disc with a small incision in the back.
• Chymopapain injections – these are surgical injections that help to dissolve the disc, thus eliminating the pain.
• Microendoscopic surgery — performed through a tube rather than a traditional incision with a microscope, this procedure works as well as traditional microdiscectomy.

Homeopathic Remedies

For those who want to go a more natural route for treating their herniated disc, there are some more traditional homeopathic remedies available:

Ice

Ice can be used to help ease herniated disc pain in three different ways:

1. it helps to reduce the swelling around the nerve
2. it can help reduce overall inflammation
3. it can help to numb the aggravated area

When using ice therapy, be sure to hold the ice on the area for about 10 minutes every hour around the clock (or at least during waking hours).  Be patient though. It can take several days to feel any real relief using this method of treatment.

 Therapy Ball

Bouncing lightly on a therapy ball for 3-5 minutes every day can help to boost blood supply and oxygen levels to the affected disc and increase healing.  Not very high tech, but a safe and effective solution to beating back pain from a herniated disc.

From the simplest ice pack to the most high-tech spinal surgery, the options for treating herniated discs are as varied as the people who are in need of them. When choosing the best herniated disc treatment options, be sure to consider your own needs and wants as well as your individual comfort level in treating your back pain.

Herniated disc are nothing to scoff at and the pain they cause can be unbearable. Back surgery for herniated discs is one treatment option that many people turn to when they aren’t able to get relief from pain medications.

The idea of back surgery is a frightening one that many people have conflicting feelings about simply because they don’t have enough information about the procedure. Education about the surgery can take some of the fear out of the surgery, which is what the information here is designed to do.

Defining a Herniated Disc

The first thing that needs to be understood is the herniated disc. It is not unusual to hear of people who have the diagnosis but have no idea what it means. Discs are located in the spine and act as cushions that separate the bones in the spine. These cushions help prevent the bones from rubbing on each other during movement. These discs have a soft center known as the nucleus that is covered by the annulus.

If the annulus suffers a tear from an injury, age or simply being a weak disc, the inner nucleus leaks to the area of the annulus that has the tear and causes the disc to bulge, which is called a hernia. The end result is a herniated disc. This bulge is typically on the side of the disc that rests against the spine. This is where the nerves are located and why intense pain is associated with a herniated disc.

The pain is often felt any many other areas of the body in addition to the back. This is due to the spinal column having nerves that control many other body parts. For example, a herniated disc in the lower back can cause pain to be felt not only in the back area but also down into the legs.

The pain from herniated discs can become unbearable and actually cause disability. This is why many people turn to surgery to correct the herniated disc and live a normal life.

Back Surgery

Back surgery is sometimes an immediate need and other times an optional treatment when other treatments fail. There are usually only a few circumstances that require surgery as quickly as possible. The first is if the disc is causing loss of bowel and bladder control. The other sign that surgery is required immediately is a distinct weakness in the lower part of the body. If either of these two things occurs, a doctor must be consulted immediately.

These two incidents are the extreme cases of herniated discs and not the average person’s experience. This does not mean that surgery is not an option; it can be a pain-relieving option that allows people to get back to a sense of normalcy. There are two main types of back surgery that are performed for herniated discs. One removes the bulge from the disc and thus relieves the pressure on the nerve and the other one removes the entire damaged disc. Once the damaged disc is removed the bones from above and below the disc that are left with no cushion are fused together. This fusion prevents them from rubbing on each other during movement.

An important factor that must be taken into consideration is that there are no guarantees that the surgery will be successful and last forever. The actual success of these types of surgeries, as listed in the medical journal Spine, is around 16%. This is not a very high percentage for such an invasive surgery. In addition, there can be complications to this surgery that cause more back problems. One example of this is the added work the bones have to do when fusion is chosen. The remaining joints in the spine have to work harder due to the fused bone having limited movement. This in turn leads to other joints suffering and ultimately causing more pain.

If the bulge is removed, the complications tend to be scar tissue building up where the bulge was and the added problem of the disc being much weaker due to part of it being removed.

There are other surgeries that are being studied and in some cases used, even though they have not been completely perfected. Disc replacement is the most promising and is being performed by some of the more advanced surgeons in the field of herniated discs. This surgery may be the answer to herniated discs that will relieve the pain of thousands of people.

The bottom line is that back surgery for bulging discs is a personal decision that should be made in conjunction with the advice of a back specialist. The determining factor will ultimately be how much pain relief can be expected and how successful the doctor feels the surgery will be based on the extent of the hernia. Back surgery can be a good choice for many people, as long as they have researched it thoroughly and have an excellent surgeon.

If you have been experiencing any sort of prolonged back, neck, leg or arm pain, the odds are good that you suffer from some degree of stenosis. Spinal stenosis occurs when the nerve roots of the spinal cord are compressed, causing inflammation and pain. This can be caused by an accident, age, or an underlying illness.

Types of Spinal Stenosis

There are two main types of spinal stenosis that most people suffer from:

1. Lumbar Stenosis, which can cause sciatica and numbness and pain in the lower back and legs

2. Cervical Stenosis, which is more serious and can actually choke off the spinal cord, causing all sorts of serious issues.

Stenosis Symptoms

The symptoms of spinal stenosis can vary depending on where the stenosis is located.  For instance, spinal stenosis in the neck usually results in numbness, weakness and atingling feeling in the leg, foot, arm and/or hand. Neck and shoulder pain are also prevalent when the nerves in the neck are being compressed. . In severe cases of spinal stenosis of the neck, the nerves of the bladder and bowel can also be affected, causing incontinence.

Spinal Stenosis in the Lower Back

Spinal stenosis in the lower back (the lumbar region), usually causes cramping and pain in the legs. This becomes even more prevalent after sitting for a long time.

What Causes Spinal Stenosis?

There are a lot of things that can cause spinal stenosis and its accompanying symptoms.  Just some of the things that can decrease the space in the spinal canal and cause the compression associated with spinal stenosis include:

Age

As we age, our bones and muscles begin to deteriorate, causing all sorts of health issues.  Osteoarthritis can cause the growth of bone spurs around the spine, causing the spinal passages to become more compressed.  Disk degeneration too, can cause the jelly-like fluid between your vertebra to bulge and swell, putting painful pressure on nerve roots. Even thickening ligaments can narrow the spinal canal and compress sensitive nerve endings.

Bone Disorders

Any type of bone disorder which affects the spine can cause painful compression.  Paget’s Disease creates an environment which weakens bones (including the spine), ultimately deforming them. This, of course can cause the spine to compress and swell.

Tumors

Any abnormal growth in the spine can compress the canal, cause swelling. This will ultimately result in the unending pain of severe stenosis.

Injury

Any type of trauma that affects the spine and vertebrae can cause stenosis compression and pain.

Making a Spinal Stenosis Diagnosis

Even when a physician is sure that a patient suffers with spinals stenosis, several tests may be run to determine its extent; any damage that has resulted fro the compression to the vertebrae and nerves; and what treatments should be tried to help alleviate the patient’s pain.

Most doctors begin with an MRI or CT Scan to get a good look at the spine, vertebrae and surrounding nerves and tissues.  Sometimes, x-rays may also be needed to evaluate bone growth, possible fractures and abnormalities.

Treatment Options for Spinal Stenosis

Once a distinct diagnosis has been made, your doctor may recommend the following non-surgical treatments to alleviate your spinal stenosis symptoms:

Exercise

While exercise alone can not cure spinal stenosis, it can help it from getting worse.  In most cases, a certified physical therapist is needed to devise an exercise routine and teach the patient how to do each exercise for prolonged therapy at home.

Lifestyle Changes

When you suffer with spinal stenosis you sometimes have to relearn how to do certain activities a new way to help keep the spinal canal open and compression free. Some of the most common examples of these lifestyle changes may include sitting in a recliner chair instead of a straight backed chair; walking with a slight bend or leaning on a walker or shopping cart in lieu of walking upright; etc. The goal here is to keep the spine from compressing and creating a flare of inflammation and pain.

Epidural Injections

Injecting cortisone into the epidural space has been shown to alleviate spinal stenosis symptoms in about half of the patients who try it.  Although not a cure, it can be used to alleviate pain for several months while giving other remedies such as physical therapy or even surgery a chance to offer a more permanent solution to your pain. The biggest downside to using epidural injections for spinal stenosis relief is that a patient can only undergo 3-4 shots over a course of several months and then must wait a year or more to begin the regiment again.

When experiencing spinal stenosis symptoms, including pain, numbness, tingling and weakness of the legs and even arms, pain it is important to see your doctor for a complete workup and diagnosis. That is the only way to determine the extent of stenosis and the treatment options that will work best for

Herniated discs are painful back conditions that can cause loss of enjoyment of life or even total disability, thousands of people everyday lives with this pain, hoping for something to relieve it and give them a better quality of life. The first step in living with cervical disc herniation is to have a better understanding of the condition including what it is, what causes it, how to identify symptoms, and what the treatment options are including exercise and surgery. This knowledge will help lead to better healthcare choices while living with the condition.

What a is a Herniated Disc

Discs are natural shock absorbers that prevent the vertebrae in the spine from being damaged during natural body movement. The cushiony discs are located between each vertebra and are filled with a fluid like center, much like a round donut with a center filling.

If the disc suffers a tear, rupture or breakage due to age, improper bending and many other things, it is called a disc herniation. The herniated disk typically bulges due to the fluid from inside the center leaking to the outer area of the disc. This bulge, depending on where it is located, presses against the nerves that run throughout the spinal canal. This pressure produces intense pain that can radiate from the area of the hernia to any of the nerves that are impacted.

Recognizing the Symptoms

It is important to recognize symptoms that could indicate a herniated disc so that a back doctor can be consulted before the disc can deteriorate further. Symptoms can vary and will depend on how severe the herniation is when the symptoms begin.

Some people may not feel symptoms until the hernia is severe; however, most people will feel some discomfort at the area of the back where the disc is located. As the hernia degenerates further and pushes more intensely on the spinal canal and thus the nerves that radiate to other areas of the body, the pain will become more intense and in areas beyond the back.

The pain is often described as a shooting pain that radiates from the back and along the path of the nerve, which in cases of lower lumbar hernias can be the buttocks, thighs and all the way down the leg.

Sever herniation can cause the muscles to become numb and if treatment is not sought, weakness can increase and dangerous symptoms such as loss of bladder or bowel control can occur; although most people recognize that they need to see a doctor long before body functions are affected.

Diagnosis

If the symptoms of a herniated disc are present, a trip to the doctor is in order. Once all of the symptoms have been recorded, the doctor will perform a neurological exam to look for reflexes that are abnormal. The doctor will perform what is called a ‘positive straight leg raising test’ which will elicit pain or sensations in the leg or foot that are not normal.

If these things indicate to the doctor that a herniated disc is possible, further tests will be completed to get an accurate diagnosis. One of the next steps is to have x-rays, MRI scans or CT scans in order to see the spine more clearly and determine which disc is herniated and how severe the bulge is and where it is located.

If the doctor determines that there is a herniated disc, an elctromyogram may be ordered to discover which of the nerves are being affected by the pressure from the disc.

Treatment

Treatment for herniated discs varies based on the extent of the damage to the hernia and how severe the symptoms are for the individual. If there are no painful symptoms, the decision may be made to leave the hernia as is until pain becomes obvious.

On the other hand, if pain is already present and becoming worse as time goes on, the doctor will typically start out with pain treatment options and increase the action taken as the pain increases. Some of the treatment options include:

• Physical therapy
• Massage therapy
• Heat therapy
• Pain medications
• Steroids
• Local injections
• Anti-inflammatory medications
• Surgery

As shown here, surgery is the last option that most doctors choose for their patients. This is due the surgery not being one hundred percent guaranteed. Doctors prefer to start out with less invasive measures and move to surgery only when absolutely necessary.

Should the doctor decide that surgery is the only option left, there are many different types of surgery available, depending on the hernia and the extent of the damage.

There are invasive surgeries that remove the entire disc and fuse the remaining bones or laser surgeries that remove the bulge from the disc using heat or radio waves.
If a herniated disc is suspected, a doctor should be consulted as soon as possible to prevent further damage to the disc and prevent pain from becoming life altering.

Spinal Decompression Therapy can be one of many options that your doctor uses to help with lower back pain or neck and shoulder pain. It is not a new idea and can help immensely with a herniated disk.

What Is Spinal Decompression Therapy?

Spinal Decompression Therapy is an FDA approved, non-chiropractic, and non-surgical way to relieve lower back, neck, and even shoulder pain. It can also be used to relieve the pain after car accidents and other major spinal injuries. Decompression Therapy is non-invasive and is done in small increments. It can help reverse the consequences of bad posture, age, and stress.

How Is Spinal Decompression Therapy Done?

Spinal Decompression therapy is non-invasive, and is done in small increments. It is all done in a doctor’s office on a decompression table. You are strapped onto the decompression table, and it gently pulls on you to elongate your spine.  Over time small air pockets will appear in between your spine vertebrae, and help to reshape spinal disks. It will also allow nutrients to travel to brittle vertebrae and disks. The entire process takes about 2 and ½ hours at a time over two or three months. Everything is also set in a computer so that the therapy is done exactly to your needs.

What Are the Benefits Of Spinal Decompression Therapy?

There are many benefits to using Spinal Decompression Therapy.

1. There is no surgery needed. If you don’t feel comfortable with someone injecting you with medicine and cutting into your back this therapy is a good thing to try.
2. It is non-chiropractic. In Spinal Decompression Therapy a person is never trying to align your back. It is shown that sometimes damaged spinal disks can be damaged more by chiropractors. This therapy is a great alternative.
3. This kind of therapy helps back, neck, and shoulder pain. Without surgery, chiropractics, or physical therapy you can be completely pain free in a few months!
4. This is a relaxing process! Sitting stiffly in a chiropractic or physical therapist office can be uncomfortable. Spinal Decompression Therapy is done on a cushioned table that is adjusted for your comfort. The pulling, and vibrating they use to help you spine is also comfortable and relaxing.
5. Helps nutrients get to your spinal disks. The small pockets of air that appear after a few weeks of this therapy can help provide brittle spinal disks with the nutrients they need. If a disk is cut off from nutrients going through your body the pockets of air will trap nutrients and transfer it to spinal disks.

What Are The Risks?

Like any procedure Spinal Decompression Therapy has its very own list of risks. The process can damage certain people more than help with their back pain and it is smart to know the risks before starting the process of this therapy.

Sometimes a doctor will suggest Spinal Decompression therapy even if you don’t really need it to help prevent back pain, however there are some risks you should be aware of before starting the process f you don’t truly need it:

• Herniated disk- Using Spinal Decompression Therapy when not needed can actually lead to a herniated disk.
• Spinal Disks pushing on nerves- If you don’t need this type of therapy it can cause spinal disks to shift slightly and press on the nerves around the disk and your vertebrae.
• Brittleness-If a disk is stretched too much it can become brittle much faster than it would with normal aging process. This will cause you to need IV’s, different kinds of therapy, or even surgery to replace the disk.
• Compressed disks-Using Decompression Surgery when not needed can cause more than one disk to push against the pockets of air created, and actually compress. This cannot be reversed with the same process and must be reversed with surgery.

2. If you do need Spinal Decompression Therapy there are also some minor risks that you should be aware of and take into consideration before starting the therapy process:

If you are pregnant but need the therapy the baby could be harmed from the stretching and electric vibrations of the spinal area. You might want to wait to start the process until after the baby is born if you need the therapy.

• 86% of patients in a study in 2003 only had a slight decrease from their severe pain. If you are having truly extreme or severe pains try asking your doctor about other options beside Spinal Decompression Therapy.
• Having metal plates or screws in your back can decrease the effectiveness of this type of therapy. However, if your bone is fused together it does not affect the process at all.

Who Should Talk To Their Doctor About Spinal Decompression Therapy?

If you have slight, mild or severe back, leg, neck, or shoulder pain you can talk to your doctor about Spinal Decompression Therapy. However, this process normally is most effective for people with mild back pain or those who have come directly out of a back or spinal surgery. However, you can talk to your doctor about using this therapy to decrease the chances of getting severe back pain.

Spinal Decompression therapy, although very expensive, can be a great option for people with back, neck, shoulder, and even leg pain. Remember that this therapy must be recommended by a doctor for you to start the process. It is also an easy way to relieve your pain.

Running with a herniated disk can pose risks and benefits to the disk. If you are cautious you can heal yourself faster, and lead a healthy lifestyle without worry of severe back pain.

Is It Ok to Run With a Herniated Disk?

If you are careful regarding what distance, how you run, and how long you run, a herniated disk can be helped with running. However, if you do anything that damages or hurts your herniated disk than you could be in a lot of pain for many days, and keep that disc form healing properly. In the end it is fine to run with a herniated disk if you are careful.

Benefits of Running with a Herniated Disk

There are many benefits of running with a herniated disk, and if you run or are thinking of running you should take an opportunity to learn what you are doing that is good for your spinal disk.

1. Running can help with disk compression-Disk compression happens when your spinal disks become brittle and push your vertebrae together which pinch your nerves and can put you in extreme pain. However running can help with poster and stretching your back which can help decrease your chances of spinal disk compression.
2. Helps with posture- It is own that running can help with posture. This is very helpful with herniated disk. Having good posture can help heal the disk.
3. Fresh Air is good for the healing process- Fresh air is one of nature’s best medicines. Tests have shown that patients with herniated disks, other injuries, and certain illnesses can heal faster when exposed to fresh air, and nature.
4. Helps with healing process- Sitting alone, or lying in bed all day can increase your symptoms, and prolong your healing process. Getting active with running or other types of exercise can decrease your symptoms and even shorten your healing process.
5. Can pop a slightly herniated back into place- If you do not have a full-blown herniated disk then running can help pop the disk back into place and prevent painful symptoms and a full-blown herniated disk.
6. Strengthen disks- Tests show that running correctly with a herniated disk can actually strengthen the spinal disk and prevent it from becoming more damaged.

The Risks of Running with a Herniated Disk

Although there are many benefits to running with a herniated disk there are also some important risks to consdier. If you do not run correctly you can hurt yourself badly, and cause a lot of damage. Knowing the risks you could be up against is a smart move as a patient.

Running can cause wear and tear with certain types of herniated disks- Herniated disks such as Lumbar Disks can be worn down by frequent movement and the disks can tear further if you run. However, Lumbar Disks and other disks that should not be exposed to running only make up 10% of herniated disks. Be sure to ask your doctor which type of disk you are experiencing pain with and whether or not running will aggravate your symptoms.

1. Can cause more slipped disks- If you suffer from slipped disks or have a family history of slipped disks, running with a herniated disk will not only hurt, but can also increase your chances of slipping another disk, which can cause severe pain.
2. Herniated disks in the neck area could have unnecessary pressure put on them. With the way you stand when you run a herniated disk in your neck can have the possibility of helping build pain and tension in your neck by running.
3. You can run wrong- Without being instructed in the proper way to run with a herniated disk you can cause yourself a lot of pain and frustration that would not have been there if you hadn’t ran.
4. It may not be best for your situation-Sometimes your personal situation is not right for running. If you run without consulting your doctor you may end up hurting yourself even further; possibly even causing permanent damage.
5. Vertebrae problems- Your vertebrae can align wrong and pinch your nerves if you run the wrong way, and you can end up in more pain than you had been in before beginning this type of exercise routine. A herniated disk is very delicate, and so are the nerves they protect, so be especially careful when exerting them..

 In short, it is important to understand that while any type of exercise (including running) is important for strong bones and a healthy spine, doing so while injured must be done under supervision and medical guidance to alleviate further injury. Be sure to talk with your doctor about what you should and should not do while running with a herniated disk.

Herniated Disc

A herniated disc occurs when the outer capsule, called the annulus fibrosus, develops tears and/or cracks and the jelly-like fluid in the inside of the disc, or nucleus polposus oozes into the tears. This creates a bulging or herniation. Many people have mild bulging discs without any pain associated with it. Others experience a variety of symptoms associated with disc herniation.

Symptoms

Depending on where the disc is located, a disc herniation can cause localized pain, or pain that radiates into the extremities. If the herniation is in the neck or cervical area of the spine, pain can begin at the neck, continue into the shoulder, and down into the arms, hands and fingers. The pain can also be accompanied by numbness, tingling, and occasionally, muscle weakness.

When an individual does have pain radiating into the arms or legs, as the case may be, they will likely consult a physician to see what is going on. For additional information on herniated disc symptoms, check out webmd.com.

Initial Exam

In the initial exam a doctor will take a medical history and exam the pain site. He will also test your response to sensation, strength, and your reflexes. If the results from this examination do not point to an emergency (inability to use the arms or to walk, bowel or bladder incontinence) the doctor will likely opt for a round of conservative treatment for six to 12 weeks.

Conservative Treatment

The goal of conservative treatment is to provide relief from the pain and reduce inflammation in the injured disc. To do this the doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory medication like Advil, Aleve or a prescription medication. The doctor may also prescribe a short-term use of narcotic medication to control the pain or a muscle relaxant if the individual is experiencing muscle spasms.

In addition to medication, the doctor may ask you to reduce activity and allow the back to rest. They may also encourage the use of heat and/or cold packs to further reduce swelling and pain.

Some doctors may send you to a physical therapist to learn exercises to strengthen the muscles surrounding the spine, and learn ways of moving to prevent further or subsequent injury.

If after this time there has been little or no improvement the doctor will probably order diagnostic testing to better visualize what is happening in the spine.

Diagnostic Tests for a Herniated Disc

Testing with an MRI is the best way to see detail in soft tissue and is usually the best test for confirmation of a herniated disc. A CT scan can also be performed, especially if the doctor wants a detailed view of the bones surrounding the disc.

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) – is a test used to confirm the herniated disc and show how bad it is, and where it is located. It will help the doctor ensure you don’t have something more serious, like an abnormal mass or some type of infection. An MRI is used to study tissues like the muscles, marrow, and more.
• Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan – is another tool that can be used to help the doctor prove you have a herniated disc, pinpointing where and how bad it is. It can also look for other problems in the bones of the spine as it shows detailed images of the bony structures. A person with a pacemaker can not be given an MRI so the CR scan is used instead. Or it might be utilized if the MRI doesn’t provide enough information.

Other Testing

The tests listed below can help diagnose a herniated disc although they are not used as often. If more detailed information is needed, these tests can be utilized.

• Discography is used to help diagnose disc problems by injecting a dye into the nucleus polposus, jelly-like center of the disc.
• Electromyogram and Nerve Conduction Test is helpful to diagnose nerve and muscle disorders.
• Myelogram is an X-ray combined with a CT scan. Dye is placed in the spinal canal where it will outline the space of the spinal cord. This test is helpful if an MRI is not possible.
• Nerve Root Block is an injection of a local anesthetic next to the spinal nerve. It is used to identify the exact nerve that is being affected by the disc herniation.

Summary

Diagnostic tests, particularly the MRI and CT Scan, are used to confirm the location and severity of a disc herniation. Generally, the patient has undergone at least a six week course of conservative therapy prior to utilizing one of these diagnostic tests, unless there is a greater medical concern at the initial examination. Once the doctor has the information from these diagnostic tests, he or she can discuss treatment options, including steroid injections, physical therapy, or surgery.