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Things to consider about herniated disk treatment
By Mayo Clinic staffRegardless of which treatment you pick, in the long run your results may be about the same. In fact, many herniated disks eventually shrink and cause no problems, even without surgical intervention.
But it's understandable that if you're experiencing pain, it's harder to imagine dealing with your discomfort for an indefinite period of time. In order to control your pain and allow your body to heal, you need to work with your doctor to come up with the best solution for you. When deciding on a treatment option, here are some things to keep in mind:
What is your current level of pain? Are you experiencing unbearable amounts of pain, or is it something that you can endure? This is a personal decision. Two people can react differently to the same amount of pain. However, how much you can stand the pain may influence how you view risks and benefits and help you decide which option to pick. Nonsurgical treatments may relieve your pain but not as quickly as surgical techniques can. If you're losing sleep, struggling to get through the workday and experiencing a lot of pain, surgery may be the best option for you.
How will your lifestyle be affected? In terms of your lifestyle, which treatment option best fulfills your needs and desires? Is there a significant event coming up that you want to be better for? If so, you may need a treatment that may provide quicker results.
Will surgery help your symptoms? Surgery is not the answer for everyone. Surgery is most effective at relieving leg pain. If back pain is your main complaint, this may not be an effective option for you. Also, there's a good chance that either surgery or nonsurgical treatment won't always rapidly relieve sensory symptoms such as numbness and tingling.
Have you done all that you can with nonsurgical options before progressing to surgery? Before you've waited four to six weeks, surgery is usually not the first option considered. Surgery becomes a higher priority when you have significant, disabling pain that is unrelieved by nonsurgical treatment measures or when your symptoms indicate a neurological emergency, such as progressive or significant weakness, or loss of bowel or bladder control. But if neither of these conditions is present, start with nonsurgical options to manage the pain and provide your body the opportunity to heal itself. Estimates range from 80 percent to more than 90 percent, but most people with a herniated lumbar disk recover without aggressive treatment.
It takes time
Remember that whichever choice you make, you have to work for your recovery, and your back may never be as good as new. In fact, if you don't take care of the injured area and rebuild its strength, you may continue to have problems with it in the future.
Though it may seem that it was just an unlucky twist that caused your herniated disk, in many cases the problem developed over months and years and was just waiting for a small event to trigger the rupture. It's important that you make proper body mechanics and your back rehabilitation a priority to avoid going through this again.
In the meantime, you do have options for taking away much, if not all, of your current pain, and it's up to you and your doctor to make the best decisions for you.
Alternative therapies for herniated disk
