How does a discs become herniated

Once they exit the the canal at the individual vertebrae levels, they are grouped together to make up named nerves, such as the sciatic nerve. There are a lot of options for nonsurgical treatment of low back pain.

The first is physical therapy. Good physical therapy will allow for the disc to heal and to provide improvements in biomechanics and strength. Recent studies have shown that directed physical therapy is more successful than more random approaches. Often, this is enough. When the pain is too much to try physical therapy, however, epidural steroid injections can also be very helpful.

Epidural injections are safe when compared to more invasive procedures. Complications include bleeding, headaches, infections, and very rarely, injury to a nerve.

However, pain reduction can be markedly improved. Studies have shown excellent pain reduction and return to function with the use of epidural injections. The combination of these two techniques can be the most effective treatment of all — the epidural provides pain reduction and makes the physical therapy that much more successful.

What is a disc herniation? Disc herniation is a broad term describing specific changes in a lumbar disc. Overhead diagram of a lumbar spinal disc When a disc herniates , however, there has been a tear in the annulus fibrosus, and some of the gelatinous center comes out through the tear. I have an MRI report that says I have three herniated discs.

What does that mean? I have back pain and an MRI showing a disc has herniated. Depending on what nerve is pinched, it can cause pain in a variety of places.

If you have a herniated disk in your lumbar spine, the pain might come down your leg , down your butt, over the hip and down the leg, says Dr. If your herniated disk is pinching a nerve in your cervical spine, it might cause arm pain or weakness that shoots down your shoulder or upper back. The average amount of time it takes for a herniated disk to heal is four to six weeks, but it can get better within a few days depending on how severe the herniation was and where it occurred.

The biggest factor in healing a herniated disk is time, because most often it will resolve on its own. Healing time also depends on what recovery looks like for you and what type of treatment you try.

You have to fit the requirements from the physical examination and medical history. And we need to have a serious conversation about how bad the pain is bothering you and affecting your quality of life. In artificial disc surgery, an incision is made through the abdomen, and the affected disc is removed and replaced. Only a small percentage of patients are candidates for artificial disc surgery. The patient must have disc degeneration in only one disc, between L4 and L5, or L5 and S1 the first sacral vertebra.

The patient must have undergone at least six months of treatment, such as physical therapy, pain medication or wearing a back brace, without showing improvement. The patient must be in overall good health with no signs of infection, osteoporosis or arthritis. If there is degeneration affecting more than one disc or significant leg pain, the patient is not a candidate for this surgery. The medical decision to perform the operation from the front of the neck anterior or the back of the neck posterior is influenced by the exact location of the herniated disc, as well as the experience and preference of the surgeon.

A portion of the lamina may be removed through a laminotomy, followed by removal of the disc herniation for the posterior approach. Patients, who are a candidate for posterior surgery, frequently do not need surgical fusion. For anterior surgery, after the disc is removed, the spine needs to be stabilized. This is accomplished using a cervical plate, interbody device and screws instrumentation. In a select group of candidates, artificial cervical disc is an option vs.

The doctor will give specific instructions after surgery and usually prescribe pain medication. He or she will help determine when the patient can resume normal activities, such as returning to work, driving and exercising. Some patients may benefit from supervised rehabilitation or physical therapy after surgery.

Discomfort is expected during a gradual return to normal activity, but pain is a warning signal that the patient might need to slow down. The AANS does not endorse any treatments, procedures, products or physicians referenced in these patient fact sheets. This information provided is an educational service and is not intended to serve as medical advice. Joint Providership. Herniated Disc The bones vertebrae that form the spine in the back are cushioned by discs.

Symptoms may occur if the herniation compresses a nerve. A herniated disk refers to a problem with one of the rubbery cushions disks that sit between the individual bones vertebrae that stack to make your spine. A spinal disk has a soft, jellylike center nucleus encased in a tougher, rubbery exterior annulus. Sometimes called a slipped disk or a ruptured disk, a herniated disk occurs when some of the nucleus pushes out through a tear in the annulus.

A herniated disk, which can occur in any part of the spine, can irritate a nearby nerve. Depending on where the herniated disk is, it can result in pain, numbness or weakness in an arm or leg. Many people have no symptoms from a herniated disk. Surgery is usually not necessary to relieve the problem.

Most herniated disks occur in the lower back, although they can also occur in the neck. Signs and symptoms depend on where the disk is situated and whether the disk is pressing on a nerve.

They usually affect one side of the body.