Millions of people throughout the world are affected by low back pain. One of these discomfort causes is a herniated disc or slipped disc. When the soft centre of a spinal disc protrudes through its outer cover, it may apply pressure on adjacent nerves and result in a painful condition.
It is very important to understand how to deal with this condition to regain a normal life. The pain may be dreadful, but there are tried and tested methods of getting relief and avoiding additional issues. At Total Pain Specialist Clinic, we have successfully empowered patients to manage back pain using personalised and efficient treatment methods.
1. Rest and Activity Modification
The first time you develop disc pain is when your body needs time to heal. Nevertheless, total bed rest is not the solution. Excessive rest may make back muscles weaker and cause stiffness. The trick is to strike a balance between rest and active movements.
Do not do activities that increase pain, such as heavy lifting, bending or twisting. Instead, start exercises like short walks and stretches. Pay attention to your body and do more physical activities as you feel fit. At Total Pain Specialist clinic, we direct patients on the correct activity levels during rehabilitation to avoid aggravation of the injury.
2. Heat and Cold Therapy
Simple yet effective treatment is temperature therapy for pain and inflammation. The cold packs are most effective within the first 48 hours of the injury. They induce swallowing down and desensitisation of pain. Subsequently, heat therapy may be useful in relaxing the hypertensive muscles and stimulating blood circulation.
Use ice on a few occasions throughout the day during the acute stage. Next, alternate to heat pads or the use of warm baths to relax the muscles. Alternating cold and hot treatments is found useful by some people.
3. Physical Therapy and Gentle Exercise
Physical therapy is important in the recovery of herniated discs. There are particular exercises that can be engaged in with the advice of a trained therapist to strengthen your spinal cord and ensure greater flexibility. The exercises are used to support the vertebrae and to relieve pressure on the affected disc area.
Core strengthening exercises are especially significant. Strong abdominal and back muscles support your lumbar spine better than weak ones. It can help through swimming, walking and gentle yoga as well. Avoid high-impact activities until your symptoms improve. As specialists, we advise our patients to seek physical therapy along with our minimally invasive treatments to ensure a personalised and effective treatment plan.
4. Pain Management Techniques
A multi-approach is necessary in managing chronic pain. Inflammation and pain can be addressed with the help of over-the-counter medications. However, they must be applied with diligence and not as a permanent solution. Meditation, deep breathing, or relaxation methods also help some individuals receive relief.
Correct sleep is a part and parcel of healing. Apply pillows to adjust your back and neck and discover comfortable sleep. It is also important to manage stress since it may aggravate pain. At Total Pain Specialist Clinic, we offer holistic pain management options, which are aimed at working at both the physical and emotional levels.
5. Professional Treatment Options
Professional medical intervention can be required when measures designed to treat are insufficient. Conditions such as sciatica, spondylitis or spinal stenosis can be very specific and involve individual treatment. Symptoms brought by these conditions may include numbness, tingling, or radiating down the legs, disrupting the spinal cord’s functioning. Predisposing risk factors such as age, bad posture, and less than optimal history factors may complicate recovery.
Our treatments are minimally invasive treatments that offer successful relief without undergoing a major surgery. Our trigger point injections focus on the location of the pain, and our neuromodulation techniques are used to modulate signals of pain. These processes can enable you to resume normality at a lower recovery rate and in a shorter period.
Final Thoughts
Treating a herniated disc is not an easy task and needs time and method. Though the condition may be very painful, a majority of individuals who have it heal well under care and treatment. The trick is to begin the treatment as early as possible and continue with a detailed plan.
At Total Pain Specialist Clinic, we believe in helping patients achieve long-term relief by assisting them in the most effective, yet less invasive methods, based on their demands. Contact us today or visit our website to learn more about how our procedures can help alleviate your back pain.
Total Pain Specialist