Many people suffer from disabling pain due to one or more herniated disc. This condition involves the nerves and when irritated can send pain, numbness and tingling to many areas of the body making day to day life very difficult. No matter how little relief you may have gotten from pain medication and or injections other options are available to help alleviate the pain. There is more to do other than medication and injections. While these methods are fine there are proactive steps you can take to help the healing process and relieve the pain. This helps you to achieve optimal healing and relief.
3 Ways to Relieve Herniated Disc Pain
by katiem2
Herniated disc pain attacks the back making it impossible to get comfortable. The pain consumes you, learn three easy things to do at home to stop pain.
What Causes Back Pain
The agonizing pain of back injuries or damage is often unbearable, there is help to relieve that pain.
Blood Flow Issues - A big factor preventing relief is blood flow, the disc have a firm outer layer while the center is soft. The soft part is the area from which the disc gets much needed nutrition and oxygen to stay healthy. The fact that the disc of the spine has a sluggish blood supply makes it difficult to heal because blood is the main delivery source carrying what the disc needs to heal. Medication enters by way of the blood stream. Because of this disc can take a very long time to heal. You can move progress along by being proactive.
The pain and discomfort you experience comes from the nerve of the spine being pinched by the herniated disc.
This happens when the firm outer part of the disc tears and the soft center starts to push out through the tears creating a bulge in the disc.
The nerves of the spine control the entire body and the bulging disc affects the nerves and the area at which they normally exit the spine venturing throughout the body.
The pain and symptoms you experience depend on the nerves that are being affected by the herniated disc.
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What Back Pain Means
The symptoms you experience lead to the area of the back harmed or damaged causing different types of symptoms.
Example; If you experience back pain, leg pain, leg weakness, numbness, burning, problems with your bowel and bladder, etc. your herniated disc is in your low back.
You may still have numerous symptoms in other parts of your body because the affected nerve moves through you body and causes problems wherever it goes and possibly other areas along its path.
Doctors recommend medications, pain injections of steroids and epidurals ( to numb the problem area), physical therapy, and surgery (the last resort).
Many back pain sufferers report that these treatments don’t provide long term relief or cure.
3 Things to Ease Back Pain
These are tips you can do yourself at home and with little cost.
1. Therapy balls or the large balls commonly used as a work out technique to strengthen the bodies core muscles. Set on one of these large balls and gently bounce up and down for 4 minutes each day. This pumps the disc sending much needed blood and oxgyen to the area needing the nutrients mentioned early to heal the disc. This exercise delivers pain relief quicker and helps to heal the disc more quickly as well.
2. Ice, I know, I know it sound simple but it works. NOTE: do not use heat that’s the worst thing to try for this problem because it causes more swelling and pain! Using ice correctly will provide relief, so do it right! Ice will reduce the swelling around the sensitive nerve, numb the nerve and reduce inflammation so it feels better. The correct way to ice your disc is once every hour for up to 4 hours a day over a period of 3 entire days. So that’s 3 to 4 hours a day, night time while relaxing before bed is a great time, and for 3 days in a row.
Biofreeze The Best Relief for Back Pain
Biofreeze offers the quickest and most long lasting pain relief of muscle and back pain on the market.
3. Biofreeze is a prescription strength pain relieving gel that can be found online or in most chiropractic clinics and many physical therapy clinics.
- Biofreeze contains an herb called llex that reduces inflammation, swelling and quiets nerves easing pain.
- It can work for up to 4 to 5 hours and is really good for anyone experiencing pain from a herniated disc.
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What type of back pain do you have and how does your back pain effect your life?
ergonomicadvice, Thank you for the supportive and feedback
Great article. I've suffered from degenerative disc disease and have done my research. You definitely know what you're talking about.
Craig there are options other than back surgery. I've had upper back surgery myself and am in pain everyday if I don't exercise, stretch my back and be careful not to over do it. I have limitations I once did not have, I must respect those limitation to keep pain to a minimum. Back pain is excruciating! I hope the best for you and your pain management..
I have severe upper back pain from disc damage. Thanks for the good and tips they seem practcal and far better than back surgery.
Valeed, Oh yes it is so easy to become transfixed with the work of a writer, time flies does it not. We must take great measures to get up, stretch, plus start the day off stretching, yoga is my favorite way to start the day. Hunching over a lap top creates for many a sore back. The fact we can take them anywhere doesn't help as we get our backs into some compromising positions. Take good care of your back, try the ball. I have an exercise ball and love it. I've had readers tell me they set on it while the work on their lap tops, something to consider.
Good article ! I never had any problems with my back until I started spending most of my time sitting infront of my laptop. The thumbnail picture caught my attention as it indicated to the exact spot where I experience a lot of pain.
Chris, Yes I did, long story, but disc pain is real and different in each of us thankfully these home remedies work for most all of us to relieve the pain of herniated disc. Glad you found this helpful and thanks for commenting.
Ouch, you've had an extensive surgery, I've had injections, they didn't help. The doctor told me they don't work for everyone. In fact I found it to be a very negative experience. I much prefer stretching, never used a ball but my wife does for fitness. I'll have to give the ball a try. The way you've described it is helpful and makes sense. I feel I can better address my physical fitness to better address my back pain. I'm a tall man who's put a lot of stress on my back.
Miaden, Thanks great to hear you input, its great advice. I've had back surgery, I've had disc C3, C4, C5 and C6 all repaired. Exercise is vital! Rehab is important, I had physical therapy for 8 month, it was priceless, I can't say enough about the power of rehabilitation medicine.
Great article on subject that touches all of us! Modern way of living brings a lot of stress to your back. It can be funny when you discover reason for the pain in knee or foot is caused by intervertebral discus.
I would add this: Do exercises to strengthen yuor paravertebral musculature. There must be something that is going to hold those vertebra in place, lowering the physical stress on discus.
Pilates and swimming are the best you can do for your back.
NOTE: First wait for a pain to pass, and then start with Pilates, or swimming. As you said: ice and other techniques you mentioned in article, will easy the pain.
Again, you have done great job on common health issue!