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What is a herniated disc and what are the treatments of it? A herniated disk, also sometimes called a “slipped disc” or a “ruptured disc”, occurs when the soft cushion, the disk, in between our vertebrae, is forced outside its normal space. The spinal column has seven cervical vertebrae, 12 thoracic vertebrae and 5 lumbar vertebrae. In between each of these vertebrae is a soft spongy disc that works as a cushion. A good way to picture this is to think of each of the discs as a jelly donut. The donut, disk, becomes compressed or squished and the jelly is forced to the outside of the donut. Herniated disks are painful because they cause pressure on the spinal nerves and spinal cord. Most commonly, herniated discs occur in the lumbar region. Herniated discs can be caused by a sudden trauma, such as a fall, or can occur gradually over time with continued stress and pressure on the spine. The symptoms of a herniated disc include pain, described as “electric shock” pain in arms and legs, numbness and tingling in arms and legs, and muscle weakness. Some people experience difficulty urinating or moving their bowels. Difficulty with urinating or moving bowels can be a very serious symptom and should be evaluated by a doctor immediately. Herniated discs are diagnosed usually by a physical examination by your doctor. Your doctor may also order x-rays or an MRI to help with the diagnosis. Treatments for herniated discs really depend on how severe the symptoms are. Generally speaking, the pain associated with herniated discs subsides in 4- 8 weeks. Also, often times, the outcomes of treatments are the same whether non surgical or surgical. Treatments truly depend on the severity of the symptoms you are experiencing. Most doctors will recommend trying non-surgical treatments initially. The exception to this would be if you are experiencing loss of bowel and/or bladder control or if you are having progressive muscle weakness. Non-surgical treatments include pain medications, topical treatments such as heat and cold therapy, electric stimulation and physical therapy. Surgical treatments include minimally invasive techniques as well as open decompression. |
Staff Member in Focus
 Thimios D. Partalas, DC, DACNB, BSN-RN, MSN-FNP-C, DAAPMBoard certified Nurse Practitioner with special interest in Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine and Functional Neurology Board certification in Electroneurodiagnosis (EMG/NCV) Dr. Partalas has been with Alamo Healthcare Systems since 1997. |
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