The researchers conclude that warm needle acupuncture is a highly effective tool in the treatment of lumbar disc herniations. Nantong Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine researchers conclude that acupuncture is effective in treating post-operative pain following surgery for lumbar disc herniations.
Pain due to a herniated disc can be effectively reduced by regular acupuncture treatment, while Chinese herbs and therapeutic massage can help bring healing to the nerves and spine, and help prevent future problems with herniated disc and sciatica.
Treatment with rest, pain medication, spinal injections, and physical therapy is the first step to recovery. Most people improve in 6 weeks and return to normal activity. If symptoms continue, surgery may be recommended.
Most (80-90%) cases involving bulging or herniated discs will heal within 2-4 months, depending on the severity of the injury, as well as your age and overall health.
Non-surgical treatments can include physical therapy or bracing to try and gradually ease the bulging disc back into its rightful place. When these conservative options fail, and there is still a lot of pain, a minimally invasive surgical procedure can be used to correct the bulging disc.
An L4-L5 disc bulge or slip-disc (slipped disc) pinches and leads to serious health issues, including impotence, reproduction issues, infertility, loss of bowel and bladder control, or paralysis in one or both legs.
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.
Signs Your Herniated Disc is Healing
However, the first symptom that will reveal that you are on the way to healing is that the sharp, shooting pain in your legs or arms will go away, followed by some muscle weakness in that nerve path. However, if you have numbness, it might take longer to heal.
Sometimes, the nerves are actually damaged by the pressure from the disc herniation and may not recover completely. You may also develop scar tissue around the nerves weeks after the operation that causes pain similar to what you had before the operation.
The pain from a herniated disc usually is worse when you are active and gets better when you are resting. Coughing, sneezing, sitting, driving, and bending forward may make the pain worse. The pain gets worse when you make these movements because there is more pressure on the nerve.
Disc bulges are not permanent. The disc is a fluid filled structure and therefore has the capacity to heal, resolve and be re-absorbed.
Massage therapy can offer relief of bulging disc by treating the condition at its roots. Very often, imbalances in the skeletal structure, such as being “stuck” in a side-tilted position, may predispose one toward this injury, and/or result from it.
However, hijama was found to be very effective in 67 percent of the patients experiencing severe sciatic pain due to disc prolapse or herniation at the L4/L5 vertebrae.
The number of treatments you require will depend upon your rate of improvement. Patty Wang, a Denver acupuncturist who trained in China and has been practicing for over 40 years, says that over 90 percent of her back pain patients — both acute and chronic — improve after two or three treatments.
Generally speaking—as long as they're performed correctly—core and back exercises are beneficial for bulging discs, as are activities like walking, elliptical exercise, swimming, and riding a stationary or regular bike.
The herniated portion of the disc contains water and over time, your body will absorb the water which will cause the herniated disc to shrink in size.
After 2 years: 76 people out of 100 who had surgery had no symptoms or almost no symptoms. This means that 24 still had some symptoms. 69 people out of 100 who had non-surgical treatment had no symptoms or almost no symptoms.
It is proper to sit up straight without slouching. When you slump, you put extra pressure on the discs in the spine and can aggravate your herniated disc. Additionally, you want to ensure your knees are level with your hips. Your hips should be slightly above your knees if you sit at a desk.
Walking isn't too strenuous, which is one reason it tends to be beneficial even with a bulging disc. At the same time, the motions involved still provide enough stimulation to strengthen the muscles that provide some degree of support to the spine.
Living with a herniated disc
Most people who have a herniated disc are better in about 4 weeks. Sometimes it takes longer. If you still have pain or numbness after 4 to 6 weeks, or if you feel worse, talk with your doctor. Sometimes it takes surgery to relieve pain.
L5-S1 Disc Bulge Symptoms
This process is absolutely normal and is a part of aging and happens with everyone. L5-S1 bulging discs are most common as they take the stress and weight of the body. The symptoms experienced in the lower back can be terribly painful.
Most cases of L5-S1 disc herniation can be treated with conservative measures such as rest, ice, and heat. Chiropractic care, physical therapy, and pain medication can also be helpful.