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 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.
If a bulging disc is untreated, the symptoms will become worse as the constant pressure on the nerve intensifies the sensations. This can also cause issues with walking, and even while holding objects, as the pressure impedes the ability of the nerves to transmit information properly.
Why Do Herniated Discs Take So Long to Heal? “Discs in adults typically have poor blood supply,” Dr. Sokunbi notes, “and sometimes don't have the ability to heal completely.” Most often, herniated discs in healthy patients heal quickly.
Self care: In most cases, the pain from a herniated disc will get better within a couple days and completely resolve in 4 to 6 weeks. Restricting your activity, ice/heat therapy, and taking over the counter medications will help your recovery.
For most people with a bulging disc, there won't be any long-term consequences besides possible chronic pain. However, there can be permanent damage to the nerves if a severe case of a bulging disc is left completely untreated.
Therefore if you have an onset of back pain, even if you do have a disc bulge or prior history of one, it may be caused by something else and not the disc. Is it permanent? Disc bulges are not permanent. The disc is a fluid filled structure and therefore has the capacity to heal, resolve and be re-absorbed.
There is a common belief that chiropractors will make your disc protrusion worse. Nothing could be further from the truth! Common treatments for disc injuries involve bed rest, pain relievers, steroid injections, intense physical therapy, and surgery.
Flexion Based Movements
This typically causes the disc herniation to put extra pressure on surrounding tissues, causing increased muscle spasms and potential nerve symptoms. Flexion based activities include bending down to pick something up, traditional biking, sit ups, toe touches, and deep squats.
Most people recover from a slipped disc within six weeks without treatment. Until then there are a number of treatment options that aim to help relieve the pain and improve mobility.
What aggravates herndiated disc? A person with a disc herniation should avoid heavy lifting, sudden pressure on the back, or repetitive strenuous activities during recovery. People should avoid all exercises that cause pain or feel as though they are making the pain worse.
Seek emergency medical attention if you have: Worsening symptoms. Pain, numbness or weakness can increase to the point that they hamper your daily activities. Bladder or bowel dysfunction.
Shoveling snow and gardening can worsen your disc pain, as it often involves heavy lifting, forward-bending, and twisting—motions that easily aggravate your discs. With snow, use a snowblower if you can, or get help from a neighbor. With gardening, try to avoid repetitive bending and stooping.
Surgery is a last resort to treat a herniated disc when manual therapy and IDD Therapy have not brought about change. When the pain is so severe and unresolved, or if the nerve pain is causing weakness in the leg, then surgery can be carried out to remove the part of the disc pushing on the nerve.
Herniated discs are a common cause of disability, and many patients are recommended for surgery as their first course of action to rid them of their pain. However, nearly 90% of patients with disc herniations don't require surgery.
Sit with the Right Posture
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. Even though it may be tempting to lay low and take it easy when you have a herniated disc, staying active is actually much better for your mobility. Staying in bed can cause stiff joints and weak muscles, which are not ideal for an athlete on the mend.
The optimal sleeping position for a herniated disc is on your back. Lying on your back keeps your spine in a neutral position so you have less chance of pinching the nerve. For added comfort, nestle a small pillow or rolled-up towel under your knees and lower back.
Deep Tissue Massage: There are more than 100 types of massage, but deep tissue massage is an ideal option if you have a herniated disc because it uses a great deal of pressure to relieve deep muscle tension and spasms, which develop to prevent muscle motion at the affected area.
Corticosteroid injections can reduce inflammation and can be effective when delivered directly into the painful area. Unfortunately, the injection does not make a herniated disc smaller; it only works on the spinal nerves by flushing away the proteins that cause swelling.
One of the best treatments for the symptoms of a herniated disc is stretching exercises. By gently stretching the muscles in the back, their flexibility is improved, helping them stabilize the disc herniation area. Overall endurance and circulation are also improved with herniated disc exercises, and symptoms improve.
A herniated disk (or “bulging” disk or “slipped” disk) is a condition that can cause severe back pain and develop into a disability. Bulging or herniated disks are a common cause of back pain and can prevent you from working. Back pain is a common reason for SSDI disability claim payments.
Bulging and protruding disc cases typically recover a lot less when compared with herniated discs. The average jury award across the United States, for example, for bulging discs is just over $140,000, which is compared with over $360,000 for a herniated or a ruptured disc.
In many cases there may be MRI findings such as a “disc bulge” or “degenerative disc disease” when stress-related back pain is the actual culprit.