Herniated Disc Treatment
A herniated disc, also known as a fractured or "slipped" disc, is a common back disorder that can sometimes cause back pain. Herniated disks occur when one of the pieces of rubber cartilage between the vertebrae tears or slips in place. This can cause back, leg, arm, or neck pain. If you experience pain in this area, a pain specialist working with the First Class Medical in Richmond Hill, Queens, NY can help. This specialist focuses on non-surgical conservative care.
Symptoms
If you have a ruptured disc, it can cause severe back pain. Along with a ruptured disc, back pain can also be caused due by sprains or strains in the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. However, low back pain combined with back pain in one or both legs (sciatica) usually indicate a herniated disc.
How to know I have a herniated disc?
Herniated discs are very common. They don't always cause pain or noticeable symptoms so you may experience them and not even notice. The painless sliding washer usually doesn't require maintenance.
People who are at higher risk of painful discs include those who:
- Lift heavy objects
- Take part in sports activities
- Smoke
- If you are overweight
- If you hurt yourself
- Symptoms of a disc hernia may include pain in both legs, weakness in one or both legs, a burning sensation in the buttocks or legs, and pain that increases when sitting, bending over, or sneezing.
Causes of Herniated Disc
Normally, the rubbery discs permit the spine to flex. Associates in Nursing absorb forces on the spine once you twist, bend, or lift. With aging, the discs begin to wear out. They'll flatten a small amount or bulge outward, like an underinflated tire. The jellylike material within the disc begins to dry out and grow stiffer, and therefore the layers of the fibrous wall of the disc start to separate and fray.
If a broken disc presses on close spinal nerves, they become inflamed. Disc ruptures within the low back usually have an effect on the nervus roots that exit the spine on either side of the discs. The sciatic nerves tolerate the buttock, down the leg, and into the foot. That’s why you are feeling pain, tingling, and symptoms in those locations.
Herniated disc treatment
Patients can recover from a herniated disc without surgery, in most cases. Specialists from the First Class Medical in Richmond Hill, Queens, NY often use epidural nerve blocks and high-frequency neurotomies.
Epidural Nerve Block - This is a corticosteroid injection that can reduce inflammation in the surrounding spinal tissue. This treatment can provide significant long-term relief from disc herniation.
Radio Frequency Neurotomy - This treatment involves placing a radiofrequency needle near the damaged disc and nerves that cause pain. Heat is then released to numb the nerves and stop the pain.
Effective use of this treatment can prevent the need for surgery. So be sure to learn non-invasive back pain management with your doctor before taking any more extreme measures.
Get help at First Class Medical in Richmond Hill, Queens, NY. Call us at (718) 805-2000 "OR" Book your appointment today!