What is the best remedy for a slipped disc?
Hello
And welcome to the One Care Medical Center one of Coimbatore’s fastest growing orthopedic hospital, My name is Dr. Abdul Salam and I am a full-time orthopedic surgeon at OCMC. In today’s short blog post we are going to discuss ‘what is the best remedy for a slipped disc?’
Many patients report constant pain in the back or leg pain that radiates all the way down from the back. Some patients also report weakness in the lower leg. Interestingly, a large proportion of patients experiencing such symptoms usually suffer from a slipped disc also called ‘herniated disc’
Most orthopedic surgeons would recommend a procedure called discectomy. We, however, beg to differ. In our experience, we have seen and treated many patients very conservatively when faced with the problem of a slipped disc
Let us first understand…
What is a slipped disc?
A disc herniation commonly occurs when the cushion like material between the bones of the spinal vertebrae gets pushed outside. This condition is excruciatingly painful in nature. Thus making a right clinical diagnosis is very important
When a disc bulges out it compresses one or more nerve roots that exit between the spinal bones. This compression can lead to pain radiating down the leg.
Slip disc symptom:-
Clinical symptoms of a slipped disc, of course, depend upon the level and location of the injured disc. Pain can usually vary in intensity from mild to severe.
Symptom onset may be sharp and sudden, burning in nature, tingling associated pins and needles sensations. In severe instances, complete loss of bladder and bowel control can happen
There are some aetiological factors that can affect your disc’s.
These include
1. Aging
2. Poor posture
3. Twisting movements
4. High impact sports
5. Obesity and smoking
Diagnosis & Treatment:-
A large majority of patients do not require any form of surgery for a slipped disc. However, locating the precise location of disc slip is important. Use of CT or MRI imaging is recommended to localize the site of bulge
Conservative treatment options for the slipped disc include:-
1. Anti-inflammatory drugs and tailored physical therapy
2. Epidural nerve blocks in case of severe pain
3. PRP injections (considered experimental)
Most patients report good improvement in terms of reduced pain and improved quality of life with the above-mentioned treatment strategies
I hope you enjoyed reading the short article. Do you know someone with a slipped disc?. You should definitely share this article with them.
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