Slipped Disc Treatment without a Surgery Back pain, weakness, stiffness, pins & needles and spasms are just a few symptoms of a slipped or herniated disc. This pain could occur anywhere in the body (not just the back) depending on the source of the pain. Whilst this condition is painful, the good news is that it is highly treatable. The treatment for slipped disc aims at managing the pain associated with it and restoring the normal range of motion. We at Spinalogy Clinic, Pune take a look at a few non-surgical treatment options of slipped disc. The term ‘disc’ refers to the cushioning between the vertebrae of the spine. Each disc has a soft central portion and when this slips out it puts pressure on the surrounding nerves and is known as a slipped disc. These are a few approaches to treating a slipped disc. Medication: Medication is used to provide relief from pain. It does not cure the condition. Regular over-the-counter medication may initially be prescribed. If these do not provide enough relief muscle relaxants may be recommended. In some cases anti-depressants are also recommended. These help increase the effect of endorphins, your body’s natural pain killers. Spinal injections are used to provide strong medication directly to the source of pain. Physical Therapy: These methods can provide both immediate pain relief and long-term conditioning to prevent further injuries. Physical therapy consists of passive treatments that help relax your body and active treatments help strengthen your body. Passive Therapies i.
Deep Tissue Massage: This is a very specific kind of massage that must be done only with a specialist. Massage therapy is known to increase circulation bringing in nutrition to the muscles.
ii.
Heat/Cold Therapy: Both approaches have completely opposite objectives but can be extremely useful in their own way. Heat therapy is used to increase circulation while cold therapy is used to decrease it. Heat can relax the muscles and relieve pain while cold can reduce inflammation, spasms and pain.
iii.
Hydrotherapy: This could involve something as simple as sitting in a Jacuzzi or a tub. Water is a gentle method of relaxing muscles.
iv.
Electrotherapy: This involves the use of a machine that passes low-voltage electric currents through your body. These electric stimulations are used to block pain and stimulate the production of endorphins, the body’s natural pain relieving hormones. Treatments like Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) and Interferential therapy (IFT) are used.
v.
Spinal Traction: Spinal traction is a process of relieving pressure on the spine by stretching it. This can be done manually or mechanically. Active Therapies
i.
Core Exercises: Our core or abdominal muscles help stabilize our spine. A weakened core increases the load on the spine and leads to back pain. Under the guidance of a physical therapist these muscles are strengthened.